AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Northumbria University at Newcastle Upon Tyne awarded Harlow Consulting a five-year contract to independently evaluate the AHRC Creative Communities Programme.
Published outcomeAward 1 is active and is linked to active contract 1. The contract record states it was signed on 28 July 2026, starts on 3 August 2026 and ends on 2 August 2031.
Market significanceThis is a below-threshold research consultancy engagement with a published contract value of £34,000 excluding VAT (£41,000 including VAT).
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Harlow Consulting
98% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £34,000 excluding VAT; £41,000 including VAT GBP · Active award and active contract
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Award 1 names Harlow Consulting as supplier and relates to lot 1. Contract 1, linked to award 1, states £34,000 net and £41,000 gross.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Published document 096399-2026 is described as a Contract details notice on Find a Tender.
Tender status
98% confidenceComplete
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Tender record status is "complete"; lot 1 status is also "complete".
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% confidence28 July 2026
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Contract 1 records dateSigned as 2026-07-28.
Contract period
99% confidence3 August 2026 to 2 August 2031
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Contract 1 period gives startDate 2026-08-03 and endDate 2031-08-02.
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£41,000
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 41000 GBP.
Value allocation
95% confidenceContract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1; award 1 relates to lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence28 July 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-07-28.
Contract start
99% confidence3 August 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-08-03.
Contract end
99% confidence2 August 2031
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2031-08-02.
Contract details notice published
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Notice 096399-2026 datePublished is 2026-10-13.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceIndependent evaluation of the AHRC Creative Communities Programme over a five-year period
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Tender title and description state that the requirement is to carry out an independent evaluation of the programme over five years.
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is "services".
Service classification
99% confidenceResearch consultancy services (CPV 73210000)
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Award item 1 includes CPV 73210000, described as Research consultancy services.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item 1 lists a delivery address with region UK and country GB.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - unknown
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Tender procurementMethodDetails is "Below threshold - unknown".
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceNo
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
Competition information
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information on the number of bids, bidders and evaluation outcomes was not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
99% confidenceFive years
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The period from 3 August 2026 to 2 August 2031 is five years; the tender description also refers to a five-year evaluation period.
Extension or options
99% confidenceUnknown
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No extension or option terms were supplied in the published notice data.
VAT presentation
99% confidencePublished as £34,000 net and £41,000 gross
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Contract 1 records amount 34000 and amountGross 41000 in GBP.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Engagement profile
97% confidenceA defined five-year independent evaluation assignment
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The published scope calls for independent evaluation over five years, and the contract period spans five years.
Published spend scale
98% confidence£34,000 excluding VAT across the stated contract period
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Contract 1 records a net value of £34,000 GBP and a five-year period.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier legal-identity evidence
99% confidenceThe published supplier name is Harlow Consulting, but no verified legal company name or company number was supplied.
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Supplier verification is not_applicable and fields for verified company name and number are null.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value.
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Lot 1 title, description and value fields are null.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, evaluation scores, award rationale or pricing breakdown is present in the supplied data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- No verified legal company name or company number was supplied for Harlow Consulting; the supplier identity is presented using the published source name.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: submission deadline, award decision date, bid count, evaluation methodology or scores, award rationale, detailed pricing, and extension or renewal terms.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
AHRC Creative Communities ProgrammeNorthumbria UniversityHarlow Consultingresearch consultancy servicesindependent evaluation contractFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the AHRC Creative Communities Programme evaluation contract?
Harlow Consulting is named as the supplier for award 1.
What is the contract value?
The published contract value is £34,000 excluding VAT and £41,000 including VAT.
When does the contract run?
The contract is recorded as signed on 28 July 2026 and runs from 3 August 2026 to 2 August 2031.
What services are being provided?
The requirement is an independent evaluation of the AHRC Creative Communities Programme over five years.
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.