AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Department for Transport awarded a qualitative research call-off to Verian, described in the source as a research-services requirement covering social and behavioural research across transport modes, including rail.
Published outcomeOne active award is recorded, valued at £400,000, with a stated contract period from 27 December 2023 to 30 March 2027. The published record is an award notice; signature is not evidenced.
Market significanceThis is a multi-year public-sector research call-off under a framework, covering qualitative methods and audiences including the public, rail users and relevant stakeholders.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Verian (unverified supplier name)
90% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-e3d33c21-4f9b-4081-a7a5-3b76743f7e73-1 · 400000 GBP · active
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The award names “Verian” as its sole supplier and records an award value of £400,000. Supplier identity status is checked_unmatched, with no verified company name supplied.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
98% confidenceAwarded contract notice; source record marked complete
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Process display status is “awarded”; source status is “complete”; notice type is “Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder”.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award ocds-b5fd17-e3d33c21-4f9b-4081-a7a5-3b76743f7e73-1 has status “active”.
Contract execution
98% confidenceUnknown; no explicit signature evidence supplied
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The supplied record provides an award notice, award status and contract-period dates, but does not state that a contract was signed.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value
99% confidence£400,000
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The sole award value is 400000 GBP.
Tender value
98% confidence£500,000
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Tender value is stated as 500000 GBP.
Value relationship
98% confidenceThe published award value is £100,000 below the published tender value
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The tender value is £500,000 and the single award value is £400,000.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender submission deadline
98% confidence16 October 2023, 10:00 BST
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Tender period end date is 2023-10-16T10:00:00+01:00.
Award date
99% confidence27 December 2023
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The award date is 2023-12-27T00:00:00Z.
Stated contract start
99% confidence27 December 2023
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Award and contract-period start date are both 2023-12-27T00:00:00Z.
Stated contract end
99% confidence30 March 2027
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Contract-period end date is 2027-03-30T23:59:59+01:00.
Award notice publication
99% confidence17 January 2024
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The award notice document datePublished is 2024-01-17T12:18:34Z.
Latest source update
98% confidence14 October 2026
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The process source_updated_at and release history date are 2026-10-14T14:41:39+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Primary classification
99% confidenceResearch services (CPV 73110000)
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The primary classification is CPV 73110000, described as “Research services”.
Research requirement
95% confidenceQualitative social and behavioural research across transport modes, including rail
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The description states that the authority commissions social and behavioural research across transport modes including rail, and that discrete qualitative projects form part of the programme.
Methods
96% confidencePrimary research using face-to-face, online and telephone media
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The description specifies primary research using a range of media including face to face, online and telephone.
Research audiences
96% confidenceGeneral public, rail users and sub-groups, with potential research involving rail-industry stakeholders and other professionals
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These audiences are identified in the requirement description.
Delivery geography
90% confidenceUnited Kingdom and additional listed territories/regions including Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Europe and Rest of the World
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Delivery addresses list the United Kingdom, British Oversea Territories, Channel Islands, Europe, Isle of Man and Rest of the World.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceSelective
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The procurement method is recorded as “selective”.
Route to market
99% confidenceCall-off from a framework agreement
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Procurement method details state “Call-off from a framework agreement”.
SME suitability
94% confidenceMarked suitable for SMEs
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Tender suitability records sme as true.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No bid count, bidder list, evaluation scores or ranking is included in the supplied data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Stated term
99% confidence27 December 2023 to 30 March 2027
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The supplied contract period starts 2023-12-27 and ends 2027-03-30.
Stated duration
97% confidenceApproximately 39 months
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Calculated from the explicit stated start and end dates.
Extensions and options
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No extension or option terms are included in the supplied data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Call-off structure
98% confidenceThe award was made through a framework call-off rather than an openly described standalone competition.
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Procurement method details state “Call-off from a framework agreement”.
Demand profile
94% confidenceThe requirement includes discrete and potentially quick-turnaround qualitative research projects.
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The description refers to discrete qualitative projects, including quick turnaround projects.
Awarded scope versus tender value
97% confidenceThe single published award is £400,000 against a published tender value of £500,000; the notice does not explain the difference.
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Tender value is £500,000 and award value is £400,000; no pricing narrative is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity limitation
99% confidence“Verian” is an unverified source supplier name
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The Companies House matching workflow completed with status checked_unmatched/still_unmatched and supplied no verified company name or number.
Notice versus execution evidence
98% confidenceThe data supports an award notice and active award record, but not an explicit conclusion that the contract was signed
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No signed-contract statement or execution date is supplied.
Publication chronology
99% confidenceThe award date and stated contract start precede publication of the award notice
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Award/start date is 27 December 2023; award notice publication is 17 January 2024.
Updated record chronology
96% confidenceThe latest source update is dated 14 October 2026, after the original award notice publication
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Release history identifies an awardUpdate dated 2026-10-14; the supplied data does not explain the update content.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The supplier name “Verian” is unverified: the completed Companies House matching workflow found no safe company match, and no verified legal company name or company number was supplied.
- The published record does not explicitly evidence contract signature or execution.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: framework name, bidder count, competing suppliers, evaluation criteria, scoring, award rationale, pricing breakdown and savings.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: extension, option and renewal provisions.
- No lot title, lot allocation or individual lot value is supplied.
- The supplied data does not explain the content or reason for the 14 October 2026 award-record update.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Department for TransportDfTVerianqualitative researchresearch servicesrail researchframework call-offpublic procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the DfT Qualitative Research Call-Off?
The source names Verian as the sole supplier. Its company identity is unverified because the completed matching workflow found no safe company match.
What is the published award value?
The sole published award value is £400,000.
When does the stated contract period end?
The stated contract end date is 30 March 2027.
Was this a framework call-off?
Yes. The published procurement method details describe it as a call-off from a framework agreement.
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.