AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Student Loans Company awarded Softcat PLC a contract for Trend Micro Zero Trust Secure Access software and information systems.
Published outcomeThe contract is recorded as active. It was signed on 29 April 2025 and runs from 9 May 2025 to 8 May 2027.
Market significanceA below-threshold, limited-competition software security procurement with a published gross contract value of £56,927.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
SOFTCAT PLC
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £56,927 gross; £47,736 excluding VAT GBP · Verified supplier; active award and contract
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Award 1 identifies supplier GB-COH-02174990. Supplier verification confirms SOFTCAT PLC, company number 02174990. Contract 1, linked to award 1, states gross value £56,927 and amount £47,736.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Published document 096555-2026 is described as a Contract details notice on Find a Tender.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status 'active'.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 has status 'active'.
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned on 29 April 2025
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2025-04-29.
Contract period
99% confidence9 May 2025 to 8 May 2027
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Contract 1 period startDate is 2025-05-09 and endDate is 2027-05-08.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£47,736
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Contract 1 value.amount is 47736 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£56,927
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 56927 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceThe published contract value relates to the single contract linked to award 1 and lot 1.
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Contract 1 links to awardID 1; award 1 relates to lot 1 and names one supplier.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence29 April 2025
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2025-04-29.
Contract start
99% confidence9 May 2025
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2025-05-09.
Contract end
99% confidence8 May 2027
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2027-05-08.
Notice published
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Document 096555-2026 datePublished is 2026-10-13.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceTrend Micro Zero Trust Secure Access
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The procurement title is 'Trend Micro Zero Trust Secure Access'.
Security objective
98% confidenceZero-trust network security approach
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The description says zero trust assumes transactions, entities and identities are untrusted until trust is established and maintained.
Procurement category
98% confidenceGoods
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is 'goods'.
Classification
99% confidenceSoftware package and information systems (CPV 48000000)
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Award item 1 lists CPV 48000000.
Delivery region
95% confidenceScotland (UKM)
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Award item 1 lists delivery address region UKM.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceLimited
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Tender procurementMethod is 'limited'.
Competition description
99% confidenceBelow threshold - limited competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states 'Below threshold - limited competition'.
Legal basis
98% confidenceProcurement Act 2023 (2023/54)
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Tender legalBasis identifies UKPGA 2023/54.
Bid and evaluation information
99% confidenceUnknown; information not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, tenderer list, evaluation criteria, scores or award rationale is supplied.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract duration
98% confidenceApproximately two years
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The stated period is from 9 May 2025 to 8 May 2027.
Extensions or options
99% confidenceUnknown; information not supplied in the published notice.
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No extension, option or renewal terms are provided.
VAT treatment
99% confidenceBoth net and gross values are published.
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Contract 1 reports amount £47,736 and amountGross £56,927.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
97% confidenceA single active contract links one award, one supplier and one lot.
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Contract 1 links to award 1; award 1 names SOFTCAT PLC and relates to lot 1.
Route-to-market signal
99% confidenceThe buyer used a below-threshold limited-competition route.
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Tender procurementMethodDetails is 'Below threshold - limited competition'.
Market visibility
98% confidenceThe requirement concerns zero-trust secure access software, but the notice does not publish product quantities, licence metrics, pricing breakdowns or service levels.
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The description and CPV identify the security-software requirement; no further commercial breakdown is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity quality
99% confidenceVerified
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Supplier verification confirms SOFTCAT PLC against Companies House number 02174990 using a company-number match.
Award date
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice.
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Award 1 has no award_date.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot 1 contains no title, description or value amount.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, bidder identities, evaluation method, scores or award rationale is present.
Notice timing
99% confidenceThe contract details notice was published after the stated signature and start dates.
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The notice publication date is 13 October 2026, while contract signature is 29 April 2025 and start is 9 May 2025.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not provide an award decision date.
- Lot 1 has no published title, detailed description or individual value.
- Information on bid numbers, other participants, evaluation criteria, scoring and award rationale is not supplied.
- No extension, option or renewal terms are published.
- The notice was published after the recorded contract signature and commencement dates.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Student Loans CompanySoftcat PLCTrend Micro Zero Trust Secure Accesszero trust securitysoftware package and information systemsUK public procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Student Loans Company Zero Trust Secure Access contract?
SOFTCAT PLC, verified against Companies House number 02174990.
What is the contract value?
The published value is £47,736 excluding VAT and £56,927 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
It runs from 9 May 2025 to 8 May 2027 and was signed on 29 April 2025.
What procedure was used?
The notice records a below-threshold limited-competition procedure.
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.