AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Home Office has published a modification extending its existing Life in the UK Test Preparation Materials contract with THE STATIONERY OFFICE LIMITED to 30 March 2028. The stated purpose is continuity while a replacement procurement, mobilisation and transition are completed.
Published outcomeThis is a time-limited extension of an existing active contract, not a newly competed award. The notice states that scope, pricing arrangements, supplier obligations, governance, intellectual-property arrangements and commercial model are unchanged.
Market significanceThe modification indicates an upcoming replacement procurement for official Life in the UK Test preparation-materials services, covering publication, printing, fulfilment, distribution and stock management.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
THE STATIONERY OFFICE LIMITED
91% confidenceAward 095324-2026-3025-1 · Lots 1 · GBP 7,605,000 (contract-level value; not allocated to a supplier record) GBP · Active contract supplier
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The active award lists two supplier party IDs, both verified as THE STATIONERY OFFICE LIMITED (company number 03049649). The contract value is GBP 7,605,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidence8 October 2026
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Notice published_at: 2026-10-08T15:27:06+01:00.
Record type
99% confidenceContract and award update / contract modification
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Notice type is "awardUpdate, contractUpdate"; contract includes an amendment.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Award and contract status are both "active".
Modification
96% confidenceExtension stated as 10 months and 9 days, from 21 May 2027 to 30 March 2028
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Amendment description explicitly states these dates and duration.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published contract value
99% confidenceGBP 7,605,000
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Contract value.amount is 7605000 and currency is GBP.
Extension pricing
98% confidenceNo change stated
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Amendment description states there are no changes to pricing arrangements.
Supplier or lot-level allocation
99% confidenceUnknown
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The published contract-level value is not broken down by supplier record or lot.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Original contract signing date
99% confidence22 May 2018
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Contract dateSigned is 2018-05-22T00:00:00+01:00.
Original lot contract period end
99% confidence21 May 2027
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Lot 1 contractPeriod endDate is 2027-05-21T23:59:59+01:00.
Modified end date
95% confidence30 March 2028
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Amendment description states extension to 30 March 2028; contract period endDate is 2027-03-30, which conflicts with the amendment text.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Lot
99% confidenceLot 1: Life in the UK Test Preparation Materials Contract with The Stationery Office Ltd
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Tender lot 1 title.
Services
99% confidenceOfficial Life in the UK Test preparation materials: publication, printing, fulfilment, distribution, stock management and associated services
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Lot 1 description.
Category
99% confidenceGoods — CPV 22000000, Printed matter and related products
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Tender main category and primary CPV classification.
Delivery geography
98% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Contract item delivery address region is UK.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method and competition data
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Modification rationale
98% confidenceContinuity pending replacement procurement, mobilisation and transition; avoiding an interim supplier change and duplicated mobilisation, governance and transition costs
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Amendment rationale.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Scope and commercial arrangements
99% confidenceNo changes stated
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Amendment description says there are no changes to scope, pricing, supplier obligations, governance, intellectual-property arrangements or the overall commercial model.
Modification basis described
97% confidenceAdditional services from the original contractor to maintain continuity
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Amendment rationale cites need for additional services by the original contractor/concessionaire.
Review route
98% confidenceProceedings relating to the modification are subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and applicable statutory time limits
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Tender reviewDetails.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Continuity extension
97% confidenceThe Home Office retained the existing supplier for the interim period rather than changing supplier before the replacement procurement is implemented.
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Amendment rationale describes operational disruption, onboarding and duplicated costs associated with a short-term supplier change.
Market opportunity signal
95% confidenceThe stated replacement procurement may present a future route to market, but its timetable and procurement approach are not published here.
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Amendment description and rationale refer to a replacement procurement; no further procurement details are supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Conflicting contract end dates
99% confidenceThe amendment text gives 30 March 2028, while the structured contract period endDate is 30 March 2027.
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Contract amendment description versus contract period.endDate.
Duplicate supplier representation
99% confidenceThe award contains two supplier party IDs, but both are verified as the same legal company; the shared contract value is therefore retained at contract level.
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Supplier verification records for both IDs match company number 03049649.
Unpublished procurement details
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice: original award date, procurement method, bid counts, evaluation, lot-level values, extension value and replacement-procurement timetable.
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Relevant fields are absent or null in supplied data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The structured contract end date (30 March 2027) conflicts with the amendment text, which states an extension to 30 March 2028; neither has been selected as definitive without qualification.
- The GBP 7,605,000 figure is a contract-level amount and is not allocated between the two duplicate supplier party records or broken down by lot.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: original award date, procurement method, tender participation, evaluation results, extension value, pricing breakdown and replacement-procurement timetable.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Home OfficeTHE STATIONERY OFFICE LIMITEDLife in the UK Testcontract extensionprinted matterreplacement procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the supplier on the Life in the UK Test preparation materials contract?
THE STATIONERY OFFICE LIMITED, verified against company number 03049649. The notice contains two supplier party records that resolve to the same company.
Is this a new contract award?
No. The notice is an award and contract update describing a time-limited modification of an existing active contract.
When does the extension end?
The amendment text says 30 March 2028. However, a structured contract field says 30 March 2027, so the published data is internally inconsistent.
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.