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DDaT27521- Software Upgrade

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

19 Oct 2026 at 14:31

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) procured software upgrades, classified as software packages and information systems. The requirement is described only in broad terms; the purchase is for upgrades rather than a wider software implementation or support service. UK Shared Business Services Ltd managed the procurement on UKRI’s behalf. The delivery location is listed as the United Kingdom, with no more specific place identified. This is a goods purchase, awarded to Photon Lines Limited, a Banbury-based supplier. The buyer is the public research and innovation organisation UKRI, while UK Shared Business Services acts as its shared service provider for this procurement.

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. UKRI selected Photon Lines Limited through a direct award without competition, citing technical reasons: only one supplier could provide the required goods and there were no reasonable alternatives. The contract was signed on 15 October 2026 and runs from 15 October 2026 to 7 January 2027. Its value is £12,930.45 excluding VAT, or £15,516.54 including VAT. There was one lot, covering the software upgrade requirement. The award was made to Photon Lines Limited; the published award does not give a separate award date. The procurement was below the applicable threshold and was not competed.

For suppliers considering comparable UKRI requirements, this award shows demand for software upgrades delivered as a goods purchase, managed through UK Shared Business Services. The successful supplier was Photon Lines Limited, a small and medium-sized enterprise specialising in software and based in Banbury. In this instance, UKRI justified using that supplier alone on technical grounds, stating that only a particular supplier could supply the required goods and that there were no reasonable alternatives. A credible competitor for a future requirement would therefore need to demonstrate that its upgrade is technically compatible with UKRI’s needs and can meet the specified requirement where alternatives are possible. The procurement gives a modest-scale example of a direct, below-threshold buying route; it does not establish that future purchases will use the same route.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

DDaT27521- Software Upgrade

Notice Description

****THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE, NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION**** This procurement is being concluded without competition due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods required and there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods. Brief Description Software upgrades

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078add
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098539-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48000000 - Software package and information systems

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£12,930 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
15 Oct 2026 - 7 Jan 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Postcode Area
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Photon Lines Ltd

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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