Purpose

Can Do Bristol is a digital volunteering
platform commissioned by Bristol City Council and developed in
partnership with Made Open Communications Ltd, who have served as
the specialist supplier since the platform’s inception in
2016. The platform enables residents, community groups, and
organisations to connect, collaborate, and participate in
volunteering and social action across the city. It operates on Made
Open’s licence model based on active user numbers and is
managed in alignment with the Council’s IT and data
governance frameworks.
The platform plays a key role in advancing civic participation,
community resilience and digital inclusion, aligning with the
Council’s strategic priorities under the One City Plan and
Corporate Strategy 2025–2030. It reflects the Council’s
values of empowerment, equity, and collaboration, and is a
practical tool for delivering the One City Approach. Can Do Bristol
supports community connection and cohesion, particularly important
in the current context of rising social tensions, and has
demonstrated its value during citywide responses to the COVID-19
pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.
With over 13,000 approved members and thousands of monthly
interactions, the platform continues to enable grassroots social
action and inclusive civic engagement. It is supported by a
cross-sector advisory group and partnerships with equalities-led
organisations, helping to embed equity and accessibility into its
ongoing development.
This decision seeks to renew the licence and contract with Made
Open for a further four years to ensure continuity of service,
uphold data governance standards, and support the Council’s
statutory duties under the Localism Act 2011 and Care Act
2014.
Following a review of alternative options, a direct award to Made
Open has been identified as the most viable and cost-effective
solution. Their proprietary platform architecture, deep integration
with Council systems, and proven track record of inclusive civic
tech delivery make them uniquely positioned to continue this work.
Their continued delivery offers best value for money by avoiding
the significant financial, technical, and operational risks
associated with replacing or rebuilding the platform, while
maintaining service continuity and strategic alignment.

Content

Bristol City Council will renew its licence
agreement and contract with Made Open Communications Ltd for
continued delivery of the Can Do Bristol digital platform. The new
contract will run from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2030.
This direct award reflects Made Open’s unique position as the
sole provider of the platform’s proprietary architecture and
integrated digital infrastructure. Their continued involvement
ensures service continuity, specialised technical support, avoids
redevelopment costs, and supports the Council’s strategic
aims around civic participation, digital inclusion, and community
resilience.
The decision follows a review of alternatives, which confirmed that
re-procurement or in-house development would be financially and
operationally unviable. Decommissioning the platform was also
rejected due to its strategic value and role in supporting
statutory duties, as well as its importance to residents, VCSE
organisations, and city partners.

Alternative options considered

Several alternative options were explored
prior to recommending a direct award to Made Open Communications
Ltd:
• Re-procurement via open competition This option was
considered but rejected due to the proprietary nature of the
software and digital infrastructure developed by Made Open
Communications Ltd, who retain intellectual property rights over
the platform architecture and underlying systems that power the
platform. Their specialist expertise, combined with the deep
integration of their technology into Can Do Bristol’s core
functionality, means that replacing the supplier would require
redevelopment from scratch. This would involve substantial cost,
time, and risk to service continuity, and could compromise the
Council’s ability to meet its strategic objectives around
civic participation, digital inclusion, and community
resilience.
• In-house development Developing and maintaining a comparable
platform internally was deemed unviable due to the specialist
nature of the system, limited internal capacity, and the cost and
complexity of replicating existing functionality.
•Decommissioning the platform This option was considered but
rejected due to the platform’s strategic value in enabling
civic participation, volunteering, and community resilience. Its
removal would undermine the Council’s statutory duties under
the Localism Act 2011 and Care Act 2014, and disrupt services
relied upon by residents, VCSE organisations, and city
partners.
Given these considerations, a direct award to Made Open was
determined to be the most viable and value-for-money option.