Force Communications Solution - CPA/SPU/2684P

CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support · Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment · Software package and information systems

Procedure method

Direct award

Legal basis

UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Awarded without competition

Procurement threshold

Above threshold (FTS publication)

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

1 Apr 2026, 13:21 BST

Last source update

21 Oct 2026, 16:44 BST

Authority reference

CPA/SPU/2684P

FTS notice number

2026/S 000-099680

Latest notice

Contract details notice (UK7)

Classification (CPV)

IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and supportRadio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipmentSoftware package and information systems

Delivery area

North West (UKD6)

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-067abc Find a Tender

Why no open competition

Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement

Published justification

Applicable justifications are : A: are required to be compatible with an existing asset and C: where the provider is the sole supplier of the goods, services or works. Saab SAFE is the core platform used by the organisation to take emergency and non-emergency calls from members of the public. The system has integrated telephony and radio (through interfaces with Airwave), which allows a call to be managed from whatever route it enters the Force Control Room, through to dispatch of an officer, at an appropriate grading. The system is classed as one of the Force’s core platforms, required 24/7, and contains multiple layers of redundancy. The system was the first of its type in the UK, with other forces since adopting due to its flexibility and is in use in thirty-five mission critical areas worldwide. When the system went live in 2018 it replaced seven disparate systems and integrated them into a single solution. The system also integrates into other key line of business systems used by the force, including Niche and Duty Management, to support other processes, such as crime recording and case management. Since its introduction in 2018, it has been continually tuned to suit our needs, and indeed, the wider policing market. Migrating to a new platform would have an excessive cost of change, involving a multi-year project (minimum of 24 months), significant business change and a large number of internal resources, and would not be as operationally effective / beneficial as the product we currently use. As well as project costs, new underlying hardware would be needed, requiring significant capital investment. The hardware currently used for the Saab platform remains fit-for-purpose and only needs replacing in-line with standard refresh cycles. It couldn’t be repurposed for a new platform as there would have to be a period of dual running if we were to move platforms. Aside from software and hardware, the amount of knowledge built up by our support team should not be underestimated, although impossible to quantify in cashable terms. Likewise, training Force Control Centre colleagues on a new platform would take between 4-6 months. Saab SAFE is a large multi-component system, but to support wider business processes, it has links into a number of other key platforms, many using bespoke interfaces. Many of these interfaces are bespoke and would need fully re-developing if moving to another platform. The cost and effort to do this would effectively get us to the same position we are now, it would not provide a technically superior product. Vendors would build the cost of any development into the procurement of a solution, however, there would be substantial indirect costs as internal resources, such as testing, project management, training would be required. There is no other solution that offers links into all these respective products already. For the above reasons, the Force is direct awarding to the incumbent under the PCC's Terms and Conditions for a period of 5years with the option to extend annually for a further period of 5 years.

Submission deadline

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• Saab UK LtdAwarded supplierGB-COH: 01724399 Queen Street, Hull, Yorkshire & Humber, HU1 1UUContact email, phoneShow contact details