AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Suffolk County Council Passenger Transport published an award notice for a passenger transport service between East Bergholt/Ipswich and Suffolk New College, Ipswich, using a four-seat vehicle with a passenger assistant. The award is to UNITY TRAVEL LIMITED.
Published outcomeOne active award of £11,411.40 was published for UNITY TRAVEL LIMITED.
Market significanceThis is a small-value, route-specific passenger transport award made through a mini-competition under the Supply of Passenger Transport Services DPS.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
UNITY TRAVEL LIMITED
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-f0b37b8e-44fb-4219-97f3-a3046aff252f-1 · 11411.40 GBP · active
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The active award names source supplier UNITY TRAVEL ltd and has a value of £11,411.40. Supplier verification identifies the legal company as UNITY TRAVEL LIMITED (company number 07844624).
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
99% confidenceAwarded; source record marked complete and award marked active
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The process is displayed as awarded with source status complete; the award status is active.
Award decision date
99% confidence16 October 2026
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Award date: 2026-10-16T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract period
98% confidence20 October 2026 to 31 July 2027
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Award and tender contract-period fields state these dates.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value
99% confidence£11,411.40
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The single award value is GBP 11,411.40.
Value allocation
98% confidenceAllocated to the sole published award and supplier
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One award is present and names one supplier.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Clarification deadline
96% confidence15 October 2026, 09:00 BST
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The notice description states a clarification deadline of 0900 on 2026-10-15.
Tender submission deadline
99% confidence16 October 2026, 09:00 BST
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Tender period end date is 2026-10-16T09:00:00+01:00.
Award notice published
99% confidence16 October 2026, 13:47 BST
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Award notice publication timestamp: 2026-10-16T13:47:53+01:00.
Planned contract start
98% confidence20 October 2026
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The published contract period starts on 2026-10-20.
Planned contract end
98% confidence31 July 2027
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The published contract period ends on 2027-07-31T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service
98% confidencePassenger transport service for East Bergholt/Ipswich to Suffolk New College, Ipswich, using a four-seat vehicle and passenger assistant
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The notice title and description specify the route/service and '4-seated vehicle and a PA'.
Primary classification
99% confidenceCPV 60000000 — Transport services (excluding waste transport)
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Tender classification is CPV 60000000.
Lot information
99% confidenceNo lot allocation published
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No lots are supplied and the award contains no lot IDs.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Route to market
98% confidenceMini-competition under the Supply of Passenger Transport Services Dynamic Purchasing System
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The description states that Suffolk County Council is seeking a mini competition against this DPS and cites OJEU Notice 2018/S 031-067685.
Procurement method
99% confidenceNot specified
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The source procurementMethodDetails is 'Not specified'.
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of invited suppliers and received bids not published
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No bid or participation data is supplied in the notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Published term
98% confidence20 October 2026 to 31 July 2027
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Published contract-period fields give these dates.
Extensions or options
99% confidenceUnknown
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No extension, option or renewal terms are supplied.
Contract conclusion
99% confidenceAn active award is published; contract signature or execution is not stated
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The source provides an active award and contract-period dates but no signed-contract evidence.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Service profile
96% confidenceThe procurement is a defined education-related passenger transport route with a small vehicle and passenger-assistant requirement.
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The title and description specify Suffolk New College, a four-seat vehicle and a PA.
Market access
98% confidenceThe opportunity was competed through an existing passenger transport DPS rather than described as an open standalone procedure.
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The notice describes a mini-competition under the Supply of Passenger Transport Services DPS.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award and contract distinction
99% confidenceThe source confirms an active award and publishes a planned contract period, but does not confirm a signed or executed contract.
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Award status is active; no contract-signature information is supplied.
Delivery geography
97% confidencePublished delivery-address data includes several broad or implausible territories alongside IP1 2BX; the route description is the more specific scope evidence.
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Delivery addresses include British Oversea Territories, Channel Islands, Europe, Isle of Man, Rest of the World and United Kingdom, while the title specifies East Bergholt/Ipswich to Suffolk New College, Ipswich.
Information not supplied in the published notice
99% confidenceNo bid count, evaluation results, pricing breakdown, lot allocation, extension terms or signed-contract date is published.
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The notice does not provide evidence of contract signature or execution; it supports an active award and published contract period only.
- No bid count, bidder list, evaluation scores, award rationale or pricing breakdown is published.
- No lot allocation or lot-level value is published.
- No extension, option or renewal terms are published.
- Delivery-address data lists broad territories that are inconsistent with the route-specific description; no inference has been made from those territories.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UNITY TRAVEL LIMITEDSuffolk County Council Passenger TransportSuffolk passenger transportSuffolk New College transportDynamic Purchasing SystemContracts Finder award
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Suffolk New College passenger transport award?
UNITY TRAVEL LIMITED received the published active award.
What is the published award value?
The published award value is £11,411.40.
When is the published contract period?
The published period runs from 20 October 2026 to 31 July 2027. The notice does not state whether a contract has been signed.
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.