On 7 February 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amended its webpage on the bond consolidated tape to provide an update on next steps.

In the updated ‘next steps’ section, the FCA confirms that the tender documents for the process to appoint a bond consolidated tape provider (CTP) will be published by 7 March 2025.

Given the revised publication date, the original concession notice (published in December 2024) will be cancelled and the FCA will conduct the procurement of a bond CTP under the Procurement Act 2023. The tender will follow the 2-stage process described in CP23/33.

The tender documents, which will be published on the procurement portal, will contain details of the award process, the licences the successful bidder will need to provide, how to participate in the tender and the information firms have to submit to the FCA as part of the application process. The FCA also plans to publish a draft contract between the CTP and the FCA.

Potential bidders are asked to register in the FCA’s procurement portal to access the relevant document, and they can also ask questions about the tender by registering their interest in the relevant opportunity on the portal.