---
title: "PROC0905- Flexible benefits platform Darwin"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077552"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077552"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077552.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077552.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Sovereign Network Group"
published: "2026-09-18"
---

# PROC0905- Flexible benefits platform Darwin

Buyer: Sovereign Network Group  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077552

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## Summary

Sovereign Network Group procured the continued provision of Darwin, a flexible employee benefits platform. The service is a single digital system for SNG and its employees to manage and administer employee benefits, supported by software programming and consultancy services. It is a technology and information-systems service delivered for SNG across the United Kingdom. The requirement covers the existing integrated platform and its supporting interfaces, data structures and business processes. The platform is intended to support employee benefits administration at organisational scale, including services that can accommodate changes in employee numbers. The buying organisation is Sovereign Network Group, based in Basingstoke.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to MERCER LIMITED on 18 September 2026. SNG used a direct award for the continued provision of services by the incumbent supplier, citing technical and interoperability reasons, service continuity and the platform’s deep integration with its systems. The award covers one lot. The contract period is 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029. Its value is £466,680 excluding VAT, or £560,016 including VAT. The contract includes an annual change budget: additional services for employee numbers above the agreed minimum volumes can be purchased separately at the applicable contract rates. A future signature milestone was scheduled for 30 September 2026.

This award indicates demand for suppliers able to provide and support enterprise employee benefits platforms, rather than standalone benefits consultancy. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need a mature digital platform covering employee benefits administration, with robust software development and consultancy capability. It would also need to demonstrate secure, reliable interoperability with core organisational systems, existing interfaces and data structures, alongside dependable migration, testing and operational support. Experience maintaining service continuity for a large workforce would be relevant, as would the capacity to handle changing employee volumes through flexible service arrangements and agreed rates. The incumbent’s position was supported by deep integration and accumulated investment, so future challengers would need a convincing approach to compatibility, implementation risk, data migration and continuity.

## Notice

This is a Contact Award for the provision of Flexible benefit platform Darwin, which is a single digital platform that enables SNG and its employees to manage and administer employee benefits.

### Procurement Information

This contract is for the continued provision of services by the incumbent supplier. The existing platform is deeply integrated with SNG's core systems and supporting business processes. These integrations have been developed and refined over time and are critical to the effective delivery of the service. For technical and interoperability reasons, a change of supplier at this time would create significant challenges in maintaining compatibility with SNG's existing systems, interfaces, data structures and operational processes. Transitioning to an alternative solution would require substantial redevelopment, testing and migration activity, resulting in significant implementation risk, additional cost and potential disruption to business operations. A change of supplier during the proposed contract term would therefore create a material risk to service continuity and the effective operation of the integrated solution. Continued use of the incumbent supplier is considered necessary to ensure ongoing interoperability, maintain service stability and protect SNG's existing investment in the platform and its integrations. The direct award will also provide SNG with sufficient time to review its benefits strategy and undertake a comprehensive assessment of the market. During this period, SNG will evaluate available solutions and market developments and determine whether a future competitive procurement exercise would offer improved value and outcomes. SNG anticipates completing this review and determining its future sourcing strategy within the next two to three years.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088784-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £466,680 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Sovereign Network Group |
| Locality | BASINGSTOKE |
| Postcode area | Reading |
| Postcode | RG21 4FA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| ITL 3 | TLJ37 North Hampshire |
| Local authority | Basingstoke and Deane |
| Electoral ward | Eastrop & Grove |
| Westminster constituency | Basingstoke |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Mercer Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services

## Release History

- 18 Sep 2026 at 15:10 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088784-2026
- 18 Sep 2026 at 12:03 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088627-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088784-2026
  18th September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088627-2026
  18th September 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.mercer.com/

## 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-077552. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077552.json.