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Contract Award Threshold of acceptability for speech quality in the Emergency Services Network

Home Office

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

20 Jul 2026 at 15:13

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Home Office procured research and testing services to establish a threshold of acceptability for speech quality in the Emergency Services Network. The requirement is classified as research, testing and scientific technical simulation, and falls within the services category. Work is delivered in London. The procurement concerns the technical assessment of speech quality for an emergency communications network, rather than the supply of general telecommunications equipment or routine communications services. The selected supplier is The University of Salford, based in Salford, Greater Manchester. The opportunity was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, indicating that specialist smaller businesses with relevant research or testing capabilities could be well matched to this type of requirement.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded through an Other – Below Threshold Direct Award procedure. The tender submission deadline was 31 May 2026 at 23:59. The contract was awarded on 1 June 2026 to The University of Salford for £64,500. The contract period runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 March 2027. The award is active and covers the full stated requirement. Evaluation was conducted within a direct-award route rather than an open competitive tender. The outcome shows the Home Office used a below-threshold procurement route for a defined technical research requirement, with the selected supplier responsible for delivering the speech-quality acceptability threshold work for the Emergency Services Network.

This award indicates demand for specialist suppliers able to combine communications research, speech-quality measurement and technical testing in support of emergency-service networks. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need demonstrable capability in designing or applying robust speech-quality assessment methods, setting evidence-based acceptability thresholds and interpreting results for operational communications environments. Experience with scientific or technical simulation would be relevant, as would the ability to produce defensible findings for a government buyer and work in London where required. The procurement also shows that the Home Office may use a below-threshold direct-award route for a focused service of this scale, so firms with a clearly defined specialist offer should monitor comparable Home Office requirements and prepare concise evidence of relevant research and testing work.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Contract Award Threshold of acceptability for speech quality in the Emergency Services Network

Notice Description

Contract Award of Threshold of acceptability for speech quality in the Emergency Services Network

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-61fb5252-0e6f-4710-8b0b-073e1337e46c
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c807fa99-9661-464e-a1da-5a8662abd0e3
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Other - Below Threshold Direct Award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

CPV Codes

38970000 - Research, testing and scientific technical simulator

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£64,500 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£64,500 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Jun 20264 months ago
Contract Period
1 Jun 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Home Office
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

University of Salford

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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