AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Epping Forest District Council published an award notice for a finance-system call-off under G-Cloud? No: the notice identifies the GCA Back Office Software framework RM6285, Lot 1. The awarded supplier is SOFTCAT PLC. The published award value is £596,052.06.
Published outcomeAward announced to SOFTCAT PLC under a framework call-off; the award record is marked active. The notice gives a contract start date of 7 October 2026 but does not explicitly evidence signature.
Market significanceThis is a long-running financial-management software arrangement, with an initial term to March 2030 and published extension/legacy-data options potentially running to March 2039.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
SOFTCAT PLC
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-a05ebb1b-c658-4b33-9cea-da00c0918b39-1 · Lots RM6285 Lot 1 · 596052.06 GBP · verified supplier; active award
View supporting evidence
Award names Softcat PLC as supplier and assigns £596,052.06 to the single award. Supplier verification identifies verified company name SOFTCAT PLC, company number 02174990.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceAwarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
View supporting evidence
Process notice_type and award document description.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
View supporting evidence
Award status is "active".
Award decision date
98% confidence15 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Award date: 2026-09-15T00:00:00+01:00.
Published notice date
99% confidence15 October 2026
View supporting evidence
Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-15T15:45:14+01:00.
Published contract start
98% confidence7 October 2026
View supporting evidence
Tender and award contractPeriod startDate: 2026-10-07.
Published contract end
98% confidence31 March 2039
View supporting evidence
Tender and award contractPeriod endDate: 2039-03-31T23:59:59Z.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value
99% confidence£596,052.06 GBP
View supporting evidence
Award value and tender value are both 596052.06 GBP.
Value allocation
97% confidenceSingle published award to SOFTCAT PLC
View supporting evidence
One award and one named supplier are supplied.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender deadline
98% confidence31 July 2026, 12:00 BST
View supporting evidence
Tender period endDate: 2026-07-31T12:00:00+01:00.
Award decision
98% confidence15 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Award date supplied in the award record.
Contract start
98% confidence7 October 2026
View supporting evidence
Published contractPeriod startDate.
Initial term end
94% confidence31 March 2030
View supporting evidence
Award description: "Initial contract ends 31/03/2030".
Potential final end
96% confidence31 March 2039
View supporting evidence
Award description states up to seven one-year extensions for legacy data to 31/03/39; published contractPeriod ends 31 March 2039.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
97% confidenceFinance system with Integra for financial management
View supporting evidence
Process title and description.
Primary classification
99% confidenceCPV 48440000 — Financial analysis and accounting software package
View supporting evidence
Tender classification.
Framework route
98% confidenceGCA Back Office Software framework RM6285, Lot 1
View supporting evidence
Award description identifies a call-off from RM6285 Lot 1.
Delivery location
95% confidenceCM16 4BZ
View supporting evidence
Tender item delivery address postal code.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
98% confidenceSelective
View supporting evidence
Tender procurementMethod is "selective".
Method detail
99% confidenceCall-off from a framework agreement
View supporting evidence
Tender procurementMethodDetails.
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of bids and evaluation results unknown
View supporting evidence
Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
94% confidence7 October 2026 to 31 March 2030
View supporting evidence
Published start date and award description stating the initial end date.
Extension structure
96% confidenceTwo one-year extensions to 31 March 2032, plus up to seven one-year extensions for legacy data to 31 March 2039
View supporting evidence
Award description.
Published maximum period endpoint
98% confidence31 March 2039
View supporting evidence
Published contractPeriod endDate.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidenceUnknown
View supporting evidence
Information not supplied in the published notice data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
97% confidenceFramework call-off for finance and accounting software
View supporting evidence
Published framework route and CPV classification.
Long-term data-retention element
96% confidenceLater extensions are described as being for legacy data
View supporting evidence
Award description specifies up to seven one-year extensions for legacy data.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Contract conclusion evidence
99% confidenceThe source is an award notice with an active award and a published start date; it does not explicitly state that a contract was signed.
View supporting evidence
Notice type, award status and supplied fields.
Lot detail
98% confidenceThe source identifies RM6285 Lot 1 but does not provide a published lot title beyond that reference.
View supporting evidence
Award description; lots array is empty.
Extension ambiguity
98% confidenceThe description gives extension counts and endpoints, but does not state exercise conditions, notice periods or pricing for extensions.
View supporting evidence
Award description; no further terms supplied.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not explicitly confirm contract signature or provide a contract document.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bidder count, evaluation scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown, implementation milestones and payment terms.
- The notice provides a framework lot reference but no fuller lot title or separate lot record.
- Extension exercise conditions and commercial terms are not published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Epping Forest District CouncilSOFTCAT PLCRM6285finance systemIntegrafinancial management softwareContracts Finder
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who was awarded the finance system contract?
SOFTCAT PLC was named as the supplier for the single published award.
What is the published award value?
The published award value is £596,052.06 GBP.
When does the published contract period end?
The published contract period ends on 31 March 2039, including the extension structure described in the award notice.
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.