Official UK procurement notice
SC1B/DDSFTW114 - British Computer Society Memberships
Authority: Ministry of Defence (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionA shortage of SQEP (Suitably Qualified Experienced Personnel) still exists in GDD (Government, Digital, Data) & Cybersecurity, so the department continues to promote professional development as a beneficial, rewarding and necessary intervention. The SDR (Strategic Defence Review) has reinforced this need to professionalise the digital workforce. OM (Organisational Membership) with the BCS (British Computer Society) provides a route to professionalisation with the leading professional body for IT (Information Technology) professionals. There is no alternative supplier.
The requirement supports the HDIP (Head of Digital and Information Profession) continuing responsibility for developing Information Capability across Defence, including the alignment to government capability frameworks and industry recognised skill standards.
As a result, the HDIP would like to extend the MOD (Ministry of Defence) OM with BCS for a further 12 (twelve) months. The current contract term expires on the 31st July 2025 and if this is not extended the department will have to revert to an individual memberships model which is significantly more expensive.
There is therefore a need to extend the current OM capability for a further 12 (twelve) months at a membership level of 2,000 (two thousand). Under the contract, 1,690 (one thousand six hundred and ninety) memberships will be for DD (Defence Digital) consumption whilst the other 310 (three hundred and ten) memberships will be for DE&S (Defence, Equipment and Support) consumption.
CPV: Membership organisation services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- 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
- 23 Jun 2025, 16:28 BST
- Last source update
- 16 Sept 2025, 11:02 BST
- Authority reference
DDSFTW114- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-056855- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-055205Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons; Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement
- Published justification
BCS are the globally recognised British Computer Society and are the only chartered institute for IT (Information Technology) who hold a Royal Charter. There are no other professional bodies who offer the same membership support and recognised qualifications. Therefore, there are no other professional bodies that the MOD (Ministry of Defence) can approach for this service as BCS are the exclusive supplier of these specific services.
This contract renewal is to continue the service for MOD Digital professionals as part of their career pathway development with the purchase of 2,000 (two thousand) operational memberships in total. In line with wider Defence objections, the MOD are committed to supporting the 1 in 10 (one in ten) professionals being in a digital role and working with BCS to provide networking, specialist interest groups, recognised industry standard, CDP (Continuous Professional Development) and maintaining currency in qualifications. Under the contract, 1,690 (one thousand six hundred and ninety) memberships will be for DD (Defence Digital) consumption whilst the other 310 (three hundred and ten) memberships will be for DE&S (Defence, Equipment and Support) consumption.
Absence of competition for technical reasons applies here as there is no reasonable alternative. This also represents an additional repeat purchase of the same services currently supplied by BCS under the extant contract.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
23 Jun 2025 → 16 Sept 2025 · 5 dates- Planning notice published23 Jun 2025, 16:28 BST
- Next notice expected23 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST
- Standstill ends23 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts1 Aug 2025, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published16 Sept 2025, 11:02 BST
Notice history
9 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 Jun 2025- Pipeline notice published23 Jun 2025, 16:28 BSTUK1
- Transparency notice published25 Jun 2025, 15:52 BSTUK5
- Status changed to complete25 Jun 2025, 15:52 BST
- Procurement method changed25 Jun 2025, 15:52 BST
- Transparency notice published26 Jun 2025, 17:47 BSTUK5
- Transparency notice published27 Jun 2025, 13:43 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published11 Jul 2025, 14:05 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected31 Jul 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published16 Sept 2025, 11:02 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (6)
- 2025-06: 3 releases · 23 Jun 2025, 26 Jun 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Computer SocietyBritish Computer Society Memberships1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026Amended: The number of OM's (Operational Memberships) has been uplifted under the 'Scope' and 'Direct Award Justification' fields as the previous number of OM's publised didn't accurately reflect the requirement in its entirety. The contract value has also been updated in the 'Contract' field as a result of this. · Amended: The number of OM's (Operational Memberships) has been uplifted under the 'Scope' and 'Direct Award Justification' fields as the previous number of OM's published didn't accurately reflect the requirement in its entirety. The contract value has also been updated in the 'Contract' field as a result of this. | £232,440same award published again · counted once | 11 Jul 2025standstill to 23 Jul 2025 | Standstill |
| British Computer Society | £232,440 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 2 · British Computer Society
- Signed
- 31 Jul 2025
- Value
- £232,440
- Period
- 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract value is below £5m (inc VAT) in accordance with the PA 2023.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- The British Computer SocietyAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender