Notice Information
Notice Title
Spectrum Licensing System
Notice Description
As part of our statutory duties Ofcom is required under the Wireless Telegraphy (WT) Act to authorise the use of spectrum by radio equipment. Unless such use of a spectrum band is explicitly exempt by regulation, use is authorised through the issuance of an appropriate spectrum license and collection of the required fees. This contract consolidates into a single contract a range of maintenance, support and development agreements for services related to Spectrum and Broadcast licensing.
Procurement Information
Ofcom intend to enter into a five-year agreement with LS Telcom AG with the option to extend the term by a further one five-year period. The agreement is being entered into on a single source basis in accordance with paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 as competition is absent for technical reasons to deliver maintenance and operational development services for Ofcom's spectrum licensing system which is licensed by LS Telcom AG (the "System"). A direct award to LS Telcom AG is appropriate as they are the only firm that can realistically provide the services, and competition is absent for technical reasons as follows: * A significant portion of the services, those related to maintenance, involve making change to software code that is owned by and proprietary to LS Telecom and therefore cannot reasonably be performed by other suppliers. * Similar constraints apply to development services - no other supplier is licensed to use and develop the System. Therefore, if development services are not secured from LS Telecom an alternative spectrum management system would be required. * The nature of the services required are highly specialised. * With respect to development of new licence types and in particular those that are not tied to the existing LS Telcom implementation, Ofcom remains open to alternative development options. A number of simpler licences have been implemented in alternative licencing systems. Moving to a new system would require a major new programme with sizable operational and financial risk. Such a programme would take many months to articulate and years to implement which is not practicable as the System requires regular updating in response to regulatory changes. The cost and time taken to undertake a change in Ofcom's spectrum licensing system would not offer value for money and would far exceed the cost of continuing with the System, which is working effectively. For these reasons and because the System is not capable of being licensed / sub-licensed to other suppliers, paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 (single supplier: exclusive rights) also applies.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-0556d6
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003045-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK7 - Contract Details Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Goods
- Procurement Method
- Direct
- Procurement Method Details
- Direct award
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Large
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
48 - Software package and information systems
72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
-
- CPV Codes
48100000 - Industry specific software package
72212100 - Industry specific software development services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £24,600,000 £10M-£100M
- Contracts Value
- £24,600,000 £10M-£100M
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 14 Jan 20261 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 17 Jun 20258 months ago
- Contract Period
- 1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2030 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Complete
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- OFCOM
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- procurementnotice@ofcom.org.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- LONDON
- Postcode
- SE1 9HA
- Post Town
- South East London
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLI London
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLI4 Inner London - East
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Southwark
- Electoral Ward
- Borough & Bankside
- Westminster Constituency
- Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003045-2026
14th January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041541-2025
21st July 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036512-2025
1st July 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036455-2025
1st July 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-10277
ECM_1472 - Spectrum Licensing System Redacted Contract
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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