AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory published a transparency notice for a proposed direct award to Baader Planetarium GmbH for telescopes, accessories, packaging, freight and delivery to DSTL Porton Down. The award remains pending; the notice does not evidence a signed or active contract.
Published outcomeOne pending award names Baader Planetarium GmbH, with a published net value of EUR 145,957 and gross value of EUR 175,148.
Market significanceThis is an above-threshold, single-supplier technical-reasons direct award for specialist telescope equipment. The published record states that it was not competed.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Baader Planetarium GmbH
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 145,957 net; 175,148 gross EUR · Pending award
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Award 1 identifies Baader Planetarium GmbH as supplier and reports EUR 145,957 amount and EUR 175,148 amountGross; its status is pending.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceTransparency notice on Find a Tender
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Document 095937-2026 is described as a "Transparency notice on Find a Tender".
Published
99% confidence12 October 2026
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The notice publication timestamp is 2026-10-12T10:14:20+01:00.
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status "pending".
Future signature milestone
98% confidence23 October 2026
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Award milestone type "futureSignatureDate" is scheduled for 2026-10-23T23:59:59+01:00.
Contract conclusion
99% confidenceNot evidenced
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The award is pending and the supplied data contains only a future signature milestone.
VALUES
Published values explained
Published award value, net
99% confidenceEUR 145,957
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Award 1 value.amount is 145957 EUR.
Published award value, gross
99% confidenceEUR 175,148
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 175148 EUR.
Value allocation
95% confidenceOne award to one named supplier; no separate lot value published
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Award 1 names one supplier and relates to lot 1, while the lot record has no value.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Notice publication
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Notice 095937-2026 was published at 2026-10-12T10:14:20+01:00.
Scheduled signature date
98% confidence23 October 2026
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The futureSignatureDate milestone is scheduled for 2026-10-23.
Published contract period
98% confidence23 October 2026 to 23 March 2028
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Award 1 contractPeriod lists startDate 2026-10-23 and endDate 2028-03-23.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceSupply of PlaneWave IRDK14 Dall-Kirkham IR telescope, DeltaRho 350 telescope, accessories and a T600 Direct Drive Gimbal Mount
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This wording appears in the procurement and award title.
Included logistics
99% confidencePackaging, freight charges and delivery to DSTL Porton Down
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The procurement description states that these are included.
Procurement category
99% confidenceGoods
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is goods.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 38635000 — Telescopes
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Award item 1 carries CPV 38635000 with description "Telescopes".
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne lot
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Tender lot 1 is the only published lot.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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The tender procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".
Competition
99% confidenceNot competed
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The published procurementMethodRationale is "Not competed".
Published rationale classification
99% confidenceSingle supplier technical reasons
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The tender lists procurementMethodRationaleClassification "singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons".
Threshold status
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.
Bidder count and evaluation
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Published period
98% confidence23 October 2026 to 23 March 2028
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Award 1 contractPeriod lists these start and end dates.
Signature status
99% confidenceScheduled, not evidenced as completed
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A futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 23 October 2026, while the award status is pending.
Extensions and options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Direct-award market route
99% confidenceThe notice records a non-competed direct award under a single-supplier technical-reasons classification.
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The tender states "Not competed" and lists the singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons classification.
Equipment-led scope
99% confidenceThe requirement is focused on specified telescope systems, accessories, mount and delivery logistics.
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The title and description enumerate the equipment and included logistics.
Commercial outcome
99% confidenceA single pending award is published; completed signature and contract activation are not evidenced.
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One supplier is named on award 1, whose status is pending and whose signature milestone is future-dated.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award maturity
99% confidencePending award record
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Award 1 is pending, with a scheduled future signature date. It should not be treated as a signed or active contract.
Published period versus award status
98% confidenceDates are published but commencement is not confirmed
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A contract period starts on 23 October 2026, but the award remains pending.
Missing lot detail
99% confidenceLot title, description and individual lot value are not supplied
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Lot 1 has null title, description and value fields.
Missing commercial detail
99% confidencePricing breakdown, evaluation detail, bid count, award decision date, extensions and payment terms are not supplied
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Description typo retained as source detail
99% confidenceThe source description spells freight as "frieght"
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The published description contains "frieght charges"; this does not alter the stated scope.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published award is pending, so the record does not confirm signature, contract conclusion, activation or delivery commencement.
- The source gives a future signature milestone and a contract period, but does not confirm that either event has occurred.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- Information on bids, evaluation, award decision date, pricing breakdown, payment terms, extensions and renewal options is not supplied in the published notice.
- No verified legal company identity is supplied; supplier verification is marked not applicable.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
DSTL telescope procurementBaader Planetarium GmbHPlaneWave IRDK14DeltaRho 350T600 Direct Drive Gimbal Mountdirect awardPorton Down
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named on the DSTL telescope award?
Baader Planetarium GmbH is the named supplier on the single pending award.
What is the published value?
The notice reports EUR 145,957 net and EUR 175,148 gross.
Has the contract been signed?
Not evidenced. The award is pending and the notice lists a scheduled signature date of 23 October 2026.
Why was the procurement direct awarded?
The notice states that it was not competed and lists single-supplier technical reasons as the rationale classification.
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.