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Managed Service Desk & Infrastructure Management

Watford Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

20 Oct 2026 at 16:19

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

06 Aug 2026 at 18:26

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Watford Borough Council is procuring continued managed service desk, infrastructure management and Service Management Office services. The work covers IT helpdesk and user support, systems support and management of the council’s IT infrastructure across its multi-site environment. The services are intended to maintain existing technical operations and support for council sites and users. Delivery is in Watford, United Kingdom. The requirement is for ongoing managed IT support rather than a standalone software or equipment purchase.

The procurement is complete and Little Fish (UK) Limited was selected through a direct award. The award value is £919,665 excluding VAT (£1,103,598 including VAT). The contract period runs from 12 November 2026 to 4 October 2029, with the award dated 20 October 2026. The requirement was treated as one lot. The council justified the direct award on Little Fish’s embedded knowledge of its complex, multi-site environment and the need to avoid disruption, transition costs and duplicated ICT work while a consolidated technology support service is being designed as part of the local government reorganisation programme. The award is recorded as pending.

The award demonstrates demand for a supplier able to provide joined-up service desk, infrastructure management and service management for a local authority operating across multiple sites. Credibility for a comparable requirement depends on strong operational knowledge of the customer’s existing technical architecture and the ability to keep critical user and site support running without disruption. Suppliers should be prepared to work alongside wider technology change programmes, avoid unnecessary transition activity and coordinate with internal ICT teams. The council’s rationale also shows that continuity and familiarity with its environment can outweigh the case for changing provider during organisational restructuring. This is a substantial, multi-year managed IT services requirement, suited to providers with the capacity to sustain support across the full service portfolio.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Managed Service Desk & Infrastructure Management

Notice Description

Continuation of Managed Service Desk, Infrastructure Management, and Service Management Office services.

Procurement Information

Littlefish has a deeply embedded understanding of the council's complex, multi site environment. This "embedded knowledge" is essential for maintaining the current technical architecture without disruption. Within the LGR programme (Sub-workstream 7), work is already underway to design a new consolidated technology support service. Since WBC services will be dissolved and replaced post-vesting day, moving to a new provider now would result in redundant transition costs and a duplication of internal ICT resources. Attempting a full-scale transition in parallel with the LGR technology workstream would risk a total failure of managed service desk and infrastructure support for critical sites and users.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06de70
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099170-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award 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

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

72250000 - System and support services

72253000 - Helpdesk and support services

72253100 - Helpdesk services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£919,665 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Sep 20261 months ago
Contract Period
12 Nov 2026 - 4 Oct 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Watford Borough Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WATFORD
Postcode
WD17 3EX
Postcode Area
Watford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH27 South West Hertfordshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Watford
Electoral Ward
Park
Westminster Constituency
Watford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

LITTLE FISH (UK) LIMITED

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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