---
title: "Wide Area Network Services CPA/SPU/2762"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060eff"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060eff"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060eff.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060eff.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "CHESHIRE FIRE AUTHORITY"
published: "2026-01-26"
---

# Wide Area Network Services CPA/SPU/2762

Buyer: CHESHIRE FIRE AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060eff

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## Summary

The public procurement contract involves Cheshire Fire Authority as the buying organisation, focusing on Wide Area Network Services under the industry category of IT services. Located in Winsford, Cheshire, this contract is at the award stage, with the procurement method identified as a direct award, justified by extreme urgency under the Procurement Act 2023. The contract value is £105,971.66 with a net amount of £88,309.72. The contract is set to commence on 3rd February 2026 and conclude on 2nd May 2026. This procurement is aimed at ensuring continuity of critical services and mitigating risk due to unexpected emergencies.

This tender presents lucrative opportunities for businesses specialising in IT consultancy and network services, particularly those capable of providing uninterrupted and critical network infrastructure. Large enterprises with existing capabilities and infrastructure, similar to Capita Business Services Ltd, are ideally suited due to the necessity of maintaining an already established service. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) may explore future opportunities as further contracts may arise from the continuity needs of the fire authority, offering room for potential growth and partnerships in the IT service industry.

## Notice

This notice is presented on the basis of an exemption permitting direct award without competition under the Procurement Act 2023. The ground relied on is as follows:- "strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency to preserve assets or enable services to be maintained". This award is justified because the provision of ongoing Wide Area Network Services is critical to continued operations. There is a current contract in place for the provision of such services which comes to an end on 02nd February 2026. Steps have been taken in a timely fashion to secure a new long-term contract for the provision of wide area network services with effect from 03rd February 2026 https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/view-contract?secureid=5b0b705a-ec31-46c4-ab1a-92aed8a53c67. However, given the criticality of such services to the ability to continue to provide blue light services in Cheshire and given the timing along with unexpected/ emerging risks, it is strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency to facilitate appropriate contingency arrangements to mitigate any risk of a gap in provision. This notice is presented on the basis of an exemption permitting direct award without competition under the Procurement Act 2023. The ground relied on is as follows:- "strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency to preserve assets or enable services to be maintained". This award is justified because the provision of ongoing Wide Area Network Services is critical to continued operations. There is a current contract in place for the provision of such services which comes to an end on 02nd February 2026. Steps have been taken in a timely fashion to secure a new long-term contract for the provision of wide area network services with effect from 03rd February 2026 https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/view-contract?secureid=5b0b705a-ec31-46c4-ab1a-92aed8a53c67. However, given the criticality of such services to the ability to continue to provide blue light services in Cheshire and given the timing along with unexpected/ emerging risks, it is strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency to facilitate appropriate contingency arrangements to mitigate any risk of a gap in provision. Such a short term contingency arrangement cannot be awarded on the basis of a competitive tendering procedure because the services are strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency and, there is both insufficient time to complete a further competitive exercise and insufficient time for any other provider (given the works involved) to set up and establish a replacement supply. These services could only be provided by the existing supplier whose infrastructure is already in place. As indicated, this award is only for the purpose of securing services for so long as is necessary to mitigate the risk. A short-term contract for the shortest possible term has been provisioned for and a further contract is already in place for the longer term. Other options including informal competition, quotes or use of a framework were considered but the timescale means no other supplier could provision in the timeframe required even if commenced immediately. Factoring in any exercise would extend an already impossible timeframe. Such a short term contingency arrangement cannot be awarded on the basis of a competitive tendering procedure because the services are strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency and, there is both insufficient time to complete a further competitive exercise and insufficient time for any other provider (given the works involved) to set up and establish a replacement supply. These services could only be provided by the existing supplier whose infrastructure is already in place. As indicated, this award is only for the purpose of securing services for so long as is necessary to mitigate the risk. A short-term contract for the shortest possible term has been provisioned for and a further contract is already in place for the longer term. Other options including informal competition, quotes or use of a framework were considered but the timescale means no other supplier could provision in the timeframe required even if commenced immediately. Factoring in any exercise would extend an already impossible timeframe.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006825-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 26 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | 3 Feb 2026 - 2 May 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £88,309 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | CHESHIRE FIRE AUTHORITY |
| Locality | WINSFORD, CHESHIRE |
| Post town | Crewe |
| Postcode | CW7 2FQ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD6 Cheshire |
| ITL 3 | TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester |
| Local authority | Cheshire West and Chester |
| Electoral ward | Winsford Over & Verdin |
| Westminster constituency | Mid Cheshire |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CAPITA BUSINESS SERVICES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72222300 - Information technology services

## Release History

- 26 Jan 2026 at 16:49 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006825-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006825-2026
  26th January 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/view-contract?secureid=5b0b705a-ec31-46c4-ab1a-92aed8a53c67
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-h6vhtk-060eff. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060eff.json.