AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Defra has concluded a direct award to Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) for continued support, hosting and maintenance of the UK Vessel Monitoring System Hub. The published contract is a bridging arrangement while discovery work for a new scope is completed.
Published outcomeContract 2 is active, with CLS named as supplier for lot 1. The contract was signed on 12 October 2026 and is due to start on 1 December 2026.
Market significanceThe award continues a business-critical fisheries vessel-monitoring capability. The buyer cites technical reasons and CLS's incumbent role; the previous relet exercise reportedly failed to make an award.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS)
99% confidenceAward 2 · Lots 1 · 730906 net; 877087.2 gross GBP · Active contract
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Contract 2 links to award 2, names supplier GB-PPON-PZTB-4821-HPLG, covers related lot 1, and states GBP 730,906 amount and GBP 877,087.20 amountGross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published contract status
99% confidenceActive
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Contract 2 has status "active" in the supplied contract data.
Contract signature
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Contract 2 records dateSigned as 2026-10-12.
Contract start
99% confidence1 December 2026
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Contract 2 period startDate is 2026-12-01.
Earlier award record
98% confidenceAward 1 is pending; award 2 is active
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The supplied award list shows award 1 as pending and award 2 as active. Contract 2 is linked to award 2.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value, excluding VAT
99% confidence£730,906
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Contract 2 value.amount is 730906 GBP.
Contract value, including VAT
99% confidence£877,087.20
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Contract 2 value.amountGross is 877087.2 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Transparency notice
98% confidence10 September 2026
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Release history lists transparency notice 086139-2026 dated 2026-09-10.
Contract award notice
98% confidence22 September 2026
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Release history lists contract award notice 089421-2026 dated 2026-09-22.
Contract details notice
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Release history and contract document 095993-2026 give publication date 2026-10-12.
Contract term
99% confidence1 December 2026 to 30 November 2028
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Contract 2 period startDate is 2026-12-01 and endDate is 2028-11-30.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence30 November 2029
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Contract 2 period maxExtentDate is 2029-11-30.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
97% confidenceVessel Monitoring System Hub support, hosting and maintenance
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The direct-award rationale says CLS is the current supplier of support, hosting and maintenance services for the UK VMS Hub.
Service role
98% confidenceCentral repository for position reports from UK commercial fishing vessels and foreign vessels in UK waters
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Tender description describes the VMS Hub as the central repository for these positions.
Category
99% confidenceInformation technology services (CPV 72222300)
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Award item additional classification is CPV 72222300, described as Information technology services.
Delivery location
98% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address region is UK.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Tender procurementMethod is direct and procurementMethodDetails is Direct award.
Stated rationale
98% confidenceTechnical reasons; bridging contract while discovery for the new scope is completed
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Tender rationale states that CLS is the current supplier and the contract bridges to completion of the discovery phase.
Rationale classification
99% confidenceSingle supplier—technical reasons
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procurementMethodRationaleClassifications includes singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bidder count, evaluation results or competing suppliers are provided in the supplied data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Base term
99% confidence24 months
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The period runs from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2028.
Extension provisions
97% confidenceUp to 12 months, subject to the stated extension/option provisions
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Contract 2 has hasRenewal and hasOptions set to true, each described as "12 months Extension"; maxExtentDate is 30 November 2029.
Performance mechanism
98% confidenceService levels and service credits, observed monthly
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Contract agreedMetrics lists "Service Levels and Service Credits" with a one-month frequency observation.
Above threshold
99% confidenceYes
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Contract 2 has aboveThreshold set to true.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial position
98% confidenceContinuation arrangement with the existing supplier
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The rationale identifies CLS as the current provider and describes the award as a bridging contract.
Strategic context
96% confidenceThe buyer describes the service as essential and business-critical while a sustainable long-term solution is considered.
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Tender description states that the service is essential and that this exercise continues business-critical services pending consideration of a sustainable solution.
Prior relet context
94% confidenceA separate relet exercise reportedly failed to award a contract.
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Tender description states that a separate exercise led by DgC in the prior year failed to award a contract.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award-record inconsistency
98% confidenceThe supplied dataset includes a pending award 1 with a stated £730,906 value and a separate active award 2 linked to the published contract; the contract value is reported only at contract level.
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Award 1 is pending with value £730,906; award 2 is active with no standalone value; contract 2 links to award 2 and states £730,906 net / £877,087.20 gross.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or individual lot value.
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The supplied lot record contains no title, description or value.
Supplier identity
98% confidenceThe supplier name is sourced from the procurement notice; no verified legal company name or company number is supplied, and UK Companies House verification is not applicable.
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Supplier verification records status not_applicable with null verified company name and number.
Competition and evaluation
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, tender responses, scoring or evaluation results are included in the supplied data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The dataset contains both a pending award 1 and active award 2 for lot 1. The signed active contract links to award 2; the source does not explain the relationship between the award records.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or allocated value.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bidder count, evaluation methodology, scores, pricing breakdown, tender deadlines and individual bid values.
- The supplier name has not been verified against a UK Companies House record because verification is marked not applicable; it is reported as named in the procurement notice.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
MMO Vessel Monitoring System HubCollecte Localisation Satellites CLSDefra contract awardvessel monitoring systemfisheries technology procurementdirect award
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the MMO Vessel Monitoring System Hub contract?
Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) is named as the supplier on active contract 2.
What is the contract value?
The published contract value is £730,906 excluding VAT and £877,087.20 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The stated base term runs from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2028, with a published maximum end date of 30 November 2029.
Why was the contract directly awarded?
The buyer cites technical reasons, CLS's existing provision of support, hosting and maintenance, and the need for a bridging arrangement while discovery work is completed.
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.