AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Greater Manchester Combined Authority has concluded a contract with STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED for audio-visual production and support for Greater Manchester Police events and ceremonies, including planned and ad-hoc requirements across Greater Manchester.
Published outcomeOne active award and active contract are reported for STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED. The contract was signed on 15 September 2026 and starts on 1 October 2026.
Market significanceThe published contract value is £150,000 excluding VAT (£180,000 including VAT) for an initial two-year term, with an optional 12-month extension.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £150,000 excluding VAT; £180,000 including VAT GBP · Verified supplier; active award and contract
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Award 1 names supplier GB-COH-06877734. Supplier verification matched company number 06877734 to STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED. The value is stated on the associated single-supplier contract, not as an individual lot value.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Process and contract document describe the publication as a Contract details notice on Find a Tender.
Tender status
98% confidenceComplete
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Tender status is "complete".
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 1 status is "active".
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 status is "active".
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 15 September 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-09-15.
Contract commencement
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Contract period startDate is 2026-10-01.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£150,000
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Contract 1 value.amount is 150000 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£180,000
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 180000 GBP.
Value allocation
93% confidenceContract-level value for the single awarded supplier and lot
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1, which names one supplier and related lot 1. No separate lot value is published.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence15 September 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-09-15.
Initial term starts
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Contract period startDate is 2026-10-01.
Initial term ends
99% confidence30 September 2028
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Contract period endDate is 2028-09-30.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence30 September 2029
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Contract period maxExtentDate is 2029-09-30 and the renewal description states an optional 12-month extension.
Notice published
99% confidence8 October 2026
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The contract-details document datePublished is 2026-10-08.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceAudio-visual production and support services for Greater Manchester Police annual events, ceremonies and ad-hoc similar requests
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Tender description states that GMP requires audio and visual support for annual events and ceremonies, planned events and ad-hoc requests.
Delivery geography
96% confidenceGreater Manchester region
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Tender description says events may take place at numerous venues across Greater Manchester; the award delivery address region is UKD3.
Service consistency requirement
98% confidenceRepeated sessions across venues or dates are expected to be equipped and rigged identically to provide uniform events
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Tender description explicitly sets this expectation.
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne published lot (Lot 1)
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Tender contains lot 1 only; award 1 and contract 1 are linked to it.
Published service classifications
98% confidenceElectrical equipment and lighting; motion picture and video services; entertainment services
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Award item classifications list CPV 31000000, 92100000 and 92300000.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceLimited
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Tender procurementMethod is "limited".
Method detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - limited competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - limited competition".
Threshold designation
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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Contract aboveThreshold is false.
Competition information
99% confidenceNumber of bidders and evaluation results are unknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial duration
99% confidenceTwo years
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The period runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2028.
Extension option
99% confidenceOptional 12-month extension
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Contract hasRenewal is true and renewal.description states "Optional 12 month extension".
Maximum duration
98% confidenceUp to three years if the option is used
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The maximum end date is 30 September 2029, one year after the initial end date.
Pricing basis
99% confidence£150,000 excluding VAT; £180,000 including VAT
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Contract value reports amount 150000 and amountGross 180000 GBP.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Demand profile
96% confidenceThe scope combines recurring annual events with potential ad-hoc work, requiring consistent technical setups for repeated sessions.
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Tender description covers annual events, ad-hoc requests and identical equipment and rigging for repeated sessions.
Commercial route
98% confidenceA below-threshold limited-competition route was used for a single-lot, single-supplier requirement.
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The notice states below-threshold limited competition; one lot, one award and one supplier are published.
Published value context
97% confidenceThe published total applies to the contract as a whole; no pricing schedule, call-off profile or individual lot breakdown is published.
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Contract-level value is published, while Lot 1 has no value and no pricing breakdown is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity quality
99% confidenceVerified
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The source supplier company number 06877734 was matched by company number to STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED; no name mismatch is reported.
Supplier and value attribution
96% confidenceClear at contract level
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One supplier is named on award 1 and contract 1 links to that award. The value is published only at contract level, with no separate lot value.
Award date
99% confidenceNot published
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Award 1 has no award_date in the supplied data.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceNot published
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value
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The supplied lot record contains null title, description and value fields.
Extension exercise status
99% confidenceUnknown
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The notice publishes an optional extension but does not state whether it will be exercised.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award date is not supplied.
- The published notice does not state the number of bidders, bid prices, evaluation criteria, scores or reasons for selection.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- No pricing schedule, service volumes, event schedule or call-off breakdown is supplied.
- The notice provides an optional 12-month extension but does not provide an extension decision date or confirm that the option will be exercised.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITEDGreater Manchester Combined AuthorityGreater Manchester Policeaudio visual productionaudio visual support servicespublic procurementFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the audio-visual production and support services contract?
STERLING EVENT GROUP LIMITED, verified against company number 06877734.
What is the contract value?
The contract value is £150,000 excluding VAT and £180,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The initial term runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2028, with an optional 12-month extension to 30 September 2029.
What procurement route was used?
The notice describes a below-threshold limited-competition procurement.
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.