AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Durham County Council has published contract details for woodland maintenance across 13 County Durham sites. The contract is with MICROSITE and covers maintenance of 18,614 broadleaved and Scots pine trees across 10 hectares.
Published outcomeAward 1 is active and is linked to an active contract. The source explicitly records a contract signature date of 27 September 2026 and a start date of 28 September 2026.
Market significanceThis is a below-threshold, limited-competition horticultural services contract valued at £50,000 excluding VAT (£60,000 including VAT), with a potential two-year extension subject to funding approval.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
MICROSITE
98% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £50,000 excluding VAT; £60,000 including VAT GBP · Active contract
View supporting evidence
Award 1 names MICROSITE as its supplier. Contract 1, linked to award 1, is active and gives a total contract value of £50,000 net and £60,000 gross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published contract details notice
99% confidence8 October 2026
View supporting evidence
The notice is described as a Contract details notice on Find a Tender and was published at 2026-10-08T14:01:44+01:00.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
View supporting evidence
Award 1 has status "active".
Contract status
99% confidenceActive
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 has status "active".
Contract signed
99% confidence27 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-09-27T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract start
99% confidence28 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period startDate is 2026-09-28T00:00:00+01:00.
Scheduled contract end
99% confidence1 October 2029
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period endDate is 2029-10-01T23:59:59+01:00.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£50,000
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 value.amount is 50000 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£60,000
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 value.amountGross is 60000 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceContract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 is linked to awardID 1; award 1 relates to lot 1. No separate lot value is published.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Signature date
99% confidence27 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-09-27T00:00:00+01:00.
Start date
99% confidence28 September 2026
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period startDate is 2026-09-28T00:00:00+01:00.
Initial end date
99% confidence1 October 2029
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period endDate is 2029-10-01T23:59:59+01:00.
Maximum extent date
99% confidence1 October 2031
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period maxExtentDate is 2031-10-01T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceWoodland maintenance across 13 sites covering 10 hectares in County Durham
View supporting evidence
The description states that maintenance is required across 13 sites/10 hectares distributed across County Durham.
Tree stock
99% confidence18,614 broadleaved and Scots pine trees
View supporting evidence
The published description specifies 18,614 broadleaved and Scots pine trees.
Activities
99% confidenceSite assessment, litter picking, fly-tipping removal, signage maintenance, site hazard risk assessments, and records of observations and activities
View supporting evidence
These activities are listed in the published tender description.
Category
98% confidenceServices; horticultural services
View supporting evidence
Award 1 lists mainProcurementCategory as services and includes CPV 77300000, Horticultural services.
Delivery area
96% confidenceCounty Durham region (UKC14)
View supporting evidence
The description refers to County Durham and the award delivery address is UKC14.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceLimited
View supporting evidence
The tender procurementMethod is "limited".
Procedure detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - limited competition
View supporting evidence
The tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - limited competition".
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceNo
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 records aboveThreshold as false.
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne lot (lot 1)
View supporting evidence
The tender contains lot 1 only, and award 1 is related to lot 1.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
99% confidence28 September 2026 to 1 October 2029
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 period runs from 2026-09-28 to 2029-10-01.
Extension option
99% confidencePotential extension of up to two years, subject to funding approval
View supporting evidence
The renewal description states that there is a possibility of a two-year extension subject to funding being approved; the maximum extent date is 1 October 2031.
Renewal flag
99% confidenceYes
View supporting evidence
Contract 1 hasRenewal is true.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
97% confidenceA single active contract covers one lot and one named supplier.
View supporting evidence
One lot, one award, one supplier, and one linked contract are published.
Demand profile
98% confidenceThe requirement combines routine grounds and tree maintenance with site safety, environmental cleanliness, signage, and activity-recording duties.
View supporting evidence
The published description lists these operational activities.
Extension dependency
99% confidenceContinuation beyond the initial term depends on funding approval.
View supporting evidence
The renewal description expressly makes a possible two-year extension subject to funding approval.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity
99% confidencePublished supplier name has not been independently verified to a Companies House legal entity.
View supporting evidence
Supplier verification status is not_applicable; no verified company name or company number is supplied.
Lot metadata
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description, or separate value.
View supporting evidence
The supplied lot record contains null title, description, and value fields.
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
View supporting evidence
No bid count, bidder list, evaluation scoring, or award rationale is provided.
Award date
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
View supporting evidence
The supplied award record has a null award_date.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The source does not provide an award date.
- The published supplier name MICROSITE is not independently verified to a Companies House legal entity; no verified legal name or company number is supplied.
- No tender return count, competing supplier information, evaluation results, award rationale, pricing schedule, or savings information is published.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description, or separate value.
- The extension is conditional on funding approval; its exercise is not confirmed.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Durham County CouncilMICROSITENew Woodland Maintenance Contractwoodland maintenancehorticultural servicesCounty Durham procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won Durham County Council's New Woodland Maintenance Contract?
MICROSITE is named as supplier for award 1 and the linked active contract.
What is the value of the woodland maintenance contract?
The published contract value is £50,000 excluding VAT and £60,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The published initial term runs from 28 September 2026 to 1 October 2029, with a possible two-year extension subject to funding approval.
What work is included?
The contract covers maintenance of 18,614 broadleaved and Scots pine trees across 13 sites, including assessments, litter picking, fly-tipping removal, signage maintenance, risk assessments, and activity records.
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.