AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
National Energy System Operator Limited (NESO) has published a pending direct award to HEWLETT - PACKARD LIMITED for interim support, maintenance and professional services for existing HPE critical-national-infrastructure environments.
Published outcomeAward 1 is pending, with a scheduled future signature date of 22 October 2026. The notice does not evidence a signed or active contract.
Market significanceThe published ceiling is £2,165,631.69 excluding VAT, covering continuity support across four existing HPE environments and potential controlled in-scope professional services through 31 December 2027.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
HEWLETT - PACKARD LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £2,165,631.69 excluding VAT; £2,598,758.03 including VAT GBP · Verified supplier; pending award
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Verified company name and number 00690597 are supplied for Award 1. The award value applies to the single award, which relates to Lot 1.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Procurement status
99% confidenceComplete procurement record; award status pending
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Process status is "complete"; Award 1 status is "pending".
Award notice
99% confidenceContract award notice published 12 October 2026
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Award document 096106-2026 is a Contract award notice on Find a Tender, dated 2026-10-12.
Signature status
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed
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The award milestone is "futureSignatureDate" scheduled for 22 October 2026; the description says the contract is expected to run from signature.
Standstill
99% confidenceEnds 21 October 2026 at 23:59:59 +01:00
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Award 1 standstillPeriod.endDate is 2026-10-21T23:59:59+01:00.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award maximum / contractual ceiling excluding VAT
99% confidence£2,165,631.69
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Award 1 value.amount is 2165631.69 GBP; the description calls this the maximum proposed contract value and a contractual ceiling.
Award maximum / contractual ceiling including VAT
99% confidence£2,598,758.03
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 2598758.03 GBP.
Identified core support requirement excluding VAT
91% confidenceApproximately £1.166 million
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The description states that the currently identified core support requirement is approximately £1.166 million excluding VAT.
Spend commitment
99% confidenceMaximum value is not guaranteed expenditure
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The description explicitly says the maximum value is a contractual ceiling and does not represent guaranteed expenditure.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Release history records transparency notice 092789-2026 dated 2026-10-01.
Award date
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-12.
Award notice publication
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Award notice 096106-2026 has datePublished 2026-10-12T13:54:54+01:00.
Scheduled contract start
98% confidence22 October 2026
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Award 1 contractPeriod.startDate is 2026-10-22T00:00:00+01:00.
Scheduled signature date
99% confidence22 October 2026
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Award milestone futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-22T23:59:59+01:00.
Scheduled contract end
99% confidence31 December 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod.endDate is 2027-12-31T23:59:59Z.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceInterim support, maintenance and associated professional services for existing HPE infrastructure supporting NESO critical national infrastructure
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Tender description.
Supported environments
98% confidenceLegacy core-CNI infrastructure; Balancing Mechanism infrastructure; Electricity CNI server, storage and associated infrastructure; HPE Nimble HF20 storage estate
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Tender description identifies four existing environments.
Support services
98% confidenceHardware maintenance, break-fix, replacement, firmware and software support, Complete Care, mature/post-end-of-support-life support, incident response, technical assistance and OEM support services, as applicable
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Tender description.
Service delivery
98% confidenceRemote and/or onsite, according to applicable support requirements and service levels
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Tender description.
Professional services mechanism
99% confidenceAdditional in-scope services may be instructed through approved Statements of Work or Change Requests, subject to agreed rates, approvals and purchase-order controls
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Tender and options descriptions.
Classification
99% confidenceRepair and maintenance services (CPV 50000000); IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support (CPV 72000000)
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Award item additional classifications.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Process procurementMethod is "direct" and procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".
Regime
99% confidenceUtilities
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Tender specialRegime includes "utilities".
Threshold status
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No bid count, tenderer list, evaluation results or scoring information is provided.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
98% confidenceScheduled from 22 October 2026 to 31 December 2027, subject to signature
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Award contract period gives these dates; the description states the contract is expected to run from signature.
Options
99% confidenceYes: additional in-scope HPE services, professional services and equipment changes may be instructed during the term
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Award hasOptions is true and provides this option description.
Lot allocation
99% confidenceOne completed lot (Lot 1); no lot title, description or separate lot value published
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Tender and award relate to Lot 1; supplied lot record has null title, description and value.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Continuity arrangement
98% confidenceThe award is described as an interim arrangement intended to maintain support continuity while NESO develops a longer-term technology and sourcing strategy.
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Tender description.
Commercial headroom
96% confidenceThe gap between the approximately £1.166 million identified core support requirement and the £2.166 million ceiling accommodates controlled in-scope professional services and changes; it is not a commitment to spend the difference.
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Tender description specifies both figures and says the maximum includes capacity for professional services and changes and is not guaranteed expenditure.
Demand control
98% confidenceAdditional services are subject to agreed commercial rates, NESO approval and purchase-order controls.
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Tender description.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award versus contract conclusion
99% confidenceThe source labels the procurement record complete but Award 1 pending, with future signature scheduled. Analysis therefore treats this as an award announcement, not a signed or active contract.
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Process status "complete"; award status "pending"; futureSignatureDate scheduled 22 October 2026.
Supplier-name difference resolved
99% confidenceThe source notice uses "Hewlett Packard Ltd t/a Hewlett Packard Enterprise", while supplier verification identifies the legal company as HEWLETT - PACKARD LIMITED (00690597). The verified legal name is used in this analysis.
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Supplier verification status is verified by company number and nameMismatch is true.
Lot detail unavailable
99% confidenceLot 1 is identified but has no published title, description or individual value.
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Supplied lot record contains null title, description and value.
Competition and evaluation detail unavailable
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, evaluation criteria, scores or award rationale beyond the direct-award record is provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award remains pending and a signed or active contract is not evidenced.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, bidder identities beyond the named supplier, evaluation criteria, scores and award rationale.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
- The £2,165,631.69 excluding-VAT figure is a maximum ceiling rather than confirmed expenditure.
- No pricing breakdown, service-level detail, extension term or renewal mechanism is published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
NESOHEWLETT - PACKARD LIMITEDHPEcritical national infrastructureIT supportdirect awardFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the named supplier?
The verified legal supplier is HEWLETT - PACKARD LIMITED (company number 00690597). The source notice uses the trading-name form "Hewlett Packard Ltd t/a Hewlett Packard Enterprise".
What is the contract value?
The published maximum is £2,165,631.69 excluding VAT (£2,598,758.03 including VAT). It is a ceiling, not guaranteed expenditure.
Has the contract been signed?
The published data does not evidence signature. The award is pending and shows a future signature date scheduled for 22 October 2026.
When is the scheduled end date?
31 December 2027, subject to signature and any permitted changes.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.