Official UK procurement notice
Spectrum Licensing System · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Ofcom (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionAs part of our statutory duties Ofcom is required under the Wireless Telegraphy (WT) Act to authorise the use of spectrum by radio equipment. Unless such use of a spectrum band is explicitly exempt by regulation, use is authorised through the issuance of an appropriate spectrum license and collection of the required fees. This contract consolidates into a single contract a range of maintenance, support and development agreements for services related to Spectrum and Broadcast licensing.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 1 Jul 2025, 14:29 BST
- Last source update
- 14 Jan 2026, 11:39 GMT
- Authority reference
C20242169- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-003045- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0556d6Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights; Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
Ofcom intend to enter into a five-year agreement with LS Telcom AG with the option to extend the term by a further one five-year period. The agreement is being entered into on a single source basis in accordance with paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 as competition is absent for technical reasons to deliver maintenance and operational development services for Ofcom’s spectrum licensing system which is licensed by LS Telcom AG (the “System”).
A direct award to LS Telcom AG is appropriate as they are the only firm that can realistically provide the services, and competition is absent for technical reasons as follows:
- A significant portion of the services, those related to maintenance, involve making change to software code that is owned by and proprietary to LS Telecom and therefore cannot reasonably be performed by other suppliers.
- Similar constraints apply to development services – no other supplier is licensed to use and develop the System. Therefore, if development services are not secured from LS Telecom an alternative spectrum management system would be required.
- The nature of the services required are highly specialised.
- With respect to development of new licence types and in particular those that are not tied to the existing LS Telcom implementation, Ofcom remains open to alternative development options. A number of simpler licences have been implemented in alternative licencing systems.
Moving to a new system would require a major new programme with sizable operational and financial risk. Such a programme would take many months to articulate and years to implement which is not practicable as the System requires regular updating in response to regulatory changes. The cost and time taken to undertake a change in Ofcom’s spectrum licensing system would not offer value for money and would far exceed the cost of continuing with the System, which is working effectively.
For these reasons and because the System is not capable of being licensed / sub-licensed to other suppliers, paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 (single supplier: exclusive rights) also applies.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
30 Jul 2025 → 14 Jan 2026 · 2 dates- Standstill ends30 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
- Notice published285 days ago14 Jan 2026, 11:39 GMT
Notice history
5 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 Jul 2025- Transparency notice published1 Jul 2025, 14:29 BSTUK5
- Transparency notice published1 Jul 2025, 15:57 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published21 Jul 2025, 10:52 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected1 Aug 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published14 Jan 2026, 11:39 GMTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-07: 1 release · 1 Jul 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LS Telcom AG4 Aug 2025 – 3 Aug 2030 · up to 3 Aug 2035Extensions: The extension will be excerised on the condition that the service is still required and the supplier is meeting the KPIs set out in the contract. There is one five year extension available in the contract. | £24,600,000 inc. VAT | 18 Jun 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Spectrum Licensing System · LS Telcom AG
- Signed
- 1 Aug 2025
- Value
- £24,600,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2030 · up to 31 Dec 2035 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The extension will be excerised on the condition that the service is still required and the supplier is meeting the KPIs set out in the contract. There is one five year extension available in the contract.
3 agreed KPIs: Attendance at Progress Meetings in respect of Development Work · Weekly Progress Reporting in respect of Development Work · Resolution of Identified Faults
- Attendance at Progress Meetings in respect of Development Work, Attendance by appropriate Supplier staff at Progress Meetings as outlined in paragraph 9 of Schedule 4. Supplier attendees shall be agreed between the Parties and shall include staff with sufficient familiarity with ongoing work to contribute effectively to discussions. Target KPI - 95%
- Weekly Progress Reporting in respect of Development Work, On-time submission of complete Weekly Progress Reports in accordance with paragraph 8 of Schedule 4 of the contract. Target KPI - 95%
- Resolution of Identified Faults, First-time resolution of Faults by the Supplier to the reasonable satisfaction of Ofcom in accordance with the time limits and procedures set out in paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 of the contract. Target KPI - 90%
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- LS Telcom AGAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Signed contract ECM_1472 - Spectrum Licensing System Redacted Contract
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender