AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology awarded a direct, below-threshold contract to The Helix way for delivery of PRIMA 4, a market-discovery accelerator supporting early-stage commercialisation of Knowledge Assets.
Published outcomeOne active award and one active contract are recorded for supplier The Helix way. The contract data explicitly records a signature date of 5 October 2026, with delivery from 6 October to 14 December 2026.
Market significanceThis is a short-duration, specialist innovation-commercialisation services engagement valued at £78,415 excluding VAT (£98,019 including VAT).
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
The Helix way
98% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · Shared contract value: £78,415 excluding VAT; £98,019 including VAT GBP · Active award; active contract
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Award 1 identifies supplier The Helix way and related lot 1. Contract 1 is linked to award 1 and records GBP 78,415 amount and GBP 98,019 amountGross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceContract details notice published 12 October 2026
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Contract document 096309-2026 is described as a Contract details notice on Find a Tender and has datePublished 2026-10-12T17:35:06+01:00.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status active.
Contract status
99% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 has status active.
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 5 October 2026
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Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-10-05T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract period
99% confidence6 October 2026 to 14 December 2026
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Contract 1 period records startDate 2026-10-06 and endDate 2026-12-14.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£78,415
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Contract 1 value.amount is 78415 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£98,019
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 98019 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence5 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-05.
Contract start
99% confidence6 October 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-10-06.
Contract end
99% confidence14 December 2026
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2026-12-14.
Notice publication
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Contract details notice 096309-2026 was published on 2026-10-12.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceDeliver the fourth iteration of the Public Research Innovation and Market Accelerator (PRIMA 4) programme.
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The notice description states that the contract is to deliver the fourth iteration of GOTT’s market discovery accelerator programme, PRIMA 4.
Service purpose
99% confidenceSupport development of Knowledge Assets at an early research-led commercialisation stage, equivalent to the Discover stage of ICURe.
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The notice description defines the PRIMA programme’s purpose and its equivalence to ICURe’s Discover stage.
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is services.
CPV classification
99% confidence79310000 — Market research services
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Award item 1 carries CPV 79310000 with description Market research services.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect
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Tender procurementMethod is direct.
Procedure detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states Below threshold - without competition.
Competition information
98% confidenceNo competitive process is indicated by the published procedure detail.
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The published procurement method detail is Below threshold - without competition.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
98% confidenceApproximately 70 days from 6 October to 14 December 2026
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Contract 1 period runs from 2026-10-06 to 2026-12-14.
VAT treatment
99% confidence£78,415 excluding VAT and £98,019 including VAT
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Contract 1 reports amount 78415 and amountGross 98019 in GBP.
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial model
99% confidenceA direct, below-threshold purchase was used for a defined PRIMA 4 delivery period.
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Tender method is direct, procedure detail is Below threshold - without competition, and the contract period is 6 October to 14 December 2026.
Value interpretation
98% confidenceThe published contract value applies to contract 1, linked to the sole recorded award and supplier.
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Contract 1 links to award 1; award 1 names one supplier, The Helix way.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity verification
99% confidenceThe supplier is identified in the source as The Helix way with GB-COH identifier NI665083, but no separately verified legal company name is supplied.
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Supplier verification status is not_applicable; verified_company_name and verified_company_number are null.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot 1 is recorded only with id 1 and status complete; title, description and value fields are null.
Award date
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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Award 1 award_date is null.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- No separately verified legal supplier name is supplied; The Helix way is presented as the source-identified supplier name.
- Information on award date, bid numbers, evaluation, pricing breakdown and award rationale is not supplied in the published notice.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- No extension or renewal terms are supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
DSIT PRIMA 4 contractThe Helix wayGovernment Office for Technology TransferPRIMA market discovery acceleratormarket research servicesinnovation commercialisation
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the PRIMA 4 contract?
The Helix way is the sole supplier named for award 1.
What is the PRIMA 4 contract value?
The contract value is £78,415 excluding VAT, or £98,019 including VAT.
When does the PRIMA 4 contract run?
The recorded contract period is 6 October 2026 to 14 December 2026.
How was the contract procured?
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.