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Microsoft Licenses and Related Services

Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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23 Sep 2026 at 11:15

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service procured a software licensing partner to support its technology and operational infrastructure. The requirement covers Microsoft 365, Azure, Microsoft Server and SQL licences, together with licensing and migration support and subscriptions for third-party applications. The arrangement also allows the Authority to add strategic technology requirements, including Power BI, Microsoft Copilot and other emerging Microsoft or third-party products. This is software-related services, rather than a purchase of a single software package. The Authority’s need is linked to its core IT operations and productivity applications. Delivery is associated with postcode RG31 7SD in Berkshire; the buyer is based in Reading.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded to Phoenix Software Ltd. The award was made on 28 August 2026, following a mini-competition under Crown Commercial Service’s Technology Products and Associated Services framework, RM6098, Lot 3 (Software). Bids were due by 15 January 2026. The awarded value is £990,000. The contract period runs from 1 September 2026 to 30 September 2029. Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service based its procurement on estimated product numbers and Azure usage submitted to the framework exercise. The process was a selective framework call-off. The published information identifies the selected supplier and the scope, but does not set out the evaluation criteria used to compare competing offers.

For suppliers that did not win, this award evidences a continuing requirement at Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service for a partner able to manage Microsoft licensing across productivity, cloud, server and database environments, as well as subscriptions to relevant third-party software. A credible competitor would need to handle licensing and migration and support an evolving technology estate, including potential additions such as Power BI and Microsoft Copilot. The procurement also shows that the Authority’s requirements can be channelled through a central framework and competed using estimated product volumes and Azure consumption. The opportunity is suited to software licensing providers with the capacity to support public-sector IT operations and a broad enough portfolio to address both Microsoft and third-party needs; SMEs were considered suitable for this procurement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Microsoft Licenses and Related Services

Notice Description

Royal Berkshire Fire Authority (RBFA) has an ongoing requirement for a licensing partner to support its technological and operational infrastructure. This requirement includes securing essential Microsoft licensing for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Server and SQL, which are foundational to the Authority's core IT operations and productivity applications. Additionally, the Authority requires licenses and subscriptions for various third-party applications. The recommended contract will not be limited solely to the licensing and migration elements detailed above. It will also provide the Authority with the flexibility to incorporate additional strategic initiatives as needed, including but not limited to Power BI, Microsoft Co-Pilot, and other emerging Microsoft and third-party technologies. The Authority participated in the Microsoft aggregation procurement exercise led by Crown Commercial Service (CCS) utilising the Technology Products and Associated Services framework agreement RM6098, Lot 3: Software. As part of the procurement process, the Authority submitted our estimated number of products and Azure usage, based on those criteria CCS conducted a mini-competition and the outcome of the mini-competition was Phoenix Software Services is the successful supplier.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-b4bea73f-fcc2-41e4-8f3b-6e9c8d24f0a2
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2ff807d0-48bf-498f-8a5a-cca089eb255f
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48000000 - Software package and information systems

48100000 - Industry specific software package

48200000 - Networking, Internet and intranet software package

48300000 - Document creation, drawing, imaging, scheduling and productivity software package

48400000 - Business transaction and personal business software package

48500000 - Communication and multimedia software package

48600000 - Database and operating software package

48700000 - Software package utilities

48800000 - Information systems and servers

48900000 - Miscellaneous software package and computer systems

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£990,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 Aug 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2029 3-4 years
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
Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG31 7SD
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
West Berkshire
Electoral Ward
Tilehurst Birch Copse
Westminster Constituency
Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Phoenix Software

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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