Official UK procurement notice
Information Technology Service Management
Authority: Defence Equipment and Support
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Authority seeks Expressions of Interests from qualified providers that have the capability to transition and deliver an IT Service Management (ITSM) managed service via a Multisource Service Integration (MSI) operating model. Through this arrangement the successful supplier(s) will support The Authority to establish strategic partnerships and leverage the expertise, skills, and best practice of internal teams and industry partners across the Enterprise Service Model (ESM) Supplier EcoSystem.
ServiceNow shall be used as the single integrated platform for managing all critical ITSM practices and provide a centralised enterprise system for managing service delivery to users. The supplier(s) is expected to support, sustain and optimise ServiceNow (The Authority’s platform of choice under this contract) to ensure the tool is delivering maximum value and optimised for performance to both interface and integrate effective with other systems. There is a requirement for the tool to be scalable to evolve to meet current and future business needs.
The nature of this delivery space requires industry partners to operate as part of a collaborative joint mission approach to maximise the effectiveness of the whole force, in an operating centre where technical risk is managed at the highest level. Operating in the SECRET Domain, the service will predominantly be UK based but will operate globally in a connected and disconnected state. This creates opportunities for a combined problem centric approach to solving challenges at pace, experimenting with innovative solutions, as well as traditional support requirements.
The Contractor is further expected to provide, and work collaboratively with The Authority, and other suppliers (in accordance with the Enterprise Target Architecture):
- Transition to Multisource Service Integration (MSI) operating model acting as an
enabling function, managing coherence and delivering service management. The
Authority will retain the function of Service Integrator to maintain oversight,
governance and accountability.
- Evolve the ITSM function utilising the key principles laid out in the ITSM strategy
- Deliver Service Management Functions aligned to ITIL 4 practices on behalf of
The Authority
- Support to and optimisation of the ServiceNow tooling (on-prem).
- The current and future onboarding of additional industry partners.
Training on the usage of the ServiceNow tooling.
The initial Contract duration is estimated to be for a period of 5 years with 2 (1 +1) option years.
Potential Providers are to note that in order to fulfil this requirement, the chosen supplier will be exposed to and required to safeguard nationally sensitive information/data bearing a security classification up to and including SECRET UK EYES ONLY level. Potential providers are also required to complete vulnerability assessments on the platform as specified by The Authority.
The Authority therefore requires potential providers to have Provisional Facility Security Clearance status or be willing to gain FSC status to manage these security requirements throughout the entire supply chain by the Tender issue date. Potential Providers who do not meet this minimum eligibility criteria will be sifted out during the PSQ evaluation stage. Potential suppliers who wish to be sponsored through the FSC process by The Authority to note - there is no financial cost for Suppliers undertaking FSC accreditation, but they may be required to make changes to their site, infrastructure, and business administration, at their own cost, to meet the standards required for accreditation. There is also a requirement for personnel working on the development and implementation system to hold DV clearance.
It should be noted that this requirement shall be classed as ‘exempt’ from PA 2023. This notice is being advertised out for Expressions of Interest and completion of Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) stage and shall then be removed from the DSP platform and taken forward offline.
Based on the size and complexity of this requirement, SME involvement is essential to enable the solution to be as agile as possible. The Authority welcomes innovative ideas to be shared / discussed on how we can better understand and utilise SMEs throughout The IT Service Management requirement.
It should be noted that a significant proportion of the Technical Assessment Criteria / Weighting will be allocated to SME involvement in both the PSQ and Tender documentation and incentivised in any subsequent Contract.
Please note:
The classification of this PSQ is Official Sensitive and shall be submitted using the DSP platform.
As advised at Industry Day, should companies wish to, they can submit one A4 supplementary document at sensitive which will be treated as SECRET by the Authority.
Submission of any supplementary information is limited to one A4 page, font Arial 11 with no pictures or diagrams.
Full responses must be completed in DSP. Should you fail to provide your response in DSP and submit with your supplementary information, your submission will be deemed non-complaint and excluded from the Tender process.
The supplementary documents must be double wrapped and sealed, the inner wrapping marked secret and addressed to Sophie Parish, the outer wrapping should be addressed to THE SECURITY CONTROLLER of SPISN, MOD Abbey Wood, #8110 I Rowan 1c | Bristol | BS34 8JH.
The package must be sent via approved courier.
The contents of the package must contain a receipt for our Security Controller to sign and return to yourselves.
- How the procedure runs: Below are the procedure steps that will be followed. Futher detail will be communicated to the successful suppliers from the PSQ stage: Tender Notice and PSQ published Down select to 3-6 bidders Request for Solution released to bidders High level co creation workshops Down select to 2 bidders Detailed co creation workshops Best and Final Offer Contract Award
CPV: Information technology services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1Published value£65,000,000
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Technical ability: 60%
- Commercial: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Commercial: Will include price, commercial model factors and economic consideration
- Technical ability: Will include as minimum technical solution, delivery approach, risk, social value and behaviours
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 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
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Defence & security
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 3 Apr 2025, 09:00 BST
- Last source update
- 25 Jun 2025, 11:47 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 27 Feb 2026
- Authority reference
714523452 - SPISN/0308- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-034769- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04fc5dFind a Tender
- How it runs
Below are the procedure steps that will be followed. Futher detail will be communicated to the successful suppliers from the PSQ stage:
Tender Notice and PSQ published
Down select to 3-6 bidders
Request for Solution released to bidders
High level co creation workshops
Down select to 2 bidders
Detailed co creation workshops
Best and Final Offer
Contract Award
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 21 Jul 2025, 16:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 21 Jul 2025, 16:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 11 Jul 2025, 16:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
If you are interested in participating in this competition, expressions of interest must be made through the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP).
The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) can be accessd via the direct DSP Opportunity Listing link attached:
Timeline
3 Apr 2025 → 1 Apr 2026 · 7 dates- Planning notice published3 Apr 2025, 09:00 BST
- Market engagement27 May 2025, 23:59 BST
The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (PME) is to invite suppliers to participate in an Industry Day prior to the commencement of future competitions . The Industry Day will be taking place on 27th May 2025 at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham.
- Tender notice published24 Jun 2025, 14:40 BST
- Clarification questions by11 Jul 2025, 16:00 BST
- Submission deadline21 Jul 2025, 16:00 BST
- Award decision expected by239 days ago27 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts207 days ago1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
6 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 3 Apr 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published3 Apr 2025, 09:00 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published24 Jun 2025, 14:40 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £65,000,00024 Jun 2025, 14:40 BSTwas £75,000,000
- Status changed to active24 Jun 2025, 14:40 BST
- Procurement method changed24 Jun 2025, 14:40 BST
- Tender notice published25 Jun 2025, 11:47 BSTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender