AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Defence Equipment and Support awarded a direct, below-threshold engineering-studies contract to Portsmouth University for one student’s engineering upskilling research on female breast anthropometry and personal hard armour plate fit, curvature and ballistic vulnerability.
Published outcomeThe published contract record is active and explicitly records a signature date of 28 September 2026. Portsmouth University is the sole named supplier for award and contract 1.
Market significanceThis is a small, specialist research and training procurement worth £20,000 excluding VAT (£24,000 including VAT), awarded without competition.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Portsmouth University
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £20,000 excluding VAT; £24,000 including VAT GBP · Active award and contract
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Award 1 names Portsmouth University as its sole supplier. Contract 1 is linked to award 1 and records £20,000 net and £24,000 gross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender (UK7)
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Document 095260-2026 is described as a "Contract details notice on Find a Tender" and has notice type UK7.
Publication date
99% confidence8 October 2026
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Notice 095260-2026 was published at 2026-10-08T14:24:27+01:00.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status "active".
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 has status "active".
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 28 September 2026
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Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-09-28T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract period
99% confidence28 September 2026 to 1 January 2032
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Contract 1 period gives startDate 2026-09-28 and endDate 2032-01-01.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£20,000
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Contract 1 value.amount is 20000 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£24,000
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 24000 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceContract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1; award 1 relates to lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract start
99% confidence28 September 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-09-28T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract end
99% confidence1 January 2032
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2032-01-01T23:59:59+00:00.
Notice published
99% confidence8 October 2026
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The linked UK7 notice was published on 2026-10-08.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceEngineering upskilling for one student studying how female breast anthropometry affects the fit, curvature requirements and ballistic vulnerability of personal hard armour plates.
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Tender description states this requirement.
Procurement category
98% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is "services".
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 71335000 — Engineering studies
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Award item 1 lists CPV 71335000 with description "Engineering studies".
Delivery geography
90% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item 1 delivery address region is UK.
Lot structure
98% confidenceOne published lot (lot 1)
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Tender data contains lot 1 only; award 1 and contract 1 are linked to it.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect procurement
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Tender procurementMethod is "direct".
Competition basis
99% confidenceBelow threshold — without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - without competition".
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceNo
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
Published competition information
99% confidenceNo bidder count, evaluation scores or award rationale supplied.
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
97% confidenceApproximately 5 years and 3 months
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Published period runs from 28 September 2026 to 1 January 2032.
VAT presentation
99% confidence£20,000 excluding VAT and £24,000 including VAT
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Contract 1 reports amount 20000 and amountGross 24000 in GBP.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Procurement profile
90% confidenceSpecialist, low-value engineering research and student upskilling engagement.
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The description concerns one student and specialist body-anthropometry effects on hard armour plates; the net contract value is £20,000.
Route-to-market signal
99% confidenceThe buyer used a direct below-threshold route without competition for this requirement.
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Published procurement method details state "Below threshold - without competition".
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity
94% confidenceSupplier identity is published as Portsmouth University under a GB-PPON identifier; no Companies House legal-name verification was applicable.
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Supplier verification status is "not_applicable" and the source supplier name is Portsmouth University.
Award date
99% confidenceNot published
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Award 1 has no award_date. Information not supplied in the published notice.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or standalone value.
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Lot 1 title, description and value fields are null. Information not supplied in the published notice.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceNot published
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No bid count, bidder identities beyond the winner, evaluation scoring or selection rationale is supplied.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not provide an award decision date.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description, pricing or separate value.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation methodology, scores, award rationale and pricing breakdown.
- No extension, renewal option or future procurement plan is published; the January 2032 re-procurement horizon is only an end-date-based estimate.
- Supplier verification was not applicable; no Companies House legal-name verification is supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Defence Equipment and SupportPortsmouth Universityengineering studieshard armour platesfemale anthropometrydirect awardUK7 contract details notice
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the DE&S engineering upskilling contract?
Portsmouth University is the sole named supplier for award and contract 1.
What is the contract value?
The contract value is £20,000 excluding VAT and £24,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The published contract period runs from 28 September 2026 to 1 January 2032.
Was the procurement competed?
The notice records 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.