AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Corporate Officer of the House of Lords published a pending direct award to MHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED for iTrent HR and payroll cloud licences and support. The notice cites exclusive intellectual-property rights as the basis for direct award.
Published outcomeAward 1 is pending, not evidenced as signed or started. It names MHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED and reports a net award value of £3,975,243.01 (gross £4,770,291.61).
Market significanceThis is a substantial public-sector HR/payroll platform support procurement. The stated exclusive and non-transferable iTrent rights meant the authority reported no alternative provider able to modify, host, integrate or maintain the platform without infringing IPR.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
MHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £3,975,243.01 net; £4,770,291.61 gross (award-level value) GBP · Verified supplier named on pending award
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Award 1 names supplier GB-COH-01852206. Supplier verification matches company number 01852206 to MHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice status
98% confidenceContract award notice published; process and lot marked complete
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The source identifies a “Contract award notice on Find a Tender”; process status is “complete” and lot 1 status is “complete.”
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status “pending.”
Award decision date
98% confidence8 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-08.
Signature milestone
99% confidenceFuture signature scheduled for 22 October 2026
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Award milestone type is “futureSignatureDate”, due 2026-10-22 23:59:59+01:00, with status “scheduled.”
Contract status
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed, concluded or started
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The award remains pending and the source gives only a scheduled future signature milestone.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
99% confidence£3,975,243.01
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Award 1 value.amount is 3975243.01 GBP.
Award value including VAT
99% confidence£4,770,291.61
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 4770291.61 GBP.
Value allocation
97% confidenceAward-level value for award 1; no separate lot-level value published
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The award contains the value, while lot 1 has no value amount.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice first published
94% confidence7 August 2026
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Release history lists transparency notice 075062-2026, released 2026-08-07.
Award decision date
98% confidence8 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-08.
Latest award-notice publication
99% confidence9 October 2026
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Document 095753-2026 was published 2026-10-09 15:07:26+01:00.
Standstill end
99% confidence20 October 2026
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Award 1 standstill period ends 2026-10-20 23:59:59+01:00.
Planned contract period
99% confidence7 November 2026 to 6 November 2031
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Award 1 contractPeriod gives startDate 2026-11-07 and endDate 2031-11-06.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceiTrent HR and payroll cloud licences and support
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Tender title and description state “Provision of iTrent HR & Payroll Cloud licences and support.”
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne lot; title and detailed description not supplied
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Lot 1 is the only listed lot and has no title or description.
Service classifications
98% confidenceSoftware support services; software programming and consultancy services
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Award item lists CPV 72261000 and 72200000.
Delivery coverage
96% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address is region UK, country GB.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement route
99% confidenceDirect award
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Tender procurementMethod is “direct” and procurementMethodDetails is “Direct award.”
Legal basis cited
98% confidenceProcurement Act 2023, Schedule 5 paragraph 5
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The description states the direct-award justification is “PA23 Schedule 5, paragraph 5.”
Stated direct-award rationale
99% confidenceExclusive intellectual-property rights and non-transferable rights to iTrent
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The notice says no alternative supplier can provide the licences and support because of exclusive, non-transferable IPRs.
Market assessment
97% confidenceAuthority states it assessed alternatives and found none able to modify, host, integrate or maintain iTrent without violating IPR protections
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This is stated in the tender description.
Competition information
99% confidenceNo bid or participant count published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Planned core period
99% confidence7 November 2026 to 6 November 2031
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Award contractPeriod specifies these dates.
Options
98% confidenceOptional licences included in total contract value; break-in options at the end of years 3 and 4
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Award options description states this wording.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidenceNot published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Platform dependency
96% confidenceThe published rationale indicates a supplier-specific iTrent dependency for modification, hosting, integration and maintenance.
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The authority says alternatives could not perform these activities without violating IPR protections.
Value composition
98% confidenceThe reported total includes optional licences that may be taken during the lifecycle.
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The options description says optional licences are included in the total contract value.
Market access implication
96% confidenceThe stated exclusive-rights rationale limited this requirement to a direct award rather than an open competition.
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The notice identifies a direct award under the exclusive-rights justification.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award versus contract conclusion
99% confidenceThe notice is an award notice, but the award remains pending and signature is only scheduled. It must not be treated as a signed or active contract.
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Award status is pending; future signature date is scheduled for 22 October 2026.
Buyer attribution
97% confidenceTwo organisations are listed as buyers, but the source does not state how the requirement, use or value is divided between them.
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Both Houses’ Corporate Officers have buyer roles; no allocation is provided.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
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Lot data fields for title, description and value are null.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bidder count, scoring, evaluation record or pricing breakdown is provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award is pending; the source does not evidence a signed, concluded or commenced contract.
- Two buyer bodies are listed, but no division of responsibility, usage or contract value is published.
- No separate lot title, description or lot-level value is supplied.
- Bid counts, competing suppliers, evaluation scores, detailed pricing and payment terms are not published.
- The planned contract period and options are published terms, but actual commencement and exercise of options are not evidenced.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
House of Lords procurementMHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITEDiTrentHR payroll clouddirect awardsoftware support services
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named on the award?
MHR INTERNATIONAL UK LIMITED, verified against company number 01852206.
Has the contract been signed?
Not evidenced. The award is pending and the notice records a future signature milestone scheduled for 22 October 2026.
What is the reported value?
£3,975,243.01 excluding VAT and £4,770,291.61 including VAT for award 1.
Why was this a direct award?
The authority cites exclusive and non-transferable intellectual-property rights relating to iTrent, after stating that its market assessment found no alternative provider.
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.