Official UK procurement notice
Cyber Threat Defence Software and Appliance
Authority: Sovini Limited (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionAn advanced AI-driven cybersecurity platform enabling organizsations to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber threats in real time wherever they strike.
To view this notice, please click here:
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
- 25 Sept 2025, 16:05 BST
- Last source update
- 25 Sept 2025, 16:05 BST
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-059832- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a26eFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
Darktrace is an advanced AI-driven cybersecurity platform that has been integral to the Sovini cyber defences since 2021. It is designed to learn and understand the common patterns of users, systems, and applications, enabling it to identify anomalies or unusual behaviors that may indicate cyber attacks.
Artificial Intelligence gathering of this nature inside a business of our size and complexity, takes multiple years to allow its advanced machine learning to mature and develop accurate and reliable patterns of user and system behaviour. Alongside this, there has been an increase of Cyber-attacks on RP’s and likeminded organisations, with 30% reporting to have experienced at least 1 breach or attack during 2024-25 alone.
To change the Darktrace system now would increase the risk to Sovini significantly, as any replacement technology would have to go through a similar learning process (ours being 4 years) and during this period would create vulnerabilities in internal and external technology processes, leaving us vulnerable to hackers and external attacks. The use of AI is increasing within the toolset of Cyber criminals and as such, any period of weakness is more than ever likely to be taken advantage of should it be identified
Notice history
2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 25 Sept 2025- Transparency notice published25 Sept 2025, 16:05 BSTUK5
- Contract signature expected6 Oct 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darktrace Holdings Limited7 Jan 2026 – 6 Jan 2030 | £884,632 | — | 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