Scope
Description
Network Rail is undertaking a direct award to renew support and maintenance services for the Email Archiving Solution (EAS), also known as the Capax Enterprise Archive Solution. The EAS is a legacy email and file archive platform used to access, search, retrieve and reconstruct historic records for statutory, regulatory, audit and litigation purposes. Continued support is essential to maintain evidential integrity and ensure compliance with legal and information governance obligations.
The service includes support and maintenance for approximately 52,050 EAS licences and associated components, including SOLR search, eDiscovery, archival and retrieval tools, and STORM functionality. The solution is hosted on‑premise within Network Rail infrastructure and supports a fixed historic dataset with no change to scope or functionality.
This procurement is being awarded directly to Zantaz Data Resources Ltd, the only supplier licensed and technically capable of supporting the EAS platform and its dependent components. No alternative suppliers exist with the necessary technical rights or capability to maintain this legacy system. The direct award ensures continuity of a business‑critical compliance service while maintaining cost stability and value for money.
Contract 1
Supplier
Contract value
- £938,175.87 excluding VAT
- £1,125,811.04 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
25 March 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 30 March 2026 to 30 March 2028
- Possible extension to 3 April 2028
- 2 years, 5 days
Description of possible extension:
The contract includes an optional extension of up to two (2) years, exercisable following the initial three‑year term, resulting in a maximum contract duration of five years.
The extension may be used to ensure continuity of support and maintenance for the Email Archiving Solution where Network Rail continues to require access to historic email and file records for statutory, regulatory, audit and litigation purposes. The extension will only be exercised at Network Rail’s discretion and subject to continued business need, satisfactory supplier performance, confirmation of value for money, and availability of funding. No change to scope or service levels is permitted during the extension period.
The extension is structured as follows:
Extension Year 1: 12 months
Extension Year 2: 12 months
The total extension value is £401,965.31 (excluding VAT).
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72267100 - Maintenance of information technology software
- 72252000 - Computer archiving services
- 72267000 - Software maintenance and repair services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Special regime
Utilities
Direct award justification
Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights
This contract is being awarded by direct award on the basis of exclusive intellectual property and technical rights.
The Email Archiving Solution (EAS), also known as the Capax Enterprise Archive Solution, is a proprietary legacy platform supported exclusively by Zantaz Data Resources Ltd, which holds the sole licence and intellectual property rights required to maintain, support and develop the solution and its dependent components. These include the core archive platform, SOLR search capability, eDiscovery functionality, and associated archival and retrieval tools.
No alternative suppliers have the legal authority, licensing rights, or technical capability to provide compliant support for this system. Network Rail does not own the underlying software intellectual property and cannot lawfully procure support services for the EAS platform from any other provider.
A competitive tendering procedure was therefore not undertaken, as it would not generate any technically or legally compliant bids. Previous market analysis and historic sourcing activity have confirmed that Zantaz Data Resources Ltd is the only supplier capable of delivering the required services, and that competition is absent due to exclusive rights rather than a lack of market engagement.
The direct award ensures continuity of a business‑critical compliance service required to support statutory, regulatory, audit and litigation obligations, while maintaining evidential integrity and avoiding the significant operational and legal risks that would arise from unsupported access to historic email and file records.
Supplier
Zantaz Data Resources Ltd
2 London Wall Place London Wall Place, 6th Floor
London
EC2Y 5AU
United Kingdom
Email: wwhite@zantaz.ai
Region: UKI31 - Camden and City of London
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1
Contracting authority
NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNZN-9524-VCQJ
Waterloo General Office
London
SE1 8SW
United Kingdom
Email: humza.tayyab@networkrail.co.uk
Website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/
Region: UKI45 - Lambeth
Organisation type: Public authority - central government