AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Suffolk County Council Passenger Transport published an award notice for a passenger transport service between Lowestoft, PLOT community interest company and Lower Hacheston, requiring a four-seat vehicle and passenger assistant (PA). The active award names UNIVERSAL CABS LTD and has a published value of £33,057.72.
Published outcomeAward announced to UNIVERSAL CABS LTD under a mini-competition against the stated Dynamic Purchasing System for passenger transport services.
Market significanceA small, route-specific passenger transport award within an existing Dynamic Purchasing System, with a stated service period from 12 October 2026 to 31 July 2027.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
UNIVERSAL CABS LTD
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-94bf974f-c0fe-40d4-b6b0-cb551df23a45-1 · 33057.72 GBP · active award
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The award identifies supplier Universal Cabs Ltd; supplier verification provides verified legal name UNIVERSAL CABS LTD (company number 13485605). The single award value is £33,057.72.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
98% confidenceAwarded contract notice; award status active
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The notice is labelled “Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder”; the process display status is “awarded” and the award status is “active”.
Award decision date
97% confidence8 October 2026
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Award record date: 2026-10-08.
Award notice publication
99% confidence8 October 2026, 15:26 BST
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-08T15:26:21+01:00.
Contract signature
99% confidenceUnknown
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The supplied award notice does not explicitly state that a contract was signed.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value
99% confidence£33,057.72
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The active award record gives value amount 33057.72 and currency GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceAward-level value; one supplier is named on the award
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One active award names UNIVERSAL CABS LTD and contains the published value. No lots are supplied.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Clarification deadline
94% confidence7 October 2026, 09:00 BST
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The notice description states that clarification questions were due by 0900 on 2026-10-07.
Submission deadline
99% confidence8 October 2026, 09:00 BST
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Tender period endDate and notice description state 0900 on 2026-10-08.
Award date
97% confidence8 October 2026
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Award record date: 2026-10-08.
Stated service start
97% confidence12 October 2026
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Award contractPeriod startDate is 2026-10-12T00:00:00+01:00.
Stated service end
99% confidence31 July 2027
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Award contractPeriod endDate is 2027-07-31T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service
99% confidencePassenger transport service
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Primary CPV is 60000000, “Transport services (excl. Waste transport)”.
Route / requirement
96% confidenceLowestoft – PLOT community interest company, Lower Hacheston; four-seat vehicle and PA required
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This wording appears in the tender title and description.
Lot structure
99% confidenceNo lots published
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No lot records or award lot identifiers are supplied.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Route to market
98% confidenceMini-competition under a Dynamic Purchasing System
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The description says Suffolk County Council sought a mini competition against “The supply of Passenger Transport Services” DPS, OJEU Notice Id 2018/S 031-067685.
Procurement method
99% confidenceNot specified in the published data
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procurementMethodDetails is “Not specified”.
Competition metrics
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information on invited suppliers, bids received, evaluation and scoring is not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Stated term
98% confidence12 October 2026 to 31 July 2027
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The award contract period specifies these start and end dates.
Vehicle and staffing requirement
96% confidenceFour-seat vehicle and passenger assistant (PA) required
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The tender title and description specify “4-seated vehicle and a PA required”.
Extensions, renewals and pricing terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Demand signal
91% confidenceThe requirement is a defined assisted passenger-transport route rather than a general transport framework award.
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The notice specifies the Lowestoft/PLOT community interest company/Lower Hacheston requirement and a four-seat vehicle with PA.
Market access
93% confidenceSuppliers seeking similar work would need access to the referenced passenger transport DPS or a future replacement route to market.
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The buyer states that this award followed a mini-competition under the named DPS.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Delivery geography quality
98% confidencePublished delivery addresses are inconsistent and appear over-inclusive
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The source lists delivery locations including the United Kingdom, Europe, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, British Oversea Territories and Rest of the World, while the requirement title identifies Lowestoft and Lower Hacheston.
Award versus contract conclusion
99% confidenceThis is an award notice; signature is not evidenced
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The supplied notice contains an active award and contract-period dates but no explicit signed-contract field or statement.
Evaluation transparency
99% confidenceBid counts, evaluation method, scores and award rationale are not published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not explicitly confirm that a contract was signed.
- No lot titles, lot allocation or lot-level values are supplied.
- Information on bids received, evaluation criteria, scores, award rationale and pricing breakdown is not supplied in the published notice.
- No extension, renewal or modification terms are published; the renewal timing is only an estimate based on the stated end date.
- Published delivery geographies are inconsistent and over-inclusive relative to the route named in the requirement.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UNIVERSAL CABS LTDSuffolk County Council Passenger Transportpassenger transport servicesLowestoftLower HachestonDynamic Purchasing SystemContracts Finder
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Suffolk passenger transport award?
The award notice names UNIVERSAL CABS LTD as supplier.
What is the published award value?
The published award value is £33,057.72.
When is the stated service period?
The published award period runs from 12 October 2026 to 31 July 2027.
Was the contract signed?
The supplied award notice does not explicitly confirm contract signature.
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.