AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) has awarded and signed a contract with CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED for architectural design services for Phase 1 of the 1894 Building Switch Room central plant project at the Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh.
Published outcomeOne active award and active contract are recorded for CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED. The contract was signed and started on 1 October 2026, with an end date of 31 March 2027.
Market significanceThis is a below-threshold, limited-competition architectural design appointment valued at £34,000 excluding VAT (£40,800 including VAT).
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £34,000 excluding VAT; £40,800 including VAT GBP · Verified supplier; active award and contract
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The award names CB3 Design Associates Ltd as supplier; supplied verification identifies the legal company as CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED (company number 02216333). The single contract linked to award 1 has values of GBP 34,000 net and GBP 40,800 gross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Procurement status
99% confidenceComplete
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Tender status is recorded as "complete" in the published contract details notice.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 is recorded with status "active".
Contract status
99% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 is recorded with status "active".
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 1 October 2026
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Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-10-01.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£34,000
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Contract 1 value.amount is 34000 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£40,800
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 40800 GBP.
Value allocation
98% confidenceContract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1, which relates to lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-01.
Contract start
99% confidence1 October 2026
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Contract period startDate is 2026-10-01.
Contract end
99% confidence31 March 2027
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Contract period endDate is 2027-03-31.
Contract details notice published
99% confidence13 October 2026
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The Find a Tender contract details notice is dated 2026-10-13.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service category
99% confidenceArchitectural design services
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Award item classification is CPV 71220000, Architectural design services.
Project scope
98% confidencePhase 1 architectural design appointment for a central heating/plant building at the Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh.
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Published description identifies a central heating/plant building, Phase 1, at the Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill.
Phase 1 delivery
96% confidenceOpen-to-air enclosure with packaged plant units, aligned to LDN Architects' 2024 proposals.
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The published description states that Phase 1 is to be an open-to-air enclosure with packaged plant units as per LDN Architects 2024 proposals.
Phase 2 design input
98% confidenceIncludes work stage 1 and 2 elements for Phase 2 to support overall-building arrangement and integration.
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The published description expressly includes work stage 1 and 2 elements for Phase 2.
Excluded works
99% confidenceWorks to each existing building are excluded.
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The published description states that the appointment does not include works to each of the existing buildings.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceLimited competition
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Tender procurementMethod is "limited" and procurementMethodDetails is "Below threshold - limited competition".
Threshold status
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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The tender states "Below threshold - limited competition" and the contract records aboveThreshold as false.
Competition detail
99% confidenceNumber of bidders and evaluation results not supplied in the published notice.
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No bidder count, award criteria results, scores or tender evaluation information is provided in the supplied data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
99% confidence1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027
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Contract 1 period runs from 2026-10-01 to 2027-03-31.
Duration
97% confidenceApproximately 6 months
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Calculated from the explicit contract start and end dates.
Extension options
99% confidenceUnknown
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No extension or option terms are supplied in the published notice data.
VAT treatment
99% confidence£34,000 excluding VAT and £40,800 including VAT
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Contract value records amount of 34000 and amountGross of 40800 GBP.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
97% confidenceSingle-supplier architectural design appointment for a defined Phase 1 scope, with early-stage Phase 2 integration work.
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One supplier is named on the sole active award; the description covers Phase 1 and work stage 1 and 2 elements for Phase 2.
Market access signal
99% confidenceThe procurement used below-threshold limited competition rather than an open procedure.
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - limited competition".
Value context
99% confidenceThe published net contract value is £34,000.
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Contract 1 value.amount is GBP 34,000.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Award and contract evidence
98% confidenceHigh quality
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The supplied contract details notice contains an active award, active contract, explicit signature date, contract period, values, supplier and service classification.
Supplier identity
99% confidenceVerified
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The supplied verification process reports an exact-name match to CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED, company number 02216333.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot 1 is listed only with status "complete"; title, description and value fields are not supplied.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, tenderer list, evaluation scores, award rationale or pricing breakdown is provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- Lot 1 title, detailed lot description and individual lot value are not supplied in the published notice.
- Information on bidder numbers, competing suppliers, evaluation methodology, scores, award rationale and detailed pricing is not supplied in the published notice.
- No extension, renewal or option terms are supplied.
- The published scope identifies the project location as Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, while the structured location data supplied is the buyer location in Swindon rather than a delivery-location record.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UKRICB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITEDRoyal Observatory Edinburgharchitectural design services1894 Building Switch RoomFind a Tender contract award
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the UKRI 1894 Building Switch Room Architectural Design Phase 1 contract?
CB3 DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED, verified under company number 02216333, is named as the supplier for the active award and contract.
What is the value of the contract?
The contract value is £34,000 excluding VAT and £40,800 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The published contract period runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
What does the appointment cover?
It covers architectural design services for Phase 1 of a central plant building and building-services site distribution routes, plus specified early-stage design work for Phase 2.
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.