--- title: "API test, design and documentation tooling" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "Financial Conduct Authority" published: "2026-09-16" --- # API test, design and documentation tooling Buyer: Financial Conduct Authority Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3.json) ## Summary The Financial Conduct Authority bought enterprise licences for API test, design and documentation tooling. The service provides software-related support to standardise API documentation, improve API design and collaboration, and support secure API development across the FCA’s engineering teams. The requirement covers API testing, design and documentation capabilities rather than general software development. The buyer is the Financial Conduct Authority, a UK central government public authority based in London. The awarded supplier, SmartBear (Ireland) Limited, is an SME headquartered in Galway, Ireland. The procurement is categorised as services, with the underlying classification covering software-related services. The requirement was treated as a single procurement lot and is intended for use across the FCA’s engineering teams. The procurement is complete and has been awarded to SmartBear (Ireland) Limited. The FCA used a direct award below the applicable threshold without competition. The award is active and the contract was signed on 24 August 2026, with a contract period from 24 August 2026 to 23 September 2029. The contract value is £49,470.59 excluding VAT and £59,364.67 including VAT. The award covers the single lot for the API test, design and documentation tooling requirement. The recorded procurement stage and outcome show that a supplier has already been selected; this is not an opportunity to submit a bid. The award relates to services and was made under the legal basis identified as the Procurement Act 2023. This award indicates sustained demand from the Financial Conduct Authority for enterprise-grade API lifecycle tooling within engineering teams. Suppliers seeking comparable work with this buyer would need a credible platform covering API testing, API design and API documentation in one service, with licensing suitable for enterprise use. The requirement also points to capabilities that support consistent documentation, collaborative design and secure API development, so competitors should be able to demonstrate practical value across those outcomes rather than offer isolated testing tools. Relevant suppliers would benefit from experience supporting software engineering environments, managing enterprise licences and working with public-sector security and governance expectations. SmartBear’s selection through a direct below-threshold route also shows that a clearly defined, established product can meet this type of requirement without a competitive tender. ## Notice Provision of API test, design and documentation tooling Enterprise licences to standardise API documentation, improve API design and collaboration, and support secure API development across engineering teams. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087697-2026 | | Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Direct | | Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 24 Aug 2026 - 23 Sep 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £49,470 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Financial Conduct Authority | | Locality | LONDON | | Postcode area | East London | | Postcode | E20 1JN | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI41 Hackney and Newham | | Local authority | Newham | | Electoral ward | Stratford Olympic Park | | Westminster constituency | Stratford and Bow | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | SmartBear (Ireland) Limited | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72260000 - Software-related services ## Release History - 16 Sep 2026 at 12:07 - AwardUpdate - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087697-2026 - 16 Sep 2026 at 11:34 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087677-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087697-2026 16th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087677-2026 16th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.fca.org.uk - 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-06faf3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06faf3.json.