AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Met Office has published a contract award notice naming THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM for Space Weather R20 Maintenance. The award remains pending, with a future signature date scheduled for 30 October 2026; it should not be treated as a signed or active contract.
Published outcomeOne pending award covers lot 1, valued at £251,295 excluding VAT (£301,554 including VAT).
Market significanceThe requirement covers specialist space-weather modelling, data assimilation, orbit propagation, validation and customer-engagement services under an existing framework.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
100% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 251295 GBP · Pending award
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Verified supplier identity is THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (GB-COH RC000645); award 1 names this supplier and relates to lot 1. The £251,295 amount is the single-award value.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
98% confidenceContract award notice published; tender and lot marked complete
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Process display status is awarded; tender status and lot 1 status are complete; award notice published 9 October 2026.
Award status
100% confidencePending
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Award 1 status is "pending".
Signature status
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed; future signature scheduled for 30 October 2026
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Award milestone type futureSignatureDate has due date 2026-10-30T23:59:59Z.
Contract start
96% confidence1 November 2026 (planned)
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Award contractPeriod startDate is 2026-11-01T00:00:00Z.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
100% confidence£251,295
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Award 1 value.amount is 251295 GBP.
Award value including VAT
100% confidence£301,554
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 301554 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Award notice published
100% confidence9 October 2026
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Award notice datePublished is 2026-10-09T09:43:54+01:00.
Award decision date
100% confidence9 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-09T00:00:00+01:00.
Standstill end
100% confidence21 October 2026, 23:59:59 BST
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Award standstillPeriod endDate is 2026-10-21T23:59:59+01:00.
Scheduled signature date
99% confidence30 October 2026
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Future-signature milestone dueDate is 2026-10-30T23:59:59Z.
Planned initial end date
100% confidence31 March 2027
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Award contractPeriod endDate is 2027-03-31T23:59:59+01:00.
Maximum stated extent date
100% confidence31 March 2029
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Award contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service category
100% confidenceResearch and experimental development services
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Award item CPV 73100000 is labelled Research and experimental development services.
Core requirement
98% confidenceMaintenance and development of AENEAS space-weather model inputs and related capabilities
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Published description includes ongoing AENEAS model input datasets, ODRAM 2.2 integration, an orbit propagator, health-routine improvements, PS48 support, validation and verification, thermospheric-density assimilation exploration, and customer engagement.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address is region UK, country GB.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
100% confidenceSelective procedure; award under framework
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Tender procurementMethod is selective and procurementMethodDetails is Award under framework.
Competitive status
98% confidenceNot competitive in this award record
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Tender competitive field is false.
Framework reference
100% confidenceocds-h6vhtk-050b18
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Related process with relationship framework identifies ocds-h6vhtk-050b18.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial contract period
100% confidence1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027
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Award contractPeriod startDate and endDate state these dates.
Maximum stated duration boundary
100% confidenceUp to 31 March 2029
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Award contractPeriod maxExtentDate is 2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00.
Renewal structure
93% confidenceAnnual statements of work stated
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Award hasRenewal is true and renewal description states "SoW's annually".
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Award structure
100% confidenceSingle-supplier, single-lot pending award
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One award names one supplier and relates to lot 1.
Commercial value interpretation
96% confidenceThe published value applies to the award as a whole and can be associated with the sole supplier because the award names only that supplier.
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Award 1 has one named supplier, covers lot 1 only, and states £251,295 excluding VAT and £301,554 including VAT.
Market route
96% confidenceFramework call-off route rather than an open competitive tender in this record
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The notice states Award under framework and competitive is false.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award is not yet concluded
100% confidenceThe award is explicitly pending and signature is only scheduled; the record does not evidence an executed contract or active service delivery.
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Award status is pending; futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 30 October 2026.
Information not supplied in the published notice
98% confidenceNo bid count, evaluation scores, pricing breakdown, lot title, individual extension terms, or rationale for supplier selection is provided.
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These fields are absent from the supplied award, lot and tender data.
Supplier verification
100% confidenceSupplier identity is verified against company number RC000645.
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Supplier verification status is verified with match method company_number.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award is pending; publication does not evidence that a contract has been signed, commenced or remains active.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid counts, bidder identities, evaluation methodology or scores, award rationale, detailed pricing and savings.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
- The maximum extent date and annual statement-of-work wording do not confirm that extensions or renewals will be exercised.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Met OfficeTHE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMSpace Weather R20 MaintenanceAENEASspace weatherframework awardresearch and development services
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who was named in the Space Weather R20 Maintenance award?
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM was named as the sole supplier for award 1.
What is the value of the award?
The published award value is £251,295 excluding VAT and £301,554 including VAT.
Is the Met Office contract signed?
No signed contract is evidenced. The award is pending and a future signature date of 30 October 2026 is scheduled.
When is the planned initial contract period?
The stated period runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, with a maximum extent date of 31 March 2029.
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.