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Managed Service Desk & Infrastructure Management

Watford Borough Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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06 Aug 2026 at 18:26

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Watford Borough Council is procuring continuation services for its managed service desk, infrastructure management and Service Management Office. The requirement covers IT helpdesk and user support, systems and infrastructure support, and associated service management activity. It is intended to maintain the council’s existing technical architecture across a complex, multi-site environment and support critical sites and users. The procurement is for services rather than goods or construction. The buyer is Watford Borough Council, a sub-central public authority, and the awarded services relate to the council’s operations in Watford, United Kingdom. The scope aligns with IT services, system and support services, helpdesk services, and IT support, including CPV 72000000, 72250000, 72253000 and 72253100.

This procurement has been completed and awarded through a direct award. The selected supplier is LITTLE FISH (UK) LIMITED. The award date is 6 August 2026 and the awarded value is £919,665 excluding VAT, or £1,103,598 including VAT. The contract period is 5 October 2026 to 4 October 2029, with signature scheduled by 1 October 2026. There is one completed lot covering the full requirement. The direct award was justified by Littlefish’s embedded knowledge of the council’s complex, multi-site environment and the need to avoid disruption, redundant transition costs and duplicated ICT resources while a consolidated technology support service is designed under the Local Government Reorganisation programme. The stated procurement rationale uses technical reasons associated with a single supplier.

This outcome demonstrates established demand for an integrated public-sector IT operations partner able to provide a managed service desk, infrastructure management and a Service Management Office as one service. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need strong capabilities in helpdesk operations, systems and infrastructure support, service management, and maintaining complex multi-site technical environments. Experience of protecting continuity for critical sites and users would be important, as would the ability to understand and operate an existing technical architecture without causing service disruption. Suppliers should also be able to manage transition planning and coordinate with wider technology transformation or organisational change programmes. The awarded supplier’s position shows the value placed on embedded operational knowledge, continuity and avoiding duplicated transition effort.

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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/074997-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency 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
6 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
6 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
5 Oct 2026 - 4 Oct 2029 3-4 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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