Official UK procurement notice
Security Operation Centre — UK public procurement notice
Authority: Bournemouth University (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionBournemouth University ("BU" or the "University") is exploring options for the provision of a co-managed Security Operations Centre (SOC) service to enhance and future-proof its cyber security operations capability. The University is seeking market feedback from experienced Managed Security Service Providers to better understand available service models, implementation approaches, commercial arrangements and indicative costs.
BU has invested significantly in its internal cyber security capability and Microsoft security technologies, including Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender XDR, Entra ID Protection, Security Copilot and related services. The University is now considering how external specialist support could complement its in-house team through a co-managed SOC operating model.
The key objectives of a future service are expected to include:
- Enhancing monitoring, detection and response capabilities through either 24/7 or out-of-hours SOC coverage.
- Improving threat detection, triage, false-positive reduction and incident response effectiveness.
- Providing additional specialist expertise, operational resilience and surge capacity during major incidents or periods of heightened risk.
Read the full description (928 more characters)
- Maintaining and continuously improving detection rules, playbooks, automation and security monitoring capabilities.
- Leveraging threat intelligence, sector insight, automation and AI-enabled capabilities to strengthen cyber resilience and operational effectiveness.
- Establishing a robust governance, reporting and service management framework with clear responsibilities between BU and the supplier.
- Maximising the value of the University's existing Microsoft security investments while minimising the need for additional tooling wherever appropriate.
The University wishes to understand how the market can support these objectives, together with the costs, benefits, risks and implementation considerations associated with different service models. Supplier feedback received through this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise will help inform the University's future requirements, budget planning and procurement strategy.
CPV: System and support services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Lot 1Planned
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 17 Sept 2026, 22:41 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Sept 2026, 22:41 BST
- Authority reference
IT/JH/707- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0774e7
How it was run
- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
4 published dates · Europe/London- Planning notice published2 days ago17 Sept 2026, 22:41 BST
- Market engagementin 9 days29 Sept 2026, 00:59 BST
The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise is to engage with the market and gather supplier insight to help Bournemouth University develop its future Security Operations Centre requirements, understand available service models and technologies, and inform its procurement more…
strategy and budget planning. Objectives - Gain a better understanding of the current market for co-managed Security Operations Centre services and Managed Security Service Providers. - Understand the range of operating models available, including 24/7 and out-of-hours service provision. - Gather feedback on implementation approaches, governance models, service levels, automation and AI capabilities, and commercial arrangements. - Obtain indicative pricing information and identify the key factors that influence service cost. - Better understand the resources, technologies and organisational commitments required to successfully implement and operate a future service. - Use supplier feedback to refine requirements, inform budget planning and determine the most appropriate route to market and procurement approach. Bournemouth University invites interested organisations to review the PME documentation and submit a written response. Suppliers are encouraged to provide detailed feedback, market insight and indicative pricing information to assist the University in understanding available options and the likely costs associated with a future Security Operations Centre service. Responses should be submitted in accordance with the instructions contained within the PME documentation and emailed to [email protected] by the published deadline. Please note that this PME is an information-gathering exercise only. It is not a request for quotation, invitation to tender or other competitive procurement process. The information obtained through this exercise will be used solely to help inform the University's future requirements, budget considerations and procurement strategy. There is no obligation for suppliers to respond to this PME. Supplier responses (or lack of responses) will not be used to determine participation in, or evaluation of, any future procurement exercise. Participation in this PME will not provide any supplier with an advantage or guarantee inclusion in any subsequent tender process. The University's current intention is that any future procurement opportunity arising from this requirement will be advertised separately at a later date. - Tender notice expectedin 285 days2 Jul 2027, 00:59 BST
- Contract starts1 Dec 2027, 00:00 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Preliminary market engagement notice published17 Sept 2026, 22:41 BSTUK2
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender