Managed IT Service RFP
Our managed IT Service Provider will act as a strategic partner – supporting our operations, enabling innovation, and safeguarding our systems.
IT is a mission-critical enabler to ARIA’s work
At ARIA, we’re funding bold, high-risk research with the potential for transformative impact. Our IT and technology infrastructure must enable our mission, allowing us to innovate while maintaining the highest standards of security, agility, and resilience.
We’re an arms-length public-funded body with the operational agility of a start-up, and IT is a key enabler of our work. We’re now shifting our focus from initial enablement and rapid technology onboarding to a new phase of operational maturity, where we will prioritise integration, optimisation, and automation - including the growing emphasis on AI-driven tooling and workflows. To support our growth, we're seeking a Managed IT Service Provider to partner with us and embed efficiency and innovation into our IT environment.
Priorities in our next phase include:
- Integrating tools and platforms (across SaaS, hardware, and cloud infrastructure)
- Streamlining operations and user experience
- Strengthening security, compliance, and governance
- Bolstering a security-aware, tech-forward culture
- Expanding the use of AI-driven tools and automation to improve performance and decision-making
This RFP will open on 9 September – register your interest to be alerted when it goes live.
What we're looking for in our IT partnership
The scope of services
Our Managed IT Service Provider will be a strategic partner supporting our operations, safeguarding our systems, and enabling innovation.The scope of support includes:
- Operational IT excellence: Seamless day-to-day management of our infrastructure and end-user support to ensure reliable and efficient operations.
- Proactive cybersecurity: Maintaining a robust security posture aligned with government frameworks, proactively managing risks and monitoring incidents across our entire technology stack — from endpoint protection to cloud security.
- Technology ecosystem management: Assisting the selection, assessment, and integration of new technologies, and optimisation, and enhancements to align our technology stack and IT infrastructure with our strategic goals.
- Culture + enablement: Providing ongoing guidance as our organisation evolves, and helping to embed a tech-forward, security-conscious culture through training, policies, and readiness exercises.
Mindsets + working style
We’re looking for a partner who brings not only technical expertise, but also the mindset and working style needed to thrive in our dynamic environment. The ideal partner will demonstrate:
- Customer service excellence: Maintaining a positive service culture that puts user experience first, with clear communication and consistent support at every level.
- Strong communication: communicating clearly and confidently with technical and non-technical users, building trust and adapting service delivery to meet evolving organisational needs.
- Forward-thinking problem-solving: approaching issues with a creative, forward-thinking mindset grounded in industry best practices.
- Agility and adaptability, navigating change effectively, responding flexibly to shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proactive knowledge sharing, supporting internal capability-building through clear documentation, practical guidance, and active enablement of staff.
Register your interest
The RFP will open on 9 September until 29 October 2025 and will include detailed information of our requirements – sign up to be alerted by email when it goes live: