This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

06 Jul 2026 at 15:16

Award

22 Jun 2026 at 11:23

Award

16 Jun 2026 at 11:55

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology in London has awarded a contract to Avella Security Ltd for the continuation of security and programme delivery support services within the AI Security Institute. This procurement process, identified by the ID 063324-2026, was completed through a direct award due to urgent technical and operational necessities that prevent competition. The contract is valued at £60,588 gross and is set to start on 17th July 2026, with an end date of 30th September 2026. The process, now in the award stage, was governed by the UK Procurement Act 2023, citing the specialized expertise held by the supplier as a key rationale for the decision.

For potential business opportunities, this tender demonstrates the value of niche expertise in securing government contracts. Companies with specialized knowledge in business and management consultancy, particularly those familiar with AI security, are well-positioned to pursue future tenders of this nature. Although this contract was not open for competition due to its time-sensitive nature, it highlights the importance of working on building strong customer relationships and specialist capabilities that can position a business to be a preferred supplier when direct awards are necessary. Additionally, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially those located in the London region, can see opportunities to fill similar roles if they can offer unique expertise quickly and effectively.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

DSIT Continuation of Security Support Services

Notice Description

DSIT has awarded a short-term contract to Avella Security Ltd for the continued provision of specialist security and programme delivery support. The requirement relates to ongoing work within the AI Security Institute (AISI) and necessitates immediate continuity of delivery to maintain programme outputs.

Procurement Information

As per UK5 notice: This contract is to be awarded using a direct award under the Procurement Act 2023, on the basis that the services can only reasonably be provided by a single supplier due to technical and operational considerations. The incumbent resource (Avella Security Ltd) holds specialist, niche expertise and embedded knowledge of the programme, including familiarity with delivery outputs, stakeholders, and internal processes. Replacing this resource would require a transition period that would result in duplication of cost, loss of delivery momentum, and material delay to programme outcomes. No reasonable alternative supplier or resource is available that could deliver the requirement within the required timeframe without introducing disproportionate technical and operational risk. On this basis, competition is not considered viable in the immediate term. The requirement is time-critical and unavoidable, as there is a need to maintain continuity of delivery without interruption. A competed procurement would introduce delays that cannot be accommodated within programme timelines and would risk delivery failure. The proposed contract is low value and short-term in nature, and has been deliberately structured as a bridging arrangement to enable DSIT to complete their recrutiment processes. This approach ensures that the use of a direct award is proportionate and controlled. This direct award forms a temporary measure only.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b5e1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063324-2026
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
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£50,490 Under £100K
Contracts Value
£50,490 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Jul 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Jun 20261 months ago
Contract Period
16 Jul 2026 - 30 Sep 2026 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
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
SW1A 2EG
Post Town
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
Not specified

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

AVELLA SECURITY

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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