AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Open University awarded a framework call-off for post and courier services to ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED. The published award value is £832,440.15 and the stated term runs from 7 October 2026 to 10 January 2028.
Published outcomeActive award to ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED under a selective call-off from a framework agreement.
Market significanceA single-supplier UK-wide post and courier services award with a published value of £832,440.15.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED
99% confidenceAward ocds-b5fd17-f787f494-0804-4915-80c8-66d5420de6c6-1 · 832440.15 GBP · active award
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The sole award names Royal Mail Group Ltd as supplier; supplier verification maps Companies House number 04138203 to ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED. The award value is £832,440.15.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
99% confidenceAwarded contract notice; award status active
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The notice is labelled "Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder" and the award status is "active".
Award date
98% confidence7 October 2026
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Award record date: 2026-10-07T00:00:00+01:00.
Notice publication date
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-15T10:33:36+01:00.
Contract period stated
98% confidence7 October 2026 to 10 January 2028
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Award and tender contractPeriod specify startDate 2026-10-07 and endDate 2028-01-10.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value
99% confidence£832,440.15
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The tender value and single award value are both GBP 832,440.15.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender submission deadline
96% confidence6 October 2026
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tenderPeriod.endDate: 2026-10-06T00:00:00+01:00.
Award date
98% confidence7 October 2026
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Award date: 2026-10-07T00:00:00+01:00.
Stated contract start
98% confidence7 October 2026
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contractPeriod.startDate: 2026-10-07T00:00:00+01:00.
Stated contract end
98% confidence10 January 2028
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contractPeriod.endDate: 2028-01-10T23:59:59Z.
Award notice published
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished: 2026-10-15T10:33:36+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidencePost and courier services, described as use of Royal Mail as a courier by The Open University
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Title and description: "Courier Services - Royal Mail" and "Call-off contract for the use of Royal Mail as a courier by the OU".
CPV classification
99% confidence64100000 — Post and courier services
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Primary CPV classification is 64100000.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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The tender item delivery address country is United Kingdom.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceSelective
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Published procurementMethod is "selective".
Route to market
99% confidenceCall-off from a framework agreement
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procurementMethodDetails states "Call-off from a framework agreement".
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of invited suppliers, tenders received and evaluation results are unknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
98% confidence7 October 2026 to 10 January 2028
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Published contractPeriod start and end dates.
SME suitability flag
95% confidenceNo
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Tender suitability.sme is false.
VCSE suitability flag
95% confidenceNo
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Tender suitability.vcse is false.
Extension options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
98% confidenceSingle-supplier framework call-off
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One active award names one supplier and the procedure is stated as a framework call-off.
Value allocation
98% confidenceThe full published value is associated with the sole award
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There is one award, one supplier and an award value of £832,440.15.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award versus contract execution
99% confidenceThe record supports an active award and states a contract period, but does not explicitly evidence contract signature.
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The notice is an awarded contract notice; no signature or execution field is published.
Unpublished commercial detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice: pricing schedule, service levels, volume commitments, evaluation scores and bidder numbers.
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No such fields are present in the supplied award data.
Lot allocation
99% confidenceNo lots are published.
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The supplied lots array is empty and the award has no lot IDs.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The record is an award notice and does not explicitly confirm that a contract was signed or otherwise executed.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bidder numbers, tender prices, evaluation methodology and scores, service levels, pricing breakdown, volume commitments, extension options and renewal provisions.
- No lots or individual lot allocations are published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Open UniversityROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITEDRoyal Mailcourier servicespost and courier servicesframework call-offContracts Finder
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Open University courier services award?
ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED, verified against Companies House number 04138203.
What is the published value of the award?
£832,440.15.
What is the stated contract period?
From 7 October 2026 to 10 January 2028.
What procurement route was used?
A selective 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.