Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 2 Feb 2021, 22:56 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Risk Protection Arrangement Cyber Risk Pilot

Official notice

Authority: Department for Education (Central government)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Awarded value£561,6492 contracts · exc. VAT
Awarded 26 Mar 2021no call for competition
Awarded to The IASME Consortium Ltd (IASME), THE IASME CONSORTIUM LIMITED2 awards

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Further to the F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice published on the 2nd February 2021 DfE has awarded a one-year contract to The IASME Consortium Ltd (IASME) to deliver a Cyber Essentials Certification pilot. The contract commenced on 29th March 2021 and is due to run until 31st March 2022.

CPV: Computer audit services · Risk management insurance services · Technical training services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1The contract will focus on the delivery of the Cyber Essentials Certification in a…Awarded

The contract will focus on the delivery of the Cyber Essentials Certification in a limited 1-year pilot for up to 500 Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) members’ networks and will include enhanced insurance cover for those members achieving accreditation.

Delivery: UK

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
2 Feb 2021, 22:56 GMT
Last source update
22 Apr 2021, 22:55 BST
FTS notice number
2021/S 000-008684
Classification (CPV)
Computer audit servicesRisk management insurance servicesTechnical training services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-028f8f Find a Tender
Why no open competition

The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons

Published justification

The DfE proposes to award a contract to The IASME Consortium Ltd (IASME) for the supply of the Cyber Essentials Certification as part of the 1-year Risk Protection Arrangement Cyber Risk Pilot.

The DfE believes that there is no other organisation in the market that can satisfy the technical requirements of the contract to award the Cyber Essentials Certification. With effect from 1 April 2020 and following a competitive procurement process, IASME were appointed as the sole body able to award Cyber Essentials Certification, the only government-backed quality assured standard, on behalf of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It is understood that there is no equivalent certification to the Cyber Essentials scheme available on the market that meets the standards and controls that the NCSC dictates.

It is therefore believed that there is not a market to deliver Cyber Essentials, in that there is only one Cyber Essentials Partner (IASME) that can deliver the scheme and to fit the standards required by the NCSC. The RPA seeks to align to the NCSC assured and established standard, as the subject matter experts within Government to ensure a quality standard for RPA members.

As a result, the DfE believes that Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Regulation 32(2) applies.

Regulation 32(2) states:

“The negotiated procedures without prior publication may be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts in any of the following cases:-

(b) where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons:-

(ii) competition is absent for technical reasons…”

The DfE is committed to the continued analysis of the longer-term need of Risk Protection Arrangement members and will continue to assess the market after this time-limited pilot. If it is determined via this analysis that an equivalent certification to meet member needs is available and that the DfE intends to continue supporting Risk Protection Arrangement Members in this way, then any further contract will be competed in line with the Public Contract Regulations 2015. This project is to deliver a short, limited pilot that is not expected to have a long-term impact on the market.

Review and risk notes
Review procedure

If any clarification regarding the award of the contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take legal action.

Any such action must be brought within the applicable limitation period. If a contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the authority to pay a fine and/or order that the duration of the contract be shortened.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Awarded value £561,6492 contracts exc. VAT
Bids received 1
Contracts signed 2latest 26 Mar 2021
Awarded toValueDateStatus
The IASME Consortium Ltd (IASME)SMERisk Protection Arrangement Cyber Essentials CertificationSubcontracting: declared£299,649 †—Awarded
THE IASME CONSORTIUM LIMITEDSME£262,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1bids———

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Department for Education

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentMinistry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisionsEducation Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street, London, UK, SW1P 3BTContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • High CourtMediation bodyReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

2 commercial parties on the notice

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.