Official UK procurement notice
Cyber Security Software · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Bernicia Group (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionDarktrace is a cybersecurity software platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, respond to, and prevent cyber treats in real time.
The software learns our business’s normal behaviour and autonomously detects and responds to cyber threats, including previously unseen attacks.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 18 Jun 2026, 08:52 BST
- Last source update
- 18 Jun 2026, 08:52 BST
- Authority reference
BG-PREF 0043- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-057371- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b796Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement; only one supplier could deliver (user choice)
- Published justification
Cyber Security is a business-critical service, and any disruption would expose the business to increased risk.
The Darktrace platform is deeply integrated into the businesses infrastructure and relies on accumulated AI learning unique to this environment covering Network, Identity, Software as a Service and Email security with full integration of all telemetry. It supports the protection of critical services including, tenant data and personal information, housing management systems and financial and operational platforms. Replacing the system would require significant system(s) implementation, relearning period and revalidation of controls.
Transitioning to a new supplier at this point would result in temporary reduction in detection capability, increased likelihood of undetected threats and exposure during a high-risk migration window, which would leave us exposed under our obligations under UK GDPR, the Housing regulator and NCSC .
Switching would also incur additional implementation and integration costs, internal resource requirements and training and change management effort. These costs alone are considered disproportionate to the actual value achieved.
Darktrace is considered a leader by Gartner in the 2026 Magic Quadrant for Network Detection and Response and the 2025 Magic Quadrant for Email Security, making it uniquely recognised across multiple solution types.
Notice history
2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 18 Jun 2026- Transparency notice published18 Jun 2026, 08:52 BSTUK5
- Contract signature expected1 Jul 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darktrace Holdings Limited1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sept 2029 · up to 30 Sept 2032Extensions: Contract can be extended for a further 3-years. | £1,118,180 inc. VAT | — | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Darktrace Holdings LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender