Awarded without open competition
Awarded without open competition. The buyer went directly to one or a few suppliers instead of advertising the contract. Procurement rules allow this only in specific cases, such as extreme urgency, when only one supplier can do the work, or for call-offs from an existing framework.
Key facts
- Buyer
- Coventry University · Body governed by public law
- Supplier
- CDW Ltd
- Value
- £74,433.72
- Procedure
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Sector
- Software & information systems · Software package and information systems (CPV 48000000)
- Region
- West Midlands
- Official notice
- 080097-2026 on Find a Tender
- Timeline
-
- Contract date7 Aug 2026
- Published21 Aug 2026Published 14 days after the contract date
Description
The PA3220 Palo Alto firewall licence bundle provides essential network security for Coventry University's Hudson site core business. Without the ability to renew the firewall licences under support, CU is potentially vulnerable to new cyberthreats or exploits such as hacking attempts, ransomware and viruses. The firewall needs to dynamically update its signatures every 30 minutes to provide robust protection at the perimeter (facing the internet). Leveraged renewal pricing and supplier negotiation by engaging with CDW and Palo Alto to secure incumbent renewal discounts and explore multi-year pricing protections, particularly ahead of EOL timelines. Retention of the bundled" Precision AI" subscription provides a cost effective alternative to purchasing individual security services separately. Alignment of contract term with lifecycle and ensuring the licensing term aligns with the firewall end-of-life date (31/08/2028) to avoid overpaying beyond usable service life. The best value for…
About the supplier
CDW Ltd: every public contract they have won, plus their Companies House record (company 02465350).