AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Ministry of Defence has published a transparency notice stating its intention to directly award Pentire Sport Horses, named in the source as “Sorrel Porteous T/A Pentire Sport Horses”, a contract for livery, care and maintenance capacity for military working horses in London. The award remains pending and is not evidence of a signed or active contract.
Published outcomeProposed direct award to the named supplier, with an estimated gross value of £1.135 million including VAT.
Market significanceThis is a single-supplier, above-threshold defence-related services requirement. The buyer states that the named provider is the only supplier meeting its capacity, capability and geographic requirements.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Sorrel Porteous T/A Pentire Sport Horses
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £1,135,000 gross estimated total value, including VAT GBP · Pending intended award
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Award 1 names “Sorrel Porteous T/A Pentire Sport Horses” as supplier, has status “pending”, and records amountGross £1,135,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceTransparency notice on Find a Tender
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The published document is described as “Transparency notice on Find a Tender”.
Procurement status
99% confidenceComplete procurement record; award status pending
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Tender status is “complete”, while award 1 is recorded with status “pending”.
Award position
99% confidenceIntended direct award; not evidenced as signed
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The rationale says the Ministry of Defence “intends to award a contract”; the award status is pending and a future signature date is scheduled.
Future signature date
98% confidence1 December 2026 (scheduled)
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Award milestone type “futureSignatureDate” has dueDate 2026-12-01T23:59:59+00:00 and status “scheduled”.
VALUES
Published values explained
Estimated total award value
99% confidence£1,135,000 including VAT
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The procurement rationale states an estimated total value of £1.135 million inclusive of VAT; award 1 records amount and amountGross of 1,135,000 GBP.
Individual lot value
98% confidenceUnknown
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Lot 1 has no published value amount or currency. The notice records one award covering lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Notice published
99% confidence8 October 2026
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The award notice datePublished is 2026-10-08T10:59:19+01:00.
Planned contract start
98% confidence1 January 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod startDate is 2027-01-01T00:00:00+00:00. As the award is pending, this is a planned rather than confirmed start.
Planned initial end
98% confidence31 December 2028
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Award 1 contractPeriod endDate is 2028-12-31T23:59:59+00:00.
Maximum possible end
98% confidence31 December 2031
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Award 1 contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2031-12-31T23:59:59+00:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceLivery spaces, housing, care and maintenance for military working horses
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The title concerns livery spaces for military working horses; the rationale specifies housing, care and maintenance.
Capacity stated by buyer
99% confidenceUp to 28 horses: 18 at full livery year-round and 10 at grass rest for seven months annually
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This breakdown is stated in the direct-award rationale.
Geographic operating requirement
99% confidenceWithin one hour of Combermere Barracks and two hours of Hyde Park Barracks
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The rationale specifies these travel-time requirements.
Lot structure
98% confidenceOne lot (Lot 1); no published lot title or description
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The tender and award each reference lot 1, whose title and description are null.
Classifications
98% confidenceCPV 03322300 Horses; CPV 80513000 Horse riding school services
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These CPV classifications are listed against the award item.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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The procurement method and method details are recorded as “direct” and “Direct award”.
Legal basis cited
98% confidenceSection 41 of the Procurement Act 2023; paragraph 6 of Schedule 5
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The rationale explicitly cites these provisions.
Direct-award justification classification
98% confidenceSingle supplier for technical reasons
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The record includes procurementMethodRationaleClassification “singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons”.
Buyer-stated rationale
98% confidenceThe buyer states the named provider is the only supplier meeting the specified technical, capacity, capability and geographic requirements, with no reasonable alternative in the defined area.
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This is stated in the procurement method rationale.
Competition information
99% confidenceNo bid count, competing suppliers, evaluation scores or pricing comparison published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
98% confidence2 years, planned from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028
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The rationale states a two-year term; the award contract period gives these dates. The pending status means commencement is not confirmed.
Extension options
99% confidenceUp to three additional years, described as three one-year periods or part thereof
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The rationale says “plus options for 3 additional years”; renewal description says “Three x one year or part thereof”.
Maximum term
98% confidenceUp to 5 years, with maximum extent date of 31 December 2031
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The initial two-year period plus up to three additional years aligns with the published maxExtentDate.
Contract execution
99% confidenceNot confirmed
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The award is pending and the record contains a scheduled future signature date rather than evidence of signature.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Addressable service model
98% confidenceSpecialist equine livery and care provision with defined proximity requirements to London military locations
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The buyer specifies livery, housing, care and maintenance and travel-time requirements to Combermere and Hyde Park Barracks.
Supplier-selection signal
96% confidenceThe buyer’s published position is that only one provider meets the requirement; this is a buyer assertion, not independently assessed competition evidence.
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The direct-award rationale makes this statement; no underlying technical assessment is published.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award status
99% confidenceThe notice reports an intended award, not a concluded or active contract.
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Award status is pending and signature is scheduled for a future date.
Supplier legal identity
99% confidenceNo verified company name or company number is supplied; the published name includes a trading-as designation.
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Verification status is not applicable and verified company fields are null.
Lot and price detail
99% confidenceLot title, lot description, individual lot value and pricing breakdown are not published.
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Lot 1 fields are null and no pricing schedule is supplied.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, evaluation results, award decision date or comparative assessment is included.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published record is a transparency notice for a pending intended award, so it does not confirm signature, contract conclusion or service commencement.
- No verified company name or company number is supplied for the named supplier; the source name includes a trading-as designation.
- No award decision date, bids received, bidder list, evaluation scoring, pricing breakdown or comparative value-for-money information is published.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- The buyer’s statement that the named supplier is the only capable provider is reported as its published rationale and is not independently evidenced by the notice.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Ministry of DefencePentire Sport Horsesmilitary working horseslivery servicesdirect awardtransparency noticedefence procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Has the contract been signed?
No. The published award is pending and shows a scheduled future signature date of 1 December 2026.
Who is named as the intended supplier?
The source names Sorrel Porteous T/A Pentire Sport Horses. No verified company name or company number is supplied.
What is the published value?
£1.135 million estimated total value, including VAT.
How long could the arrangement last?
The planned initial period is 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028, with options of up to three additional years and a maximum published end date of 31 December 2031.
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.