Find a TenderAwardedContract award notice
Published 15 Jun 2026, 09:42 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Award of Outsourced IT Support Services

Official notice

Authority: Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales (Central government)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Published estimate£350,000≈ £117k / year · £425,000 inc. VAT18.6% below published estimate
Submissions closed 17 Jul 2026awarded 18 Aug 2026
Award (standstill) to CENTRAL NETWORKS AND TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Contract term 3 yrsends 30 Sept 2029 · up to 30 Sept 2031 with extensions · starts 1 Oct 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

HCC Group (Hybu Cig Cymru and its subsidiary, EIDCymru) seeks to procure effective IT Support Services provision via a suitably qualified and experienced supplier who will be responsible for installing/ implementing, supporting, maintaining, monitoring, and managing an ITinfrastructure as part of a comprehensive and fit-for-purpose service that:- is easy to manage and administrate;- provides service and contract deliverables quickly and efficiently;- proactively adds value through advice and recommendations to ensure that the HCC Group maintains proportionally effective standards in information / cyber security and data management;- proactively and routinely monitors the HCC network;- provides flexibility to the HCC Group with respect to future requirements and business growth;- is cost-effective from the date of Contract award and as the HCC Group grows; and- manages and/or coordinates with related and relevant third-party providers and vendors, as required in each instance.

  • No preliminary market engagement: The organisation has decided not to undertake or publish a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice. This is because the outsourced IT support services requirement is well-established, low complexity, and supported by a mature and competitive supplier market. The organisation has sufficient internal knowledge, including previous procurement experience and benchmarking data, to define the requirement without further market engagement. Undertaking PME would not materially improve competition, innovation, or value for money and would unnecessarily extend procurement timelines. The opportunity will be openly advertised via Find a Tender Service, ensuring full transparency and equal access to all suppliers.

CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£350,000
Contract period: 1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 30 Sept 2031 with extensionsValue: £350,000 exc. VAT · £425,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Technical Consultancy - General Bidders are invited to provide a comprehensive proposal outlining their approach to delivering technical consultancy services to an Arm’s Length Body of the Welsh Government. The response should clearly articulate the supplier’s expertise in developing and implementing organisational strategy, policy frameworks, and actionable roadmaps that align with public sector governance, regulatory compliance, and Welsh Government objectives; Special Projects – The MSP must be able to deliver additional IT projects as and when required to HCC Group; Project Management – The MSP should be able to offer project management and technical engineering resources to assist with technical projects as identified by the MSP or HCC Group; Technical Consultancy – Artificial Intelligence (AI) The proposal must include details of how the bidder will assess current digital maturity, including a structured AI readiness assessment covering data capability, technology infrastructure, workforce skills, risk management, and ethical considerations. Bidders should demonstrate how they will provide ongoing support, guidance, and stakeholder engagement to translate strategic vision into practical implementation across the business, including change management and capability building. The solution should emphasise sustainable delivery, measurable outcomes, and knowledge transfer to ensure that HCC can independently progress its digital and AI adoption journey while maintaining security, transparency, and public trust. · The proposed Contract length is an initial 36-months, with the option to extend up to a further 24-months in separate 12-month instalments at the sole discretion of HCC Group.
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)2
  • Economic & financial standing

    Disqualification of Tenderers

    HCC Group reserves the right to disqualify any tenderer based on the information provided with regards to Company Directors and/or any Conflict of Interest where such information would deem the tenderer non-compliant (such as in the event of a disqualified Director or irreconcilable conflict of interest).

    HCC Group reserves the right to disqualify a Response to ITT and/or a tenderer from this procurement process at any time if:

    a Response to ITT does not comply in any respect with the requirements of this ITT;

    any information provided to HCC Group by the relevant tenderer (or, in the

    case of a consortium, any of its members), including without limitation in a

    Response to ITT, is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any respect or

    ceases to be correct; or the tenderer has colluded with any person (excluding, where the tenderer is a consortium, collusion between consortium members in relation to the consortium’s Response to ITT) in relation to or in connection with its or any other tenderer’s Response to ITT.

    Disqualification of any Response to ITT or tenderer will be without prejudice to any other rights or remedies of HCC Group.

    Exclusion Grounds

    Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion

    You will be excluded from the procurement process if any of the mandatory grounds for exclusion apply, unless adequate explanations and/or mitigating factors have been included in your response to question 2.6.2 or 2.6.4 (as appropriate).

    You should check the full text of Schedule 6 or 7 of the Procurement Act 2023 and take legal advice where appropriate.

    If you are bidding as, or on behalf of, a consortium, you should check with all members of the consortium whether or not any of these grounds for exclusion apply and select “Yes” if any of these grounds apply to any consortium member.

    Note: if any of the mandatory grounds for exclusion become applicable after the date of submission of your Response to ITT, you must inform HCC Group. Failure to do so may result in termination of any contract awarded.

    Where you have answered “Yes” in respect of any matters in question 2.6.1 or 2.6.3, the details provided by you in the response to question 2.6.2 and 2.6.4 respectively will be used to decide whether the mandatory grounds for exclusion apply. If such grounds apply, you will be automatically excluded unless you can demonstrate evidence of your acceptability despite the existence of these grounds for exclusion. This would include adequate evidence of “self-cleaning” (see Section 58(1) of the Procurement Act 2023). The measures you have taken will also be evaluated taking into account the gravity and particular circumstances of the criminal offence or misconduct.

    Grounds for Discretionary Exclusion

    HCC Group may exclude you from the procurement process, if, having investigated the circumstances, any of these grounds for exclusion is found to apply.

    If you are bidding as, or on behalf of, a consortium, you should check with all members of the consortium whether or not any of these grounds for exclusion apply and select “Yes” if any of these grounds apply to any consortium member.

  • Technical & professional ability

    Confirm that your organisation is currently certified to Cyber Essentials Plus?

    If you answered ‘Outsourced’ to Serv1, confirm whether your organisation’s outsourced server provider has IASME Cyber Essentials and/or ISO:27001 accreditation?

    Does your organisation have a current and up to date Incident Recovery Plan / Policy (or similar) to underpin and inform the process related to personal data and/or information security incidents?

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 70%Price: 30%
Published sub-criteria (8)
  • Quality: Question 1: 20%
  • Quality: Question 2: 20%
  • Quality: Question 3: 10%
  • Quality: Question 4: 10%
  • Quality: Question 5: 10%
  • Financial : Part 1: 20%
  • Financial: Part 2: 5%
  • Financial: Part 3: 5%
Published award criteria (8)
  • Financial : Part 1: Part 1 Managed Service Provision: Total Cost Per Annum
  • Financial: Part 2: Part 2 Onboarding and Implementation: Total Rates
  • Financial: Part 3: Part 3 Additional Services: Total Schedule of Rates
  • Quality: Question 1: Describe in detail your organisation’s recent previous experience (last 3-years) of providing effective outsourced IT support services similar in scope, scale and context to the HCC Group requirement.
  • Quality: Question 2: Outline in detail your organisation’s proposal for the provision of an effective outsourced IT support service to HCC Group. Demonstrate how your organisation proposes to work with HCC Group to provide a robust and effective outsourced IT support service that addresses the full breadth and scope of the requirement. Include reference to proposed Service Level Agreements relevant to the HCC Group requirement.
  • Quality: Question 3: Detail your organisation’s proposed approach to account, quality and performance management for adoption if successful, including methodology, approach and deployment. Detail to the key points of contact to be appointed to HCC Group.
  • Quality: Question 4: Demonstrate how your organisation proposes to work effectively and collaboratively with HCC Group to ensure the continued security of its network, infrastructure and data.
  • Quality: Question 5: Provide a detailed onboarding and entry plan for adoption for use if successful. Outline the key handover and transition activities and processes in-line with the HCC Group requirement and address how your organisation will work effectively to minimise risk and service disruption during the transition.
Conditions of participation2
  • Economic & financial standing

    Disqualification of Tenderers

    HCC Group reserves the right to disqualify any tenderer based on the information provided with regards to Company Directors and/or any Conflict of Interest where such information would deem the tenderer non-compliant (such as in the event of a disqualified Director or irreconcilable conflict of interest).

    HCC Group reserves the right to disqualify a Response to ITT and/or a tenderer from this procurement process at any time if:

    a Response to ITT does not comply in any respect with the requirements of this ITT;

    any information provided to HCC Group by the relevant tenderer (or, in the

    case of a consortium, any of its members), including without limitation in a

    Response to ITT, is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any respect or

    ceases to be correct; or the tenderer has colluded with any person (excluding, where the tenderer is a consortium, collusion between consortium members in relation to the consortium’s Response to ITT) in relation to or in connection with its or any other tenderer’s Response to ITT.

    Disqualification of any Response to ITT or tenderer will be without prejudice to any other rights or remedies of HCC Group.

    Exclusion Grounds

    Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion

    You will be excluded from the procurement process if any of the mandatory grounds for exclusion apply, unless adequate explanations and/or mitigating factors have been included in your response to question 2.6.2 or 2.6.4 (as appropriate).

    You should check the full text…

  • Technical & professional ability

    Confirm that your organisation is currently certified to Cyber Essentials Plus?

    If you answered ‘Outsourced’ to Serv1, confirm whether your organisation’s outsourced server provider has IASME Cyber Essentials and/or ISO:27001 accreditation?

    Does your organisation have a current and up to date Incident Recovery Plan / Policy (or similar) to underpin and inform the process related to personal data and/or information security incidents?

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
15 Jun 2026, 09:42 BST
Last source update
19 Aug 2026, 15:10 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 7 Aug 2026
Authority reference
HCCMPW-2627-08
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-056003
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Classification (CPV)
IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Delivery area
UKWales (UKL)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b49c Find a Tender
Contract terms summary

Payment Terms

In adherence to the Procurement Act 2023 payment will be made within 30-days of receipt of valid invoice, with invoices to be issued in accordance with the payment scheduled agreed before or at contract award.

For an invoice to be considered valid and acceptable for payment it must be sent electronically (i.e. via email) and must include the following information as minimum:

The name of the supplier;

A description of the goods, services and/or works supplied to Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (as applicable);

The sum requested; and

A unique invoice reference / number.

All invoices are to be submitted to [email protected]

Should an invoice be considered invalid and/or the sum payable is disputed the supplier shall be notified as soon as practicable and the 30-day payment term will be considered on-hold until all queries are resolved.

Review and risk notes
Risks
  1. Dependence on Supplier Expertise and Limited In House Capability

Risk:

The Authority has limited internal IT expertise and is heavily reliant on the supplier acting as an “extension of the team.

Impact:

  • Poor supplier performance could significantly affect service delivery, decision-making, and risk management
  • Reduced ability to challenge or validate supplier recommendations

Mitigation (for inclusion):

  • Strong governance structure and named contract managers
  • Regular reporting and escalation routes
  • Defined SLAs and performance monitoring
  1. Transition and Handover Risk from Incumbent Provider

Risk:

The supplier must take over all services and liaise with the incumbent provider to ensure continuity.

Impact:

  • Service disruption during mobilisation
  • Loss or incomplete transfer of knowledge, system access, or documentation

Mitigation:

  • Mandatory transition/mobilisation plan
  • Requirement for full system audit post award
  • Clear exit/entry provisions and knowledge transfer obligations
  1. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Failure

Risk:

The service includes responsibility for backup, disaster recovery, and maintaining agreed RTO/RPO.

Impact:

  • Data loss or extended downtime
  • Operational and reputational damage

Mitigation:

  • Tested backup and recovery processes
  • Regular reporting on backup integrity
  • Requirement for resilient DR solutions and monitoring
  1. Cyber Security and Compliance Risk

Risk:

The supplier must maintain security arrangements and support Cyber Essentials Plus and IASME accreditations.

Impact:

  • Increased exposure to cyber threats
  • Loss of accreditation
  • Legal and regulatory breaches (UK GDPR, DPA 2018)

Mitigation:

  • Mandatory security certifications (e.g. Cyber Essentials Plus)
  • Continuous monitoring (SOC, patching, antivirus, etc.)
  • Regular audits and compliance reviews
  1. SLA / KPI Underperformance

Risk:

Failure to meet key SLAs (e.g. helpdesk responsiveness, resolution times, onboarding).

Impact:

  • Reduced productivity of staff
  • Poor user experience
  • Potential contract failure

Mitigation:

  • Clearly defined SLAs
  • Monthly reporting and contract review meetings
  • Formal improvement plan and escalation process (including termination rights)
  1. Multi-Site and Hybrid Working Complexity

Risk:

The service must support multiple locations and hybrid working, including remote access.

Impact:

  • Connectivity or access issues
  • Increased support demand and complexity

Mitigation:

  • Robust remote support capability
  • Scalable service model
  • Defined on-site support requirements
  1. Third-Party Dependency Risk

Risk:

The supplier must coordinate with multiple third-party providers (software, telephony, hardware, SaaS).

Impact:

  • Delays in issue resolution
  • Lack of accountability
  • Integration challenges

Mitigation:

  • Supplier to act as single point of contact
  • Defined responsibility matrix
  • Requirement for proactive vendor management
  1. Infrastructure and Asset Management Risk

Risk:

Incomplete or evolving understanding of current IT infrastructure (initial list is indicative only).

Impact:

  • Misconfigured systems
  • Asset gaps or unsupported hardware/software

Mitigation:

  • Mandatory full infrastructure audit post award
  • Ongoing asset and lifecycle management
  • Inventory and reporting requirements
  1. Scalability and Future Change Risk

Risk:

Changing organisational needs (e.g. staff numbers, relocation, growth).

Impact:

  • Service model may become inefficient or unsuitable
  • Increased costs or reduced flexibility

Mitigation:

  • Requirement for scalable, flexible service delivery
  • Ongoing consultancy and continuous improvement
  1. Data Protection and Information Governance Risk

Risk:

The supplier will process sensitive data and must comply with UK GDPR and related legislation.

Impact:

  • Data breaches
  • Legal penalties and reputational damage

Mitigation:

  • Strict compliance requirements
  • Data handling policies and reviews
  • Support for subject access requests and breach management
  1. ICT Security Certification and Standards Risk

Risk:

Failure to maintain required certifications (e.g. Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001).

Impact:

  • Non-compliance with contract
  • Increased vulnerability

Mitigation:

  • Mandatory certification requirements at award
  • Ongoing monitoring and re-certification support

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: portal not identified
Electronic submission allowedLanguage: EN, CY
Submission deadline
17 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
Clarification deadline
10 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en, cy
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit either the Find a Tender (FTS) or the Sell2Wales Website.

Central Digital Platform

Suppliers that wish to participate in this Procurement are responsible for ensuring that the Central Digital Platform contains complete, accurate and up-to-date information about their organisation and any associated suppliers which are relevant for the purposes of this Procurement. Suppliers must notify HCC Group immediately if it is unable to register on the Central Digital Platform and/or provide accurate and up-todate information via the Central Digital Platform. The CDP may be accessed

here: find-tender.service.gov.uk ↗

Sell2Wales

HCC Group will be conducting this procurement using the Postbox facility in the Sell2Wales procurement portal:

www.sell2wales.gov.wales/default.aspx ↗

The Sell2Wales technical team has overall responsibility for any technical queries relating to the Sell2Wales portal including:

  • Access to the Postbox;
  • Access to online documents via the portal; and
  • System advice and guidance.Should there be any system issues, the Sell2Wales technical helpline is 0800 222 9004.

Any Response to ITT which is received by HCC after 13.00 on 14 July 2026 may be excluded from this tender process. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that the Response to ITT is actually received by the deadline detailed above. HCC Group accepts no responsibility for the shortcomings of any delivery system or for any lost, delayed or defective Response to ITT. It is up to you to ensure that your Response to ITT is prepared in good time (taking into account the possibility of staff

absences or technical failures) and is submitted in advance of the deadline for receipt of the Response to ITT set out in this paragraph 6.

HCC Group may require you to provide further information and/or clarification of any matters contained in your Response to ITT.

Timeline

15 Jun 2026 → 1 Oct 2026 · 8 dates
  1. Tender notice published134 days ago
    15 Jun 2026, 09:42 BST
  2. Clarification questions by109 days ago
    10 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
  3. Submission deadline102 days ago
    17 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
  4. Award decision expected by81 days ago
    7 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Assessment summaries sent71 days ago
    18 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST
  6. Latest notice published69 days ago
    19 Aug 2026, 15:10 BST
  7. Standstill ends60 days ago
    28 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
  8. Contract starts27 days ago
    1 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

6 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Jun 2026
  1. Tender notice published
    15 Jun 2026, 09:42 BST
    UK4
  2. Tender notice published
    8 Jul 2026, 08:03 BST
    UK4
  3. Deadline moved to 17 Jul 2026, 17:00 BST
    8 Jul 2026, 08:03 BST
    +3 days · was 14 Jul 2026, 13:00 BST
  4. Contract award notice published
    19 Aug 2026, 15:10 BST
    UK6
  5. Status changed to complete
    19 Aug 2026, 15:10 BST
  6. Contract signature expected
    30 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
Published amendments (1)

Extension of deadline for clarification to 10/07/26 and submission deadline to 17/07/26. Upload of responses to all questions raised via the portal resolving issues where in two instances, up to ten questions have been asked in one occurrence resulting in platform failure to upload responses in text format.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £284,9001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 1212 from SMEs
Awarded toValueDateStatus
CENTRAL NETWORKS AND TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED1 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2029 · up to 31 Oct 2031Extensions: The proposed Contract length is an initial 36-months, with the option to extend up to a further 24- months in separate 12-month instalments at the sole discretion of HCC Group. · Options: Additional Services - Professional Services / Training to be utilised on ad-hoc basis during the term of the agreement as required (£118.75 per hour).£284,90018 Aug 2026standstill to 28 Aug 2026Standstill

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
12final-stage tenders120—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentWelsh devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PMHZ-4779-QPRX PO Box 176, Aberystwyth, Wales, SY23 2YAContact name, email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (15)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Show 4 more documents

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender