AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) published a contract change notice for rental and support of acoustic test equipment for STFC RAL Space. The notice records a direct award to Acoustic Research Systems, Inc and an amendment attributed to “Unforseeable Circumstances”.
Published outcomeOne active award record (award 1) is associated with Acoustic Research Systems, Inc. Contract data records a start date of 25 September 2026 and a gross contract value of £262,013.95 (£218,344.96 net).
Market significanceThis is an above-threshold, direct-award procurement for specialist acoustic test-equipment rental and support. The published value is held at contract level and there is only one listed supplier.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Acoustic Research Systems, Inc
90% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £262,013.95 gross / £218,344.96 net (contract-level value) GBP · Active award record
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Supplier record for award 1; award 1 is linked to lot ID 1. Contract 1, linked to award 1, records the values.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Current published notice
99% confidenceContract change notice on Find a Tender
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Process notice type and contract document 095661-2026.
Award status
95% confidenceActive
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Award 1 status is recorded as active.
Recorded contract start
95% confidence25 September 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-09-25.
Amendment
95% confidenceRecorded on 24 September 2026; rationale stated as “Unforseeable Circumstances” in the source.
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Contract 1 amendment dated 2026-09-24 with the published rationale.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value, gross
99% confidence£262,013.95
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 262013.95 GBP.
Contract value, net
99% confidence£218,344.96
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Contract 1 value.amount is 218344.96 GBP.
Value allocation
95% confidenceThe published value is contract-level; no separate lot value is supplied.
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One contract value is provided and no lot records or lot values are supplied.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice published
98% confidence16 April 2026, 13:58 BST
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Release history entry 034722-2026.
Contract award notice published
98% confidence16 April 2026, 14:25 BST
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Release history entry 034748-2026.
Contract details notice published
98% confidence23 September 2026, 15:46 BST
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Release history entry 090273-2026.
Contract amendment date
95% confidence24 September 2026
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Contract 1 amendment record.
Recorded contract start date
95% confidence25 September 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate.
Contract change notice published
99% confidence9 October 2026, 13:02 BST
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Release history entry 095661-2026 and contract document datePublished.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceRental and support of acoustic test equipment for STFC RAL Space.
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Process description.
Lot structure
95% confidenceAward 1 references lot ID 1, but no published lot title or description is supplied.
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Award 1 lot_ids_json contains “1”; lots array is empty.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect award
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Process procurement_method is direct and procurement_method_details is Direct award.
Threshold status
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is true.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bidder count, tender submissions, evaluation or scoring information is provided.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract start
95% confidence25 September 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate.
Contract end and duration
99% confidenceUnknown
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No period end date or duration is supplied.
Change rationale
95% confidence“Unforseeable Circumstances” (as published).
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Contract 1 amendment rationale and rationale classification.
Extension and renewal terms
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No extension or renewal terms are provided.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Market route
99% confidenceThe requirement was procured through a direct award rather than a competitive procedure.
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Process procurement_method_details is Direct award.
Change context
90% confidenceThe published contract change notice records an amendment before the recorded contract start date; the source gives only the stated rationale and no description of the commercial or technical change.
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Amendment date is 24 September 2026; recorded start date is 25 September 2026; amendment rationale is supplied without further detail.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier verification coverage
98% confidenceThe supplier is US-based and marked not applicable for the supplied Companies House-oriented verification workflow; no verified legal company name is supplied.
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Supplier country is United States; supplier_identity_status and verification status are not_applicable.
Lot detail
98% confidenceLot ID 1 is referenced but its title, description and separate value are not supplied.
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Award references lot 1 while the lots array is empty.
Published commercial detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice: award date, contract end date, duration, pricing breakdown, evaluation details, bid count and amendment detail beyond its stated rationale.
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Relevant fields are absent or null in the supplied data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award date is not supplied.
- No contract end date, duration, extension option or renewal term is published.
- No tender competition, bidder, evaluation, scoring or award-rationale detail is supplied beyond the direct-award route.
- Lot ID 1 has no published title, description or individually stated value.
- The contract change notice provides only the stated amendment rationale, “Unforseeable Circumstances”, and does not describe the change.
- Acoustic Research Systems, Inc is reported from the source but no verified legal company name is supplied; the Companies House-oriented verification workflow is marked not applicable for this US-based supplier.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UKRI-5973UKRISTFC RAL Spaceacoustic test equipmentequipment rentalAcoustic Research Systemsdirect awardcontract change notice
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the listed supplier for UKRI-5973?
The source lists Acoustic Research Systems, Inc for award 1.
What is the published contract value?
Contract data records £262,013.95 gross and £218,344.96 net.
What was the procurement route?
The published process data identifies a direct award.
When does the contract start?
The contract record gives a start date of 25 September 2026.
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.