Card Processing Advisory Services

What Card Processing Advisory Services does

Card Processing Advisory Services (CPRAS) is a UK-based procurement advisory and technology company founded in 2008 as a family business, headquartered in London. The company serves primarily UK public sector organisations — including Local Authorities (approximately 25% of all UK councils use its frameworks), NHS Bodies, Universities, Schools, Emergency Services, and National Institutions — by providing free access to pre-vetted supplier frameworks across categories such as Banking and Finance, Printing, Waste Management, Telecoms, Recruitment, Temporary Accommodation, Home Care, Home to School Transport, and a Pathways to Net Zero suite covering Electric Vehicles, Solar Power, and Heat Pumps.

The company's core technology is the proprietary CPRAS Procurement Platform, an end-to-end online procurement system distinguished by a unique granular weighting system that allows every element of a product or service specification (including social value and pricing) to be individually tailored to each organisation's requirements. The platform supports in-built collaboration modules, advanced KPI reporting, invoice validation services, and bespoke framework creation, and has been extended into Business Community Platforms that enable Local Authorities to generate revenue while supporting local businesses. Supporting services include an Invoice Validation Service that cross-checks transaction-level fees on behalf of clients.

CPRAS's business model is freemium to public bodies: frameworks and platform access are provided at zero cost with no usage obligations, while revenue is generated through commissions and referral fees paid by supplier partners (including Lloyds Bank, NatWest, Adyen, Visa, Equifax, Checkout.com, and others) who gain access to a pre-vetted public sector client base. The company employs 11–50 people, remains privately held, and operates exclusively in the United Kingdom. Go-to-market is a direct enterprise field sales motion supplemented by a collaborative 'Pre-PIN' framework development methodology that engages public bodies before tender publication to co-design specifications.

Name

Card Processing Advisory Services

Legal name

Card Processing Advisory Service Limited

Website

https://cpras.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CPRAS is a UK-based procurement advisory and technology firm operating a proprietary procurement platform with a granular weighting system, serving UK public sector organisations (Local Authorities, NHS, Universities) via free frameworks with revenue from supplier commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Procurement Services

NAICS

Business Support Services (5614), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Compliance, Risk & Supplier Due Diligence (KYC/ESG/Sanctions) (BPAAAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spend Analytics & Reporting Support (BPAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Public sector procurement
• Procurement frameworks
• Cost advisory services
• E-tendering platform
• Merchant services procurement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Commission/Referral from Supplier Partners: CPRAS provides its frameworks and procurement platform services free of charge to UK Public Bodies with no usage obligations. The company generates revenue by earning commissions or referral fees from the financial services suppliers and other vendors who are listed on and win business through its frameworks. Suppliers gain access to an extensive public sector client base (including 25% of UK Local Authorities) in exchange for these fees.
2. Bespoke Framework Development: CPRAS designs and creates bespoke frameworks for public sector organisations at no cost, then earns revenue from the suppliers who are onboarded to those bespoke frameworks through volume leverage and pre-vetted market access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CPRAS designs and operates a portfolio of pre-vetted procurement frameworks (Banking and Finance, Printing, Waste Management, Telecoms, Home Care, Temporary Accommodation, Recruitment, Pothole Repairs, Building Refurbishments, and Pathways to Net Zero) for UK Public Bodies, delivered through a proprietary end-to-end e-tendering platform. Services are provided free of charge to clients, with revenue earned from commissions paid by onboarded suppliers. Additional offerings include bespoke framework creation, Business Community Platforms for Local Authorities, and an Invoice Validation Service that audits transaction-level fees.

Product overview

Card Processing Advisory Services (CPRAS) operates as a multi-award-winning procurement advisory organisation founded in 2008, offering a unified technology platform (the CPRAS Procurement Platform) supported by a portfolio of sector-specific procurement frameworks. The core platform provides end-to-end procurement technology with a unique granular weighting system, collaborative modules, and advanced KPI reporting capabilities. The framework portfolio includes live frameworks (Banking and Finance Framework FSPF-01, Printing Products and Services Framework) and frameworks in development (Temporary Accommodation, Pathways to Net Zero suite, Recruitment, Pothole Repair, Building Refurbishments, Waste Management, Telecoms, Home Care, and Home to School Transport). Additional offerings include the Bespoke Procurement Service for custom framework creation, the Business Community Platforms module for local revenue generation, and an Invoice Validation Service that identifies billing discrepancies. All services are provided free of charge to UK Public Bodies with no usage obligations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPRAS Procurement Platform End-to-end online procurement platform with a unique granular weighting system that allows every element of a product or service specification (including social value and pricing) to be tailored to each organisation's needs, plus in-built collaboration modules and advanced KPI reporting. For UK Public Bodies and procurement teams.
• Banking and Finance Framework (FSPF-01) Pre-vetted procurement framework providing banking, merchant services, income management systems, open banking payments and procurement cards for UK Public Bodies and private sector organisations, with anticipated savings of ~30% per year on Merchant Services.
• Printing Products and Services Framework UK-wide framework providing Public Sector organisations with access to improved printing products and services at leveraged rates, including offset lithographic printing, digital printing, signage, print consumables and eco-friendly alternatives.
• Temporary Accommodation Open Framework Open Framework under the Procurement Act 2023 enabling UK Local Authorities to access improved temporary accommodation services, including self-contained units, shared accommodation, emergency placements and specialist placements.
• Pathways to Net Zero Frameworks Suite of procurement frameworks designed to help UK Public Bodies meet Net Zero targets, currently covering Electric Vehicles, Solar Power, Heat Pumps, Green Finance, Waste Management and Road Repairs, with shared collaboration opportunities.
• Recruitment Open Framework Nationwide Open Framework enabling UK Public Bodies to access improved recruitment services for Clinical, Administrative, IT, Finance, Teaching, Police, Firefighter, HR and other roles.
• Pothole Repair Framework Nationwide Open Framework enabling UK Local Authorities to procure improved pothole repair services at leveraged rates using eco-friendly methods and the latest sector innovations.
• Building Refurbishments Open Framework Framework helping UK Public Bodies access improved building refurbishment services at leveraged rates.
• Waste Management Open Framework Procurement framework for UK Public Sector organisations covering clinical and hazardous waste, sharps, commercial and household waste, food recycling, confidential waste, supply of bins, washroom waste and construction waste.
• Telecoms Open Framework Open Framework helping UK Public Sector organisations procure improved telecoms services at leveraged rates.
• Home Care Open Framework Nationwide Open Framework helping UK Local Authorities access improved home care services, including one-to-one support, overnight short breaks, emergency placements and specialty care.
• Home to School Transport Open Framework Open Framework helping UK Local Authorities access improved home-to-school transport services, including private taxis, buses, public transport and specialist travel.
• Business Community Platforms Personalised digital platforms for Local Authorities that provide local businesses with access to products, services and savings while generating new revenue streams for the public body, built on CPRAS platform technology with a granular weighting system and collaborative best-practice sharing.
• Bespoke Procurement Service End-to-end bespoke service that designs and creates custom frameworks or tenders to address any procurement need faced by UK Public Sector organisations, from initial brief through to ongoing contract management, removing the need for time-consuming and costly tender exercises.
• Invoice Validation Service Technology-enabled service that cross-checks every transaction fee at the individual transaction level to identify discrepancies and overcharges, handling the identification and resolution process directly with suppliers on behalf of UK Public Body clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% savings per year on Merchant Services through the Banking and Finance Framework
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lloyds BankcoreTechnology or IntegrationLloyds Bank is listed as a partner providing banking services within CPRAS's Banking and Finance Framework. CPRAS works with market-leading partners to deliver financial services to public sector clients through its framework.
• AdyencoreTechnology or IntegrationAdyen is listed as a partner providing payment processing services within CPRAS's financial services ecosystem. CPRAS partners with Adyen as part of its Banking and Finance Framework offerings.
• NatWest GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationNatWest Group is listed as a partner providing banking services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem, delivering financial services to public sector clients.
• EquifaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationEquifax is listed as a partner providing credit referencing and financial data services within CPRAS's financial services framework ecosystem.
• VisacoreTechnology or IntegrationVisa is listed as a partner card network within CPRAS's payment and merchant services framework ecosystem.
• AllpaycoreTechnology or IntegrationAllpay is listed as a partner providing payment services within CPRAS's financial services and payments framework ecosystem for public sector clients.
• AIB Merchant ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationAIB Merchant Services is listed as a partner providing merchant acquiring and payment services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem.
• NuveicoreTechnology or IntegrationNuvei is listed as a partner providing payment technology services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem for public sector financial services.
• BudcoreTechnology or IntegrationBud is listed as a partner providing financial technology services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem, supporting open banking and payment solutions.
• Go CardlesscoreTechnology or IntegrationGo Cardless is listed as a partner providing direct debit and payment services within CPRAS's financial services framework ecosystem.
• Checkout.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationCheckout.com is listed as a partner providing payment processing services within CPRAS's financial services framework ecosystem.
• EcospendcoreTechnology or IntegrationEcospend is listed as a partner providing open banking payment services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem.
• VolopacoreTechnology or IntegrationVolopa is listed as a partner providing payment and card services within CPRAS's financial services framework ecosystem.
• KeyivrcoreTechnology or IntegrationKeyivr is listed as a partner providing call masking and IVR (Data Protection for Phone Payments) services within CPRAS's Banking and Finance Framework.
• VynecoreTechnology or IntegrationVyne is listed as a partner providing open banking payment solutions within CPRAS's framework ecosystem.
• GBA LogisticscoreTechnology or IntegrationGBA Logistics is listed as a partner providing logistics services within CPRAS's procurement framework ecosystem.
• CocooncoreTechnology or IntegrationCocoon is listed as a partner providing home security/IoT services within CPRAS's procurement framework ecosystem.
• Hey CentriccoreTechnology or IntegrationHey Centric is listed as a partner providing financial technology services within CPRAS's framework ecosystem.
• TPAcoreTechnology or IntegrationTPA is listed as a partner within CPRAS's procurement ecosystem, providing financial advisory services to public sector clients.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO): One of the largest UK public-sector buying organisations, operating a portfolio of procurement frameworks across categories that overlap with CPRAS's portfolio (including corporate services and facilities). Directly competes for the same UK Local Authority and public-body customers.
• Proactis: Procurement and spend management software vendor offering e-tendering, supplier management, and analytics platforms. Comparable to CPRAS's proprietary procurement platform technology stack, serving public and private sector procurement teams.
• Crown Commercial Service: UK government body that creates and operates procurement frameworks for the public sector. Directly competes with CPRAS for UK public-body procurement spend, particularly in banking, telecoms, and corporate services, with the advantage of implicit government backing.
• North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO): Regional UK public-sector procurement body operating framework agreements for North East authorities and beyond. Comparable to CPRAS in targeting Local Authorities with pre-built framework offerings across similar category mixes.
• Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO): UK public-sector purchasing consortium owned by local authorities, offering framework agreements across multiple categories. Competes head-to-head with CPRAS for council and school procurement spend in overlapping verticals such as printing, facilities, and corporate services.

Emerging players

• Proxima: UK-based procurement advisory firm helping clients reduce third-party spend. Comparable to CPRAS in the procurement-advisory value proposition, though Proxima primarily serves private-sector clients rather than UK public bodies.
• Due North (Ivalua): Procurement platform provider with a UK public-sector footprint focused on contract management and supplier engagement. Overlaps with CPRAS's platform capabilities around supplier vetting, KPI reporting, and contract lifecycle management.

Others

• Tussell: UK public-sector contract data and market intelligence provider. Adjacent to CPRAS's market as both operate in the UK public-procurement ecosystem, though Tussell provides data/analytics rather than framework delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Bravo Solutions (now part of Veridocs / Jaggaer group): Procurement platform historically serving European public-sector and enterprise buyers. Overlaps with CPRAS on e-tendering and supplier engagement workflows, though at much larger enterprise scale.
• Jaggaer: Large-scale global procurement and supplier management platform. Comparable to CPRAS at the technology layer (e-tendering, spend analytics, supplier due diligence), though operates much more broadly across industries and geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cpras_uk
• Facebookfacebook.com/cprascouk-100071381643915
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cpras

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Card Processing Advisory Services