AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Cefas has concluded and published details of a direct-award contract with THE ASSOCIATION OF INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES LTD for Coastal Health Programme support services. The signed contract starts on 15 October 2026 and covers protocol development and testing, stakeholder mapping, programme representation and local fisheries engagement.
Published outcomeOne active award and active signed contract were reported for THE ASSOCIATION OF INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES LTD.
Market significanceThis is a £135,000 net direct award for a national IFCA-coordination and coastal fisheries stakeholder-engagement role, with potential extensions of three further 12-month periods.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
THE ASSOCIATION OF INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES LTD
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 135000 GBP · Active award; active signed contract
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Verified supplier record matched by company number 07678190; award 1 names the supplier and contract 1 is linked to award 1.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Procurement status
99% confidenceComplete; direct award
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Tender status is "complete" and procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 is recorded with status "active".
Contract status
99% confidenceActive and signed
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Contract 1 has status "active" and dateSigned of 14 October 2026.
Contract start
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Contract period startDate is 2026-10-15.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value, excluding VAT
99% confidence£135,000
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Contract value amount is 135000 GBP; the published award record also states 135000 GBP.
Contract value, including VAT
99% confidence£162,000
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Contract value amountGross is 162000 GBP.
Value allocation
98% confidenceThe published contract value applies to the sole reported award and supplier.
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1, which names one supplier.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice published
99% confidence26 August 2026
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Release history records transparency notice 081159-2026 on 2026-08-26.
Award notice published
99% confidence2 October 2026
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Release history records contract award notice 093238-2026 on 2026-10-02.
Award date
99% confidence2 October 2026
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Award 1 has award_date 2026-10-02.
Contract signed
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-14.
Contract details notice published
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract document 097069-2026 has datePublished 2026-10-14.
Initial contract end
99% confidence31 March 2027
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Contract period endDate is 2027-03-31.
Maximum stated extent
99% confidence31 March 2030
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Contract period maxExtentDate is 2030-03-31.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service category
98% confidenceResearch services
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Award item classification is CPV 73110000, Research services.
Core delivery
97% confidenceSupport Coastal Health Programme preparedness, response and intelligence processes with England's IFCAs.
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Published description requires protocol and tool review, testing and national-scale implementation trials with IFCAs.
Stakeholder work
98% confidenceCreate stakeholder maps and contact databases for each IFCA district, and facilitate fisheries and community engagement sessions.
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Published description specifies stakeholder mapping, at least three planned engagement sessions, and a Changing Seas pilot study.
Geographic coverage
96% confidenceUnited Kingdom delivery address; work is focused on England's regional IFCAs.
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Award delivery address is UK; rationale refers to England's ten regional IFCAs.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Tender procurementMethod and procurementMethodDetails state direct award.
Published rationale
98% confidenceCefas states that AIFCA's operational role linking the programme and England's ten regional IFCAs, national overview and established fisheries-sector relationships uniquely position it to coordinate local delivery.
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procurementMethodRationale in the published tender data.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, tenderer list, evaluation scores or comparative assessment is provided.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
99% confidence15 October 2026 to 31 March 2027
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Contract period startDate and endDate.
Renewal / extension provision
99% confidenceThree further periods of 12 months are stated.
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Contract renewal description states "3 further periods of 12 Months" and hasRenewal is true.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence31 March 2030
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Contract period maxExtentDate is 2030-03-31.
Performance metrics
98% confidenceNo agreed KPIs reported.
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The contract states "KPI's not required for this ongoing work".
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Route-to-market signal
98% confidenceThe buyer used a direct award based on the supplier's stated national IFCA coordination role and sector relationships.
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Published direct-award rationale.
Delivery emphasis
96% confidenceThe scope combines programme coordination, protocol testing, stakeholder intelligence and local engagement rather than a narrowly defined research deliverable.
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Published description lists these activities.
Commercial visibility
98% confidenceThe published record gives a total contract value but no pricing breakdown, milestones or individual activity values.
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Contract value is published, while no pricing schedule or itemised values are supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award and contract evidence
98% confidenceStrong
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The notice identifies one award, one verified supplier, a linked active contract, signature date, term and values.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 is identified but has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot record has null title, description and value_amount.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid counts, bidder identities, scores or evaluation outcomes are present.
Scope timing detail
96% confidenceSome activity timing is indicative rather than contractual scheduling.
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The description refers to an IFCA training course in February, a location TBC, and an example IFCA district such as Sussex.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, competing suppliers, evaluation scores, pricing breakdown, award decision documentation and detailed milestones.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- The extension provision is published, but no extension decision or renewal date has been reported.
- Some planned delivery locations and activities remain indicative in the description, including a location TBC and an example IFCA district.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
CefasCoastal Health ProgrammeAIFCAIFCAdirect awardcoastal fisheriesstakeholder engagementresearch services
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Cefas Coastal Health Programme support contract?
THE ASSOCIATION OF INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES LTD, verified against company number 07678190.
What is the contract value?
£135,000 excluding VAT, or £162,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The initial term runs from 15 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, with three stated further 12-month periods and a maximum stated extent of 31 March 2030.
How was the contract awarded?
It was a direct award. Cefas cited AIFCA's national coordination role across England's regional IFCAs and established fisheries-sector relationships.
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.