HMRC seeks £4.5m partner to replace legacy metadata system with new AI-powered platform

HM Revenue and Customs is seeking a £4.6m, five-year contract with a provider of AI and metadata tooling to replace its legacy on-premise metadata management system, which is nearing end of life. The new platform aims to deliver a more connected, intelligent, and AI-enabled capability, integrating data, systems, business processes, and other information in a single environment. Bids are due by midday on 7 September, with the contract expected to be awarded in June next year.

The tax agency wishes to put in place a new integrated system covering the management of all its metadata, which relates to the categorisation and definition of other data assets HM Revenue and Customs is seeking to replace a legacy system for managing metadata with a new multimillion-pound platform that offers “a more connected, intelligent and AI-enabled capability”. The department has published a commercial notice opening bidding on a planned £4.6m contract with a provider of “AI and metadata tooling” technology. The document, which details HMRC’s plan to sign a five-year agreement, reveals that the tax agency “currently operates an on-premise solution that supports metadata management and governance capabilities across the organisation”. But this system “is approaching the end of its lifecycle and does not have any further extension options available”. In replacing it, the department sees “an opportunity to assess the market for a tool that moves beyond traditional data cataloguing and metadata management towards a more connected, intelligent and AI-enabled capability that supports understanding of how HMRC operates as a data-driven organisation”. Related content Government introduces measures to ‘make public sector data AI-ready’ https://www.publictechnology.net/2026/01/20/education-and-skills/government-introduces-measures-to-make-public-sector-data-ai-ready/ New government chief data officer Aimee Smith starts role https://www.publictechnology.net/2025/12/08/education-and-skills/new-government-chief-data-officer-aimee-smith-starts-role/ HMRC expands AI use to narrow revenue gap and ‘identify nascent issues with tax system’ https://www.publictechnology.net/2026/01/08/economics-and-finance/hmrc-expands-ai-use-to-narrow-revenue-gap-and-identify-nascent-issues-with-tax-system/ The notice says: “This includes connecting information relating to data, systems, business processes, risks, controls, policies, organisational structures and customer journeys in a single, integrated environment.” Often described as ‘data about data’, metadata is information that defines and categorises other data assets. Four months ago, the Government Digital Service published new cross-departmental guidance on ‘Recording metadata to describe critical data assets’. This advice document encourages government bodies that “using metadata to describe government data assets will make it easier to catalogue, validate, reuse and share your data”. Prospective suppliers of a new HMRC metadata system have until midday on 7 September to submit their bids for the contract. The department expects to enter into an agreement with its chosen partner in June of next year. The contract notice https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077335-2026 says: “HMRC is increasingly reliant on data, technology and digital services to support the delivery of its strategic objectives. Effective management of metadata, business knowledge and information assets is essential to supporting governance, assurance, transformation activity, operational delivery and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.”