Find a TenderOpen for tender Tender notice
Published 29 Sept 2026, 13:25 BST

Official UK procurement notice

UK 777 IT Onsite Operations and Infrastructure supporting services

Authority: British Council (Local council)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: IT Services & Software (72) Delivery: UK
Published estimate£1,233,333≈ £411k / year · £1,540,000 inc. VAT
Submission deadline 2 Nov 202614:00 GMT · 34d 1h left
Clarification cut-off 21 Oct 202614:00 BST · questions to the authority
Contract term 3 yrsup to 7 yrs with extensions · starts 1 Apr 2027
Bids per lot · this authority 5division 72 · n=7 · competition analysis ↓

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The requirements and scope of this tender include the British Council's UK headquarters and all UK-based offices. The supplier shall provide End User Computing (EUC) and on-site IT support services for the British Council's UK estate, primarily residing at Stratford, with a physical presence in Manchester and primarily remote support for Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Coventry site, with occasional site visits as required.

Complementing the British Council Digital and Technology team (D&T), the supplier will deliver hands-on, desk-side, and infrastructure support where remote resolution is not feasible by either our Global Service Desk (GSD) or Central Infrastructure Team (CIT). The Contract awarded will be for a duration 3 years with an option for extensions of up to 4 additional annual extensions.

As a first step, interested suppliers are required to complete and sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and Annex 2, the Procurement-Specific Questionnaire. Upon receipt of the completed and signed documents, the British Council will provide access to the full tender pack and all relevant supporting documentation.

CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Lot 1Renewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£1,233,333
Contract period: 1 Apr 2027 — 31 Mar 2030 (3 yrs) · up to 7 yrs with extensionsEligibility: SME eligibleDelivery: UKTurnover guideline: ~£821,472/yr≈ 2× annual value
Value
£1,233,333 exc. VAT · £1,540,000 inc. VAT
Extensions
4 possible annual extensions
72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids are scored
Quality: 60%Price: 40%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • SV Quality and Methodology — 60%
  • Commercial — 40%
Published award criteria (2)
  • SV Quality and Methodology — Social Value 10 Quality 15 Methodology 35
  • Commercial — Pricing

No conditions of participation were published on the notice; check the tender documents.

Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid

How British Council buys IT services: consulting, software, internet (CPV 72) — and who usually turns up

British Council’s own published record, next to the Greater London market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: IT services: consulting, software, internet (CPV 72) →

1

How the contest usually goes

Left: this authority. Right: the market where the work is delivered. Bids and award-vs-estimate pairs are per lot, from contested contracts only — direct awards (including PA 2023 transparency notices) report one bid by definition and are left out. On Procurement Act 2023 notices the count is the tenders assessed at the final stage, not every submission received; pairs compare like with like (VAT-exclusive, or VAT-inclusive on both sides). Empty means nothing was published, not filled in from elsewhere.

This authority

British Council

contract notices in 36 months: 42 in division 72 · 362 in all categories (9 route not published)

Bids per lot
i

How many companies usually bid for work like this.

Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 7 lots. 5 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 5) and 2 from older notices (bids received, middle 9.5).

Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.

5division 72 · 36m · n=7 lots
Single-bid lots
i

How often only one company bid.

Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 7 lots.

High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.

0%division 72 · 36m · n=7 lots
Award vs estimate
i

Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.

Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 5 pairs.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

2% belowdivision 72 · 36m · n=5 pairs
Deadline → award date
i

How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.

Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 7 notices.

Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.

Last 36 months.

13ddivision 72 · 36m · n=7 notices
Notice updates
i

How often this buyer changes a notice after publishing it.

Middle number of amendments per notice. Deadline extensions and corrections both count.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 24 months: 479 notices.

Last 24 months.

0all categories · 24m · n=479 notices
Awarded without competition
i

How often this buyer awards without a competition.

Direct or limited awards as a share of its notices that say which procedure was used. These routes are legal in defined cases. This is just the record.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 42 notices.

Last 36 months.

0%division 72 · 36m · n=42 notices
Bids per lot robust · n=7
i

How the number of bidders is spread across lots.

Each lot with a published bid count is put in a band: one bid, two to three, four to six, seven or more. Real competitions only.

Based on 7 lots on 7 contested notices · division 72, last 36 months.

  • 1 bid 0%
  • 2–3 14%
  • 4–6 57%
  • 7+ 29%

Middle value 5 · 7 lots on 7 contested notices · division 72.

Winning award vs estimate robust · n=5
i

How often winners come in below, near or above the estimate.

Each lot with both an estimate and an award is placed by how far the award sat from the estimate.

Based on 5 lot pairs · division 72, last 36 months.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

  • Below estimate 40%
  • Within ±2% 40%
  • Above estimate 20%

5 lot pairs · division 72.

The market · authority’s region

Greater London · IT services: consulting, software, internet (CPV 72)

contract notices delivered in Greater London in 36 months: 718 in division 72 (319 competed, 191 route not published) · the notice publishes no delivery location, so the authority’s registered region is used

Bids per lot
i

How many companies usually bid for work like this.

Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 139 lots. 80 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 4) and 59 from older notices (bids received, middle 4).

Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.

4division 72 · 36m · n=139 lots
Single-bid lots
i

How often only one company bid.

Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 139 lots.

High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.

7%division 72 · 36m · n=139 lots
Award vs estimate
i

Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.

Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 70 pairs.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

at estimatedivision 72 · 36m · n=70 pairs
Deadline → award date
i

How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.

Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 86 notices.

Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.

Last 36 months.

66ddivision 72 · 36m · n=86 notices
SME bidders
i

How much of this market goes to small and medium firms.

SME bidders where buyers published the split, otherwise SME winners.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 95 lots.

Last 36 months.

65%division 72 · 36m · n=95 lots
Winners based in the region
i

How much work like this goes to companies based in the delivery region.

Awards in this category delivered here where the winner’s registered address is in the region.

Based on this region’s tenders in this industry (CPV 72), last 36 months: 315 awards.

Registered address, so a national firm with a local branch counts as outside.

Last 36 months.

69%division 72 · 36m · n=315 awards
Bids per lot robust · n=139
i

How the number of bidders is spread across lots.

Each lot with a published bid count is put in a band: one bid, two to three, four to six, seven or more. Real competitions only.

Based on 139 lots on 130 contested notices · division 72, last 36 months.

  • 1 bid 7%
  • 2–3 37%
  • 4–6 27%
  • 7+ 28%

Middle value 4 · 139 lots on 130 contested notices · division 72.

Winning award vs estimate robust · n=70
i

How often winners come in below, near or above the estimate.

Each lot with both an estimate and an award is placed by how far the award sat from the estimate.

Based on 70 lot pairs · division 72, last 36 months.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

  • Below estimate 41%
  • Within ±2% 37%
  • Above estimate 21%

70 lot pairs · division 72.

robust · n=5
i

Where this tender’s estimate would land if the usual pattern repeats.

We apply the buyer’s usual movement between estimate and award (or the region’s) to the estimate on this notice.

Based on this buyer’s own usual movement over 5 lots (division 72), applied to the £1,233,333 estimate on this notice.

A benchmark, not a price to bid.

The middle award in British Council (division 72, n=5 pairs) lands 2% below: on this notice’s £1,233,333 that is about £1,209,900. Context for a bid, not a recommended price.
Coverage and what to read with care
  • Each tile explains itself. The on a figure says what it is, how it is counted and which scope this notice’s own record came from (class, division, all categories, or the authority’s 24-month row). The two columns are never blended and nothing is filled from a UK-wide figure; an empty tile means the source published nothing usable. Long form: Methodology.
  • Coverage. Roughly 40 % of notices publish a bid count; about half publish an ITL1 delivery location, so the market column reads the authority’s registered region when the notice has none (labelled). About 30 % of award-vs-estimate pairs are exact matches — the buyer published the award at the estimate. n is on every figure; a thin sample is muted, never hidden.
  • “Match” and “relevance” are model scores from the nightly matcher, not published facts. Find a Tender does not publish who is bidding. Never shown: contact details, payment behaviour, or a recommended price.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Open for tender
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
29 Sept 2026, 13:25 BST
Last source update
29 Sept 2026, 13:25 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end — 25 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-077c68 Find a Tender

How to participate & submission route

Official notice Submit via TCS TAP eSourcing
Submission portal named on this notice: TCS TAP eSourcing
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free
Expression of interest (EOI)
—
Tender submission deadline
2 Nov 2026, 14:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
21 Oct 2026, 14:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
Supplier Self Registration (British Council MyProcurement): tap.tcsapps.com/tap2/ ↗ View Public Tender (British Council MyProcurement): tap.tcsapps.com/tap2sup/ ↗
Published estimate £1,233,333 excludes VAT (£1,540,000 including VAT).

Timeline

5 published dates · Europe/London
  1. Tender notice publishedearlier today
    29 Sept 2026, 12:53 BST
  2. Clarification questions byin 22 days
    21 Oct 2026, 14:00 BST
  3. Submission deadlinein 34 days
    2 Nov 2026, 14:00 GMT
  4. Award decision expected byin 57 days
    25 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
  5. Contract startsin 183 days
    1 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Nothing awarded yet
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 29 Sept 2026
  1. Tender notice published
    29 Sept 2026, 13:25 BSTUK4
  2. Tender notice published
    29 Sept 2026, 12:53 BSTUK4

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

British Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PHTN-1551-GCQH 1 Redman Place, London, London, E20 1JQ

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Conflict of interest declarationtenderConflict of interest declarationNot published

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender