Provision of Security Services to CUL

Coventry University London intends to enter into a contract for the provision of security services at University House and adjacent locations within the Devonshire Square estate. The services will be delivered by SmartSec, who have been appointed as the sole provider of estate-wide security services following a competitive procurement exercise carried out by the estate's management company.

SmartSec will assume full responsibility for operating the estate's integrated security infrastructure, including centralised CCTV monitoring, control room operations, access control systems, and coordinated physical patrols. In light of this arrangement, Coventry University London requires its own security provision to be fully aligned with the wider estate operations, in order to ensure seamless and uninterrupted service delivery.

SmartSec is the only supplier with the necessary access rights, infrastructure integration, and estate-wide operational control to deliver these services without duplication of resources or fragmentation of responsibilities. Any alternative arrangement would require the creation of parallel systems and facilities, leading to inefficiency, increased cost, and unnecessary complexity, while also introducing risk to both operational performance and emergency response times.

The decision to award the contract directly is based on the need to ensure interoperability with existing estate-wide systems and to maintain continuity of service within a complex and tightly integrated security environment. SmartSec's presence on site, their operational readiness, and their authorised access to all relevant estate systems and premises make them uniquely positioned to deliver these services in a way that ensures consistency, safety, and effective coordination.

This direct award represents a proportionate and justified procurement route that supports operational requirements and ensures the university's security provision is fully integrated with the wider estate's arrangements.