---
title: "RHUL-26133 VMware Licensing Renewal"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Royal Holloway and Bedford New College"
published: "2026-08-17"
---

# RHUL-26133 VMware Licensing Renewal

Buyer: Royal Holloway and Bedford New College  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863

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## Summary

Royal Holloway and Bedford New College procured VMware vSphere Foundation licensing to support its university information systems. This is a software and information systems requirement, classified under CPV 48000000, and is a purchase of goods rather than a works or general services contract. The requirement is for licensing renewal, so relevant suppliers are those able to provide, renew and support VMware vSphere Foundation licences for an institutional customer. Delivery is for the university’s operations in Egham, in the South East of England. The procurement was managed by Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, whose university site is at Egham Hill. The scope was awarded through the SLRA Framework, Lot 3, indicating that the buyer used an established framework route for this licensing requirement.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. Softcat Plc was selected for VMware vSphere Foundation licensing through the SLRA Framework, Lot 3. The award was made on 17 August 2026. The awarded value is £353,157 including the stated currency of GBP. The contract period runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029. The tender submission deadline was 22 July 2026. The process used a framework-based route described as ‘Other’, rather than an open standalone competition. The requirement was evaluated within that framework process and the award is recorded as active. The opportunity was not identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises or voluntary, community and social enterprises. One supplier received the award; the published outcome names Softcat Plc.

This award demonstrates a defined demand from a higher education buyer for enterprise VMware vSphere Foundation licensing at institutional scale, procured through the SLRA Framework. Suppliers competing for comparable requirements would need an established VMware licensing capability, accurate knowledge of vSphere Foundation entitlements and renewal processes, and the operational capacity to support a university environment. Credibility would also depend on being able to transact through the relevant framework route, meet its supplier and compliance requirements, and provide dependable account management throughout a multi-year licensing arrangement. Resellers, software licensing specialists and technology providers with strong public-sector or higher-education experience are the closest fit. A competitor should be able to evidence licensing expertise, continuity of supply, clear commercial control and the ability to manage a substantial renewal for a complex institutional customer.

## Notice

Awarded to Softcat PLC for VMware vSphere Foundation Licensing via SLRA Framework Lot 3.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4d9889b0-9c1f-4f7c-baea-35f0773c158a |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 22 Jul 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £353,157 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £353,157 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Royal Holloway and Bedford New College |
| Locality | EGHAM |
| Postcode area | Twickenham |
| Postcode | TW20 0EX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex |
| ITL 3 | TLJ25 West Surrey |
| Local authority | Runnymede |
| Electoral ward | Englefield Green East |
| Westminster constituency | Windsor |
| Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Softcat Plc |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems

## Release History

- 17 Aug 2026 at 12:01 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4d9889b0-9c1f-4f7c-baea-35f0773c158a

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4d9889b0-9c1f-4f7c-baea-35f0773c158a
  17th August 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=108277&B=RHUL
  Additional data
- https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/154962
  User / Company

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c5af0560-3296-48f3-a99c-20dad4f9b863.json.