Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 25 Sept 2025, 16:05 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Cyber Threat Defence Software and Appliance

Official notice

Authority: Sovini Limited (Public body)

Direct award
Awarded value£884,632published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to Darktrace Holdings Limited

What is being bought

Published requirement description

An 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:

www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html ↗

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Procedure 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
North West (UKD72)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a26e Find 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
  1. Transparency notice published
    25 Sept 2025, 16:05 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract signature expected
    6 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £884,6321 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Darktrace Holdings Limited7 Jan 2026 – 6 Jan 2030£884,632—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Sovini Limited

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PDDW-2534-TWPT Unit 1 Heysham Road, Dunnings Bridge Road, Bootle, North West, L30 6URContact email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Darktrace Holdings LimitedAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PCRL-6218-RCNL Maurice Wilkes Building, St John's Innovation Park, Cowley Road, Cambridge, East of England, CB4 0DSContact email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender