AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
West Midlands Combined Authority published an award notice for consultancy support to its Bus Franchising Programme Customer Workstream. The published award names CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD as supplier; the notice description separately refers to Network for Skills Ltd, creating an unresolved supplier inconsistency.
Published outcomeAward record ocds-b5fd17-c0f09ad5-fef0-4be0-bba7-1c53aa0f7b0d-1 is active, with a published award value of £105,459.18 excluding any unsupported attribution beyond that single award.
Market significanceThis is a selective framework call-off for project-management consultancy supporting transition to a franchised bus operating model in the West Midlands.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-c0f09ad5-fef0-4be0-bba7-1c53aa0f7b0d-1 · 105459.18 GBP · verified
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The award supplier is Constellia Public Limited (GB-COH 08664789); supplier verification matched company number 08664789 to verified legal name CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceAwarded contract notice published 9 October 2026
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Release history and award document datePublished: 2026-10-09T13:30:44+01:00.
Award status
96% confidenceActive award
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Award status is recorded as active.
Award decision date
96% confidence20 August 2026
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Award date: 2026-08-20T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract signature
99% confidenceUnknown
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No explicit signature or conclusion field is supplied.
Contract start
96% confidence21 August 2026
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Award and tender contractPeriod startDate: 2026-08-21T00:00:00+01:00.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value
99% confidence£105,459.18
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Award value.amount is 105459.18 GBP.
Published tender value
99% confidence£170,357.14
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Tender value.amount is 170357.14 GBP.
Published minimum value
99% confidence£105,459.18
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Tender minValue.amount is 105459.18 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender submission deadline
98% confidence20 August 2026, 17:00 BST
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Tender period endDate: 2026-08-20T17:00:00+01:00.
Award decision date
96% confidence20 August 2026
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Award date: 2026-08-20T00:00:00+01:00.
Published contract period
97% confidence21 August 2026 to 31 December 2026
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Award contractPeriod startDate and endDate.
Notice publication date
99% confidence9 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-09T13:30:44+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
97% confidenceConsultancy support for the Customer Workstream within the Bus Franchising Programme
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Tender description.
Services described
96% confidenceProgramme leadership and integration; Day 1 Customer Proposition development; bidder clarification and tender-evaluation support; customer technology and service design.
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Tender description.
Primary classification
99% confidenceCPV 72224000 — Project management consultancy services
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Tender classification.
Delivery area
98% confidenceWest Midlands, United Kingdom
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Tender item delivery address region.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceSelective
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procurementMethod is selective.
Route to market
99% confidenceCall-off from a framework agreement
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procurementMethodDetails.
Competition information
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
SME suitability flag
94% confidenceYes
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Tender suitability.sme is true.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Published term
97% confidence21 August 2026 to 31 December 2026
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Award contractPeriod.
Extension options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
96% confidenceFramework call-off for specialist customer-workstream consultancy.
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The procurement method details state call-off from a framework agreement; the scope describes consultancy services.
Value interpretation
98% confidenceThe £105,459.18 award value equals the published minimum value, while the tender record also gives a £170,357.14 value; the notice does not explain the relationship between these figures.
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Award value is £105,459.18; tender minValue is £105,459.18; tender value is £170,357.14.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier inconsistency in source
99% confidenceThe narrative says the contract was awarded to Network for Skills Ltd, but the structured award and supplier party identify Constellia Public Limited, verified as CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD. This analysis reports the verified structured award supplier and does not resolve the contradiction.
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Tender description names Network for Skills Ltd; award suppliers and parties name Constellia Public Limited; supplier verification confirms CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD.
Value ambiguity
99% confidenceThe published award value (£105,459.18) differs from the tender value (£170,357.14); no explanation or pricing breakdown is supplied.
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Award value and tender value fields.
Notice timing
98% confidenceThe award decision date and stated contract start precede publication of the award notice.
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Award date is 20 August 2026, contract start is 21 August 2026, and notice publication is 9 October 2026.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The supplier is contradictory across the published narrative and structured award data: Network for Skills Ltd is named in the description, while the verified structured award supplier is CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD.
- The notice provides differing published value fields (£105,459.18 award/minimum value and £170,357.14 tender value) without an explanation.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown, extension options, renewal provisions, lot allocation, and signature evidence.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
West Midlands Combined AuthorityBus Franchising ProgrammeCustomer Workstreamconsultancy servicesproject management consultancyframework call-offCONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named as the award supplier?
The structured award identifies Constellia Public Limited, verified as CONSTELLIA PUBLIC LTD. The notice narrative instead names Network for Skills Ltd, so the source is inconsistent.
What is the award value?
The published award value is £105,459.18. The tender record separately lists a value of £170,357.14 without explaining the difference.
What services are covered?
The notice describes programme leadership, business analysis, Day 1 customer proposition work, bidder clarification, tender evaluation support, and customer technology and service design.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.