AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Watford Borough Council has published a pending direct-award decision for an M365 renewal via the NHS Digital Workplace Solutions 2 route. PHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITED is the listed supplier. The record does not evidence a signed or active contract.
Published outcomeAward 1 is pending, with PHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITED listed as supplier for lot 1.
Market significanceThis is a direct award for Microsoft 365-related software and information systems, with a published net award value of £572,604.03 and a planned term to September 2029.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
PHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £572,604.03 net award value; £687,124.84 gross award value GBP · Verified supplier listed on a pending award
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Award 1 lists PHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITED as supplier. Supplier verification records an exact-name match to active company number 02548628. Values are published at award level.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published award status
99% confidencePending award
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Award 1 status is "pending" in the contract award notice data.
Award decision date
98% confidence14 September 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-09-14.
Standstill end
98% confidence28 October 2026, 23:59:59 UTC
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Award 1 standstillPeriod.endDate is 2026-10-28T23:59:59+00:00.
Future signature milestone
98% confidence29 October 2026, 23:59:59 UTC (scheduled)
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Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-29T23:59:59+00:00.
Planned contract period
97% confidence30 October 2026 to 30 September 2029
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Award contractPeriod specifies startDate 2026-10-30 and endDate 2029-09-30.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published net award value
99% confidence£572,604.03
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Award 1 value.amount is 572604.03 GBP.
Published gross award value
99% confidence£687,124.84
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 687124.84 GBP.
Value allocation
95% confidenceAward-level value; no separate lot-level value published
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The award contains one related lot, but lot 1 has no value_amount in the supplied data.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice publication
98% confidence27 August 2026
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Release history records transparency notice 082001-2026 published at 2026-08-27T21:44:08+01:00.
Award decision date
98% confidence14 September 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-09-14.
Contract award notice publication
99% confidence19 October 2026
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Document 098669-2026 was published 2026-10-19T16:55:46+01:00.
Contract details notice release
93% confidence19 October 2026
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Release history records contract details notice 098678-2026 at 2026-10-19T17:04:40+01:00; its contents are not supplied.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceM365 Renewal
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Process title is "M365 Renewal".
Route stated by buyer
99% confidenceDirect award via NHS Digital Workplace Solutions 2
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Process description states "M365 Renewal Direct Award via NHS - Digital Workplace Solutions 2".
Procurement category
98% confidenceGoods
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is goods.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 48000000 — Software package and information systems
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Award item additional classification is CPV 48000000.
Lot coverage
98% confidenceLot 1; no lot title or description supplied
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Award 1 is related to lot 1; the lot record contains no title or description.
Delivery region
97% confidenceUKH23
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Award item delivery address region is UKH23.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Tender procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".
Competition information
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice data
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No bid count, bidder list, scoring or evaluation information is present in the supplied fields.
Above-threshold flag
98% confidenceYes
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Planned term
97% confidence30 October 2026 to 30 September 2029
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Award 1 contractPeriod gives these dates.
Signature status
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed
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The award remains pending and a future signature date is scheduled for 29 October 2026.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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No extension or renewal terms are supplied.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
99% confidenceDirect award for an M365 renewal through the stated NHS Digital Workplace Solutions 2 route
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The description and procurement method both state this route and direct-award approach.
Award maturity
99% confidencePre-signature / pending
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Pending award status, a standstill end date and a scheduled future signature milestone are supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending lifecycle status
99% confidenceThe published record is not evidence of a concluded, signed or active contract
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Award 1 is pending and the future signature date is scheduled.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value
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The supplied lot record has null title, description and value_amount.
Competition and evaluation information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice data
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No tender submissions, evaluation, award rationale or scoring fields are present.
Release chronology
97% confidenceThe supplied release history includes a transparency notice dated before the stated award decision date; no explanation is supplied
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Transparency notice release is dated 27 August 2026, while award 1 is dated 14 September 2026.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award is pending; the supplied data does not evidence signature, conclusion or contract commencement.
- No lot title, lot description or individual lot value is published.
- Bid counts, competing suppliers, evaluation criteria, scores, pricing breakdown and award rationale are not supplied.
- No extension or renewal options are supplied.
- The supplied release chronology shows a transparency notice before the stated award decision date, without an explanation.
- The contents of the listed contract details notice are not supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Watford Borough CouncilM365 RenewalPHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITEDdirect awardNHS Digital Workplace Solutions 2software procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the listed supplier?
PHOENIX SOFTWARE LIMITED is the listed and verified supplier for award 1.
Is the contract signed?
No signed contract is evidenced. The award is pending and a future signature milestone is scheduled.
What is the published award value?
The published award-level value is £572,604.03 net and £687,124.84 gross.
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.