---
title: "M365 Renewal"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Watford Borough Council"
published: "2026-08-27"
---

# M365 Renewal

Buyer: Watford Borough Council  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24.json)

## Summary

Watford Borough Council is renewing its Microsoft 365 software and information systems. The requirement covers the council’s existing Microsoft 365 environment, including Exchange Online, Teams and the wider platform, together with continuity of licensing, support, consultation and professional services. The work is intended to maintain the current technical architecture and support the council’s Local Government Reorganisation technology workstreams. Delivery is for the council’s multi-site environment in Watford and its associated United Kingdom operations. The requirement is primarily a software and information-systems purchase rather than construction or general IT hardware. It involves maintaining and supporting an established tenant and its configuration, security, dependencies and support arrangements.

This is a completed procurement awarded through a direct award under NHS Digital Workplace Solutions 2, using a single-supplier technical-reasons rationale. Phoenix Software Limited was selected for the sole lot. The award value is £572,604.03 excluding VAT and £687,124.84 including VAT. The contract period is 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029. A contract signature milestone was scheduled for 30 September 2026. The stated basis for the direct award is Phoenix Software’s embedded knowledge of the council’s complex, multi-site environment, supporting continuity and reducing technical and operational risk. The procurement is classified as above threshold, with the award category recorded as goods and CPV 48000000 for software packages and information systems.

This requirement indicates demand for suppliers able to manage Microsoft 365 licensing, tenant configuration, security, Exchange Online, Teams and related support in a complex, multi-site local-government environment. A credible competitor would need demonstrable Microsoft expertise, strong transition and continuity planning, and the capacity to provide consultation and professional services alongside licensing and support. Experience of integrating or consolidating existing Microsoft environments would be relevant to Local Government Reorganisation work, particularly where multiple councils, configurations and dependencies are involved. The award also shows the commercial importance of established technical knowledge, low-disruption service delivery and the ability to work with internal ICT teams managing business-as-usual activity, critical projects and organisational change.

## Notice

M365 Renewal Direct Award via NHS - Digital Workplace Solutions 2

### Procurement Information

*Phoenix Software 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. *Awarding this work to Phoenix Software will ensure continuity of service, minimise risk, and help prevent disruption to critical services such as Exchange Online, Teams, and the wider Microsoft 365 platform. Their existing familiarity with our environment will enable efficient delivery and reduce the likelihood of downtime moving to a different vendor. As Phoenix set up our tenant, they have in depth knowledge of how the W3R set is. Moving away from Phoenix would incur further costs as new vendors would need to perform audits and workshops of the configuration and security of the tenancy as there would be a lack of knowledge. *This will also support the LGR contract management work stream, retaining the vendor and the contract without applying any significant changes by moving away to a different vendor and contract agreements. *A transition to a new supplier is currently not feasible as it would be resource-heavy for internal ICT staff already managing concurrent demands from BAU, critical projects, and the LGR. *Phoenix Software has been identified as the preferred partner for the LGR Technology Workstreams for consultation and associated professional services. *Phoenix is the established Microsoft licensing and support partner for Hertsmere Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council and other Councils within Hertfordshire. Through these existing relationships, Phoenix has developed extensive knowledge and practical experience of the Councils' Microsoft environments, including tenant setup, configuration, licensing and ongoing support. *This existing expertise provides Phoenix with a strong understanding of the current technical landscape, configurations, dependencies and support arrangements across the participating organisations. This knowledge is particularly valuable in the context of LGR work considering the complexities of bringing existing Microsoft environments together and supporting the transition *Retaining Phoenix as the vendor, it will help the council with consultation and professional services during LGR to draw on an already established technical knowledge and experience, reducing the time required for initial discovery and familiarisation. This will also support continuity, minimise duplication of effort, and reduce technical and operational risks.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082001-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £572,604 |
| 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 | Watford Borough Council |
| Locality | WATFORD |
| Postcode area | Watford |
| Postcode | WD17 3EX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLH27 South West Hertfordshire |
| Local authority | Watford |
| Electoral ward | Park |
| Westminster constituency | Watford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Phoenix Software |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems

## Release History

- 27 Aug 2026 at 21:44 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082001-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082001-2026
  27th August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-06ee24. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee24.json.