AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research & Innovation awarded CB3 Design Associates Ltd an architectural design services contract for Phase 2 of the 1894 Building Switch Room central plant building project at the Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh. The contract is recorded as active and signed.
Published outcomeOne active award and contract were recorded for CB3 Design Associates Ltd.
Market significanceThis is a below-threshold, limited-competition architectural design appointment valued at £56,250 excluding VAT (£67,500 including VAT).
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
CB3 Design Associates Ltd
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £56,250 excluding VAT; £67,500 including VAT GBP · Active award; active contract
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Award 1 names CB3 Design Associates Ltd as its supplier. Linked contract 1, with awardID 1, reports £56,250 net and £67,500 gross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Process notice type and contract document description both state “Contract details notice on Find a Tender”.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 status is “active”.
Contract status
99% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 status is “active”.
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 1 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-01.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£56,250
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Contract 1 value.amount is 56250 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£67,500
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 67500 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed and starts
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned and period.startDate are both 2026-10-01.
Contract end
99% confidence31 March 2027
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2027-03-31.
Notice published
99% confidence8 October 2026
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The contract document datePublished is 2026-10-08.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service category
99% confidenceArchitectural design services (CPV 71220000)
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Award item 1 carries CPV 71220000, described as architectural design services.
Project scope
94% confidencePhase 2 central plant building and building-services site distribution routes at the Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh
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The published description specifies completion of the site with a single-storey building, incorporation and roofing over of the Phase 1 structure, and site distribution routes.
Exclusions
99% confidenceWorks to each existing building are excluded
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The description states the appointment does not include works to each existing building.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceLimited
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Tender procurementMethod is “limited”.
Competition classification
99% confidenceBelow threshold – limited competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states “Below threshold - limited competition”; contract aboveThreshold is false.
Competition data
99% confidenceNumber of invited suppliers, tenders and evaluation results not supplied in the published notice.
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No bidder-count, tender-response or evaluation fields are provided.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract period
99% confidence1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027
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Contract 1 period gives these start and end dates.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No extension or renewal provision is provided in the contract data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Appointment structure
94% confidenceThe appointment is limited to Phase 2 design services for the plant-building project and excludes works to existing buildings.
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The scope description describes Phase 2 completion and explicitly excludes works to existing buildings.
Market route
99% confidenceThe buyer used a below-threshold limited-competition route.
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states “Below threshold - limited competition”.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award date
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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Award 1 has no award date.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot 1 is identified and complete, but its title, description and value fields are null.
Competition and evaluation
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid counts, bidder identities beyond the awarded supplier, scores or evaluation rationale are provided.
Pricing detail
99% confidenceNo rate card, pricing breakdown or milestone payment information is supplied.
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Only aggregate net and gross contract values are provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not provide an award decision date.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- Number of bidders, tender submissions, evaluation methodology, scores and award rationale are not supplied.
- No extension, renewal, pricing-breakdown or payment-term information is supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UKRICB3 Design Associates Ltdarchitectural design servicesRoyal Observatory Blackford Hillcontract awardlimited competition
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the UKRI architectural design contract?
CB3 Design Associates Ltd was named as the supplier for award 1.
What is the contract value?
The contract value is £56,250 excluding VAT and £67,500 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
It starts on 1 October 2026 and ends on 31 March 2027.
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.