Cyber Security Tenders and Contracts

Cyber security tenders cover security operations centre monitoring, penetration testing and ethical hacking, vulnerability management and endpoint protection, managed detection and response, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Assessment Framework audits, and staff security awareness training. Buyers range from central government departments and the NHS to police forces, universities and local councils.

Stotles brings together cyber security tenders and contracts from 100+ portals into one search, so you do not have to check each portal separately, and you can set alerts for new opportunities across the UK and Ireland.

If you want to search the government portals directly, Find a Tender carries higher-value contracts across the UK and Contracts Finder carries lower-value contracts in England. Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Ireland's eTenders covers Irish public bodies, and many councils, NHS bodies and housing associations publish on their own e-tendering portals such as ProContract. The Digital Marketplace lists G-Cloud security services, and many cyber security call-offs reach only suppliers already listed on a framework.

Cyber security tenders are scored on technical capability, accreditations, the team's clearances and experience, service levels and price. Much work is called off from frameworks such as G-Cloud, so a framework listing and public sector references are usually the way in.

Government buyers expect suppliers to hold Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification, and assurance work such as penetration testing often requires NCSC-assured or CREST-accredited services. Tenders usually set minimum insurance cover, check financial standing and ask for evidence of similar contracts at selection stage. Under the Procurement Act 2023, suppliers can be excluded for certain criminal convictions, insolvency or failure to pay tax.

Often, yes. Buyers run call-offs for SOC monitoring, penetration testing and Cyber Essentials assessment work through cyber security frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, alongside open tenders they procure directly.

G-Cloud, the Crown Commercial Service's cloud services framework, is a common route for cyber security work such as penetration testing, vulnerability management software and security assurance. Councils, the National Audit Office, UK Health Security Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care have called off from it.

The Government Commercial Agency's cyber security services dynamic purchasing system covers penetration testing, security operations centre monitoring and security operations service management. Buyers such as Defra, the UK Hydrographic Office and UK Research and Innovation have bought through it by mini-competition.

Cyber security buying is mostly a call-off from the CCS cyber security framework, G-Cloud or a dynamic purchasing system rather than an open tender. Councils, NHS trusts, central government agencies, universities, housing associations and rail operators are the main buyers of cyber security services.

Read digital and technology strategies, licence and contract renewal dates, architecture reviews and early market engagement notices, which show cyber security work coming due ahead of a notice. On Stotles you can track those signals and the buyers behind them, then follow a notice from pre-tender through to award.

The two that turn up most often are 72800000 (Computer audit and testing services) and 72222300 (Information technology services), covering the audit and testing and broad IT-services routes buyers use for cyber security work. 72000000 (IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support) is broader still, and covers the wider IT-procurement route many cyber security engagements are bought through.