Market Dialogue Document

This market dialogue document is issued based on the Prior Information Notice no. 2017/S 101-201329. The document provides a more detailed explanation of the programme for modernising and digitising the customs area in Denmark, as well as the objective of the market dialogue.

1.Introduction to Danish Customs

The Danish Ministry of Taxation (The Ministry) is establishing an Implementation Centre for Customs (ICT). ICT aims to implement the new EU customs legislation, but above all, transform the Ministry’s existing customs capability within SKAT (an agency within the Ministry’s organization) into a leading customs agency in Europe.

There is a profound need for change, induced by different internal and external factors. The most notable of these are regulatory, operational and technological changes, along with changing business expectations towards customs. In order to overcome these challenges, SKAT and the Danish Customs Agency must undergo a range of significant changes. These changes will ensure that the Agency meets its ambition to create safety and secure correct customs revenue for transports of goods across Denmark's borders and support business growth through smooth import and export processes. This is achieved through optimal use of data as well as focus on impact and compliance.In order to realize the ambition, the aim is to achieve four goals: (1)Compliance with laws and rules, (2) Safety and security, (3) Correct customs revenue and (4) Optimal customs conditions.

In this connection, ICT is conducting this market dialogue on “general and strategic topics” related to the modernisation and digitisation of the customs area.

2.ICT organization

ICT has since January 2017 recruited and are still recruiting resources with relevant competences in order to secure the success of the program. By the end of 2017 ICT is expecting to have about 100 employees. ICT is organised in 4 offices, Strategy & Governance, Business processes & Organisational change management, Data & Analytics and IT Development, geared towards being able to address the challenges ICT will be looking at in the next years. The existing customs-organization is continuously involved, to secure customs knowledge in ICT.

3.Customs to-be architecture

The keywords in the to-be architecture of Danish Customs are: Data-driven, customer-centric, modular and re-usable. We therefore aim for common functionality with regards to things like reporting, external communication and security, which will form the basis on which we place our customs-functionality, which we intend to implement and operate on a modular basis, giving us the option to change operator if so needed, and to expand upon, or replace specific functionality when required. We seek to give our customers the best possible experience, which is why we intend to expose both an API as well as a common UI across customs-functionality.

4.Market dialogue purpose and tender plan

The purpose of the market dialogue is to support ICT in the preparation of an overall tender strategy for the acquisition needs of ICT, in order to be compliant with the legal demands of UCC.

Following this market dialogue, ICT might initiate other specific market dialogues based on the publication of new prior information notices if deemed necessary for ICT to prepare acquisition specific tender strategies. ICT will initiate one or several tender procedures based on this/these market dialogue(s), the first tender is expected to be announced late 2017 or early 2018.

4.1.Market dialogue objectives

The objectives of this market dialogue are the following:

To inform the market about Danish Customs plans to procure new system support for the customs area, to comply with UCC and MASP requirements and to support the vision for Danish Customs.
To explore what services and solutions are available on the market and how future solutions could be designed. The future solutions need to be flexible to change and provide innovation throughout the contractual life, facilitating and enabling the implementation of the UCC and MASP requirements.
To collect input on what is the best tender strategy for procuring the necessary customs product(s) and implementation services, as well as related hosting, operation, support, development, management and disaster recovery.
To understand which products and vendors/consortiums are on the market, and understand in what combinations (bundles) products are offered in tender procedures. Following the market dialogue, ICT may plan the tenders as ICT finds appropriate, in which vendors (in relevant constellations on their own initiative) may participate. This may include bundling capability areas, if this is deemed more advantageous.

5.Completing the questionnaire and participation in the dialogue meetings

To participate in the market dialogue, the respondent is required to submit a response to the questionnaire in Appendix 1 to this Market Dialogue Document.

The response to the questionnaire should be in English and should be submitted to:

Peter Høeg-Larsen – no later than the 13th of June 2017.

All interested economic operators may submit responses to the questionnaire and thus participate in the market dialogue as respondents.

-Vendors sign-up to participate. Email to with information:

-Company name and address

-Contact person name, email and phone

It is not a prerequisite that a vendor supports all capabilities. We seek the best solution to support each capability, but we also encourage vendors to show how they can solve several capabilities.

5.1.Dialogue meetings

In addition, ICT expects to conduct dialogue meetings in Copenhagen, between the 3rd of July and the 7th of July 2017,one full day per selected vendor.

Respondents should state if they do not wish to participate in such dialogue meetings.

The respondent will before the meeting sign a non-disclosure agreement.

The dialogue meetings may provide an opportunity for elaborating on individual questions/answers. However, it is not expected that all questions will be addressed in detail at the meetings. Thus, the respondent is encouraged to provide complete answers that do not require further dialogue.

A maximum of five (5) respondents will be invited to participate in the dialogue meetings. The selection of respondents will seek to identify a representative sample of economic operators in the relevant market. Accordingly, the respondents are selected on the basis of their competencies and services and solutions relevant for the modernisation and digitisation of the customs area as demonstrated in the response of the questionnaire.

The respondents selected for participation in the dialogue meetings in accordance with the principles set out above will receive an invitation. The invitation will inform the respondent about the specific date of their dialogue meeting with the Ministry of Taxation.

6.List of documents

The following documents are included in this market dialogue:

Prior Information Notice no. [xxxx].
Market Dialogue Document (this document)
APPENDIX 1 - Questionnaire
Supporting document with background information (will be uploaded to the SKM Tuesday 30th of May)