AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Department for Business & Trade awarded Arup International Projects Limited a direct, below-threshold contract for early-stage advisory support for the Guatemala Metro Riel Project. The contract was signed on 14 August 2026, started on 17 August 2026 and is scheduled to end on 12 October 2026.
Published outcomeOne active award and contract cover lot 1. The contract value is £100,000 excluding VAT (£120,000 including VAT).
Market significanceThis is a short-duration international advisory-services engagement, delivered across UK and Guatemala locations, with an optional one-month extension.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Arup International Projects Limited
100% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 100000 GBP · Active award; active contract
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Award 1 identifies Arup International Projects Limited as its sole supplier and is linked to contract 1. Contract 1 has a total value of £100,000 excluding VAT. As there is one supplier and one award, the contract value is attributable to this supplier.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice publication
100% confidence7 October 2026
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Contract details notice published at 2026-10-07T15:23:31+01:00.
Award status
100% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status "active".
Contract signed
100% confidence14 August 2026
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Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-08-14T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract start
100% confidence17 August 2026
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Contract period startDate is 2026-08-17T00:00:00+01:00.
Scheduled contract end
100% confidence12 October 2026
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Contract period endDate is 2026-10-12T23:59:59+01:00.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
100% confidence£100,000
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Contract 1 value.amount is 100000 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
100% confidence£120,000
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 120000 GBP.
Lot value
100% confidenceUnknown
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Lot 1 contains no value amount.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signature date
100% confidence14 August 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-08-14.
Contract start date
100% confidence17 August 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-08-17.
Scheduled end date
100% confidence12 October 2026
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2026-10-12.
Maximum possible end date
100% confidence12 November 2026
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Contract 1 period.maxExtentDate is 2026-11-12 and the renewal description states "Optional one month extension."
Tender deadline
100% confidenceUnknown
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No tender start or submission deadline is provided.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
100% confidenceEarly-stage advisory support across six integrated workstreams, including mobilisation and inception.
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Tender description.
Key deliverables
100% confidenceSix executive reports; workstream analytical materials; an integrated programme summary/findings; slide packs and stakeholder presentation materials; two in-country workshops; and a final presentation.
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Tender description.
Service classification
100% confidenceResearch and development services and related consultancy services (CPV 73000000).
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Award item additional classification.
Delivery locations
100% confidenceUnited Kingdom and Guatemala.
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Award item delivery addresses list GB/UK and GT/Guatemala.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
100% confidenceDirect
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Tender procurementMethod is "direct".
Procurement method detail
100% confidenceBelow threshold - without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - without competition".
Competition information
98% confidenceNo competition took place according to the stated method detail; bidder counts and evaluation information are not provided.
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Tender procurementMethodDetails; no bidder or scoring fields supplied.
Legal basis
100% confidenceProcurement Act 2023 (UKPGA 2023/54).
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Tender legalBasis identifies 2023/54 under the UKPGA scheme.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract status
100% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 status is "active".
Base term
100% confidence17 August 2026 to 12 October 2026
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Contract 1 period startDate and endDate.
Extension option
100% confidenceOptional one-month extension
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Contract hasRenewal is true and renewal description states "Optional one month extension."
Maximum term end
100% confidence12 November 2026
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Contract period maxExtentDate is 2026-11-12.
Above-threshold status
100% confidenceNo
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Contract aboveThreshold is false.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Engagement profile
98% confidenceShort, defined advisory assignment with specified reports, analytical outputs, workshops and a final presentation.
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Tender description and contract period.
Route-to-market observation
100% confidenceThe buyer used a direct below-threshold route without competition for this requirement.
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Tender procurement method and method detail.
Supplier selection rationale
100% confidenceUnknown
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No award rationale, evaluation record or justification is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award date
100% confidenceNot provided
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Award record has award_date as null.
Lot metadata
100% confidenceLot 1 has no title, description or value.
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Supplied lot record contains null title, description and value fields.
Notice timing anomaly
100% confidenceThe contract details notice was published after the recorded signature, start and scheduled end dates.
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Notice publication is 7 October 2026; signature is 14 August 2026; start is 17 August 2026; scheduled end is 12 October 2026.
Value basis clarity
96% confidenceBoth net and gross values are supplied; £100,000 is treated as excluding VAT because it is held in amount, while £120,000 is explicitly amountGross.
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Contract value contains amount 100000 and amountGross 120000 GBP.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Guatemala Metro Riel ProjectDepartment for Business & TradeArup International Projects Limitedadvisory servicesdirect awardProcurement Act 2023
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who received the Guatemala Metro Riel Project contract?
Arup International Projects Limited received the active award for lot 1.
What is the contract value?
The contract is valued at £100,000 excluding VAT and £120,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The stated period is 17 August 2026 to 12 October 2026, with an optional one-month extension to a maximum date of 12 November 2026.
Was the contract competed?
The notice describes a direct, below-threshold procurement without competition.
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.