Contract

Security Operations Centre Services

  • Financial Ombudsman Service

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-040157

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-041aea

Published 12 December 2024, 4:31pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Financial Ombudsman Service

Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange Square,

London

E14 9SR

Email

procurement.enquiries@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Telephone

+44 02037169072

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Economic and financial affairs


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Security Operations Centre Services

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Contract for the provision of a managed Security Operations Centre (SOC) service to provide the following:

1. Provision of a modern and fit-for-purpose SOC capability operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (working in concert with the Financial Ombudsman Service’s cyber security team);

2. Undertake standard security operations functions including:

a) Performing triage of security incidents, core security incident response, and escalation activities (we refer to these as level 1 and 2 activities);

b) Tuning/configuration of the Security Information & Event Management (SIEM) solution and associated Security Orchestration, Automation & Response (SOAR) capabilities;

c) Responding to threat intelligence and performing proactive threat hunting;

d) Management, investigation, and resolution of critical/major security incidents including digital forensics as required; and

e) Conducting process improvement activities to improve the effectiveness of the SOC.

3. Provision of cyber security resources on demand to augment the Financial Ombudsman Service's team on an ad-hoc basis. These resources maybe involved in project or business as usual activities.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £1,146,500

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Contract for the provision of a managed Security Operations Centre (SOC) service to provide the following:

1. Support of the existing SOC team to enable a modern and fit-for-purpose SOC capability operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

We are looking for a supplier that can provide a SOC capability that functions over a 24-hour period, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

2. Undertake standard security operations functions including:

a) Performing triage of security incidents, core security incident response, and escalation activities (we refer to these as level 1 and 2 activities);

b) Tuning/configuration of the Security Information & Event Management (SIEM) solution and associated Security Orchestration, Automation & Response (SOAR) capabilities; and

c) Responding to threat intelligence and performing proactive threat hunting.

The SOC service will tune and configure our SIEM tool on an ongoing basis. We expect the supplier to maintain an up to date knowledge of industry best practices and threat intelligence sources to inform the tuning and configuration process.

In addition to this, we require the SOC capability to monitor and respond to alerts from the SIEM solution and manage any related incidents, liaising with the Financial Ombudsman Service team where required.

3. Management, investigation, and resolution of critical/major security incidents, including digital forensics as required.

If we suffer a major security incident, we may ask the supplier to assist with the management, investigation, and resolution of it. This may involve attending the Financial Ombudsman Service’s offices.

4. Conducting agreed ongoing process improvement activities that will strengthen and improve the SOC’s ability to effectively detect and respond to the changing landscape of threats faced by the Financial Ombudsman Service and the financial services industry.

5. Provision of cyber security resources on demand to augment the Financial Ombudsman Service's team on an ad-hoc basis. These resources maybe involved in project or business as usual activities.

Provision of information security resources to augment our existing information security team, as called-off by us on an ad-hoc basis. These resources may be involved in project or business as usual activities in the Cyber Security area. 

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: SOC Services / Weighting: 55

Quality criterion - Name: Implementation / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Critical Incident Support / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Security Services / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Knowledge Transfer / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Team and Structure / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Values and CSR / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 70% Quality - 30% Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Three year contract with three additional option years.

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Restricted procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2023/S 000-034127


Section five. Award of contract

Title

Security Operations Centre

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

6 December 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 4

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 4

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 4

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 4

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Littlefish (UK) Limited

Price House, 37 Stoney Street

Nottingham

NG1 1LS

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,146,500


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Financial Ombudsman Service

Exchange Tower

London

E14 9SR

Country

United Kingdom