Award

STA-26020b Provision of a Managed Network Service for the CoSTAR National Lab

ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

26 Mar 2026 at 17:22

Award

15 Jan 2026 at 11:35

Award

15 Jan 2026 at 10:31

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process undertaken by Royal Holloway and Bedford New College involves the provision of a managed network service for the CoSTAR National Lab, located in Egham, United Kingdom. This direct procurement has been completed with an award made to Sohonet Limited, a large-scale enterprise based in London, under the contract ID "STA-26020b". The procurement covers services related to the design, installation, and management of network hardware and telecommunications services. The process has reached the award stage with a contract period from 6th February 2026 to 31st March 2029, valued at over £596,000. The rationale for direct procurement is rooted in technical requirements and urgency under existing tenancy agreements, with Royal Holloway University being the lead partner of the CoSTAR programme.

This contract represents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in computer network services and internet services, particularly those capable of offering robust solutions in network hardware installation and management. Firms with expertise in managing high-bandwidth media workflows and performing network integration will find substantial growth prospects, although the direct award method limits possibilities for alternative suppliers. The procurement enhances consistency and reliability in service provision, valuable for medium to large enterprises focused on expanding their operations in the managed network services sector. The contract facilitates business continuity and new investments in network infrastructure, aligning with the strategic objectives of entities involved in high-capacity digital services.

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Notice Title

STA-26020b Provision of a Managed Network Service for the CoSTAR National Lab

Notice Description

Awarded to Sohonet Limited for a service including the design, build, configuration, and installation of all required network hardware, covering core, aggregation, access switching, firewall, internet edge, and Wi-Fi components. Implementation will need to include installation and patching, commissioning, integration with partner systems, and final testing, user acceptance testing, and handover. Ongoing network management will include monitoring and management of all routers, switches, internet bandwidth, and managed security services. To include Core Redundancy and design changes to reduce the risk of workflow disruption. This will involve adding additional network equipment and routing licenses across all devices to enable VXLAN to improve local traffic efficiency for high-bandwidth devices and support media workflow integration for multicast traffic.

Procurement Information

Royal Holloway University of London serves as the lead partner of the CoSTAR National Lab, which forms a key component of the wider Convergent Screen Technologies And performance in Realtime (CoSTAR) programme. The University is the Contracting Authority and procuring entity for this contract. The contracted services will be carried out at the CoSTAR National Lab facility, located within studio premises leased by the University. Under the current tenancy agreement, the University is required by the Landlord to contract with the existing network provider for the management and supply of telecommunications and broadband services to the Demised Premises. The appointment of alternative service providers is strictly subject to the landlord's prior consent and is not guaranteed. Sohonet Ltd is the designated connectivity provider for the premises responsible for the management of all on-site physical infrastructure, cabling and technical support services. As a result, engaging an alternative supplier is not considered to be a feasible option. Doing so would require the undertaking of extensive structural and construction work to install new cabling and may require a provider to enter into wayleave agreement by the landlord. Even if such permission would be granted by the landlord, this would incur significant delays, increased costs, and considerable disruption to the programme.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060660
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028194-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support


CPV Codes

72400000 - Internet services

72700000 - Computer network services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£596,219 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£596,219 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Mar 20264 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
14 Jan 20263 months ago
Contract Period
6 Feb 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EGHAM
Postcode
TW20 0EX
Post Town
Twickenham
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ25 West Surrey
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Runnymede
Electoral Ward
Englefield Green East
Westminster Constituency
Windsor

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SOHONET

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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