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Soft Market Testing for Managed XDR Service

Bristol City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

12 Oct 2026 at 12:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Bristol City Council is exploring a managed Extended Detection and Response (XDR) service, including Security Operations Centre (SOC) capabilities. The service is intended to cover the Council’s infrastructure, cloud services, networks and end-user devices, providing security monitoring and detection and response across its technology estate. This is an IT security service procurement, within the broader IT services category. The buying organisation is Bristol City Council, and the service is for its operations in Bristol, United Kingdom.

The procurement is at the planning stage: the Council is conducting a soft market test to assess the marketplace and identify a suitable supplier. This is supplier engagement, not an invitation to tender, and no procurement procedure or award basis has yet been set out. The buyer expects a single lot, with a planned contract period from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2030. The soft market test is scheduled to conclude on 28 October 2026; this is an engagement milestone, not a bid deadline. The procurement is marked below the relevant threshold, but no contract value or budget is stated. The Council directs interested suppliers to register on ProContract to access the market-testing materials.

This engagement is relevant to managed security providers able to deliver extended detection and response alongside Security Operations Centre capabilities. Suppliers should be prepared to explain how their service would operate across a council’s infrastructure, cloud services, networks and end-user devices, and how it would support security monitoring, threat detection and response across that environment. The Council is using the exercise to understand the supplier market and identify a provider capable of delivering the required service, so businesses with demonstrable breadth across these technical environments are well placed to contribute. Small and medium-sized enterprises are identified as suitable for the procurement. The market test offers an opportunity to help shape the Council’s understanding of supplier capability before a future competition; the Council has not yet set out specific accreditations, technical thresholds or evaluation criteria.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Soft Market Testing for Managed XDR Service

Notice Description

Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test exercise to assess the marketplace and identify a suitable supplier capable of delivering a Managed Extended Detection and Response (XDR) service, including Security Operations Centre (SOC) capabilities, across the Council's infrastructure, cloud services, networks, and end-user devices. In order to access the Soft market testing documents,, please register your interest on ProContract. https://procontract.due-north.com/Login

Planning Information

Bristol City Council is conducting a soft market test exercise to assess the marketplace and identify a suitable supplier capable of delivering a Managed Extended Detection and Response (XDR) service, including Security Operations Centre (SOC) capabilities, across the Council's infrastructure, cloud services, networks, and end-user devices. In order to access the Soft market testing documents,, please register your interest on ProContract. https://procontract.due-north.com/Login

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078589
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096036-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2027 - 1 Aug 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Bristol City 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
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS1 5TR
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK51 Bristol, City of
Delivery Location
TLK11 Bristol, City of
Local Authority
Bristol, City of
Electoral Ward
Hotwells and Harbourside
Westminster Constituency
Bristol Central

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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