AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Imperial War Museum has published a contract award notice for an immersive VR artistic commission at IWM Lambeth. The £1,000,000 net award is pending, with EAST CITY FILMS LTD named as supplier; the notice schedules signature for 30 October 2026, so it does not evidence a signed or active contract.
Published outcomePending direct award to EAST CITY FILMS LTD for the IWM Immersive Experience.
Market significanceThis is an above-threshold, direct-award services opportunity for immersive/entertainment software development, with a stated five-year initial term and a discretionary two-year extension option.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
EAST CITY FILMS LTD
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 1000000 GBP · Pending award
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Award 1 names EAST CITY FILMS LTD as supplier and states a GBP 1,000,000 amount; supplier identity is verified by Companies House number 05979656.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceContract award notice published 13 October 2026
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Award notice document 096696-2026 is dated 2026-10-13T16:05:18+01:00.
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status 'pending'.
Signature status
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed; future signature scheduled for 30 October 2026
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Award milestone type is futureSignatureDate, due 2026-10-30T23:59:59Z, with status scheduled.
Contract status
97% confidenceContract start is scheduled, not evidenced as commenced
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Award contract period starts 2026-11-01; award remains pending.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value (net)
99% confidence£1,000,000
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Award 1 value.amount is 1000000 GBP.
Award value (gross)
99% confidence£1,200,000
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 1200000 GBP.
Value allocation
95% confidenceAward-level value; the notice has one related lot but does not publish a separate lot value
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Award 1 relates to lot 1; lot record has no value_amount.
Initial estimate in description
98% confidence£1 million, subject to fundraising
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The procurement description states 'Estimated value of £1M (subject to fundraising)'.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Preliminary market engagement notice
98% confidence13 October 2026
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Release history records notice 096673-2026 at 2026-10-13T15:42:53+01:00.
Transparency notice
98% confidence13 October 2026
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Release history records notice 096682-2026 at 2026-10-13T15:55:32+01:00.
Award date
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-13T00:00:00+01:00.
Standstill end
99% confidence22 October 2026
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Award 1 standstillPeriod.endDate is 2026-10-22T23:59:59+01:00.
Scheduled signature date
99% confidence30 October 2026
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Scheduled futureSignatureDate milestone is 2026-10-30T23:59:59Z.
Scheduled initial term
99% confidence1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031
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Award 1 contractPeriod startDate is 2026-11-01 and endDate is 2031-10-31.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence31 October 2033
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Award 1 contractPeriod.maxExtentDate is 2033-10-31.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceDeveloping and hosting an artistic commission using immersive VR headset technology at IWM Lambeth
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Procurement title and description state this requirement.
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices
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Process and award main procurement category are services.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 72212932 — Entertainment software development services
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Award item 1 additional classification lists CPV 72212932.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address specifies region UK and country GB.
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne published lot (Lot 1); no lot title or description supplied
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Tender and award reference lot 1; the lot record contains no title or description.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Process procurementMethod is direct and procurementMethodDetails is 'Direct award'.
Threshold
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.
Competition information
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice
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No bid, tenderer, evaluation or scoring data is provided.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
99% confidenceFive years (scheduled)
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Scheduled period runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031.
Extension option
99% confidenceOne discretionary two-year extension at IWM's discretion
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Award hasRenewal is true and renewal description states 'Two year extension at IWM discretion.'
Maximum term
98% confidenceUp to seven years if the extension is exercised
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The stated initial end date is 31 October 2031 and maximum extent date is 31 October 2033.
Pricing and payment terms
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice
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No pricing breakdown, payment terms or performance measures are provided.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Funding dependency
98% confidenceThe description states the £1 million estimate is subject to fundraising
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Procurement description includes 'Estimated value of £1M (subject to fundraising)'.
Market route
99% confidenceThe buyer used a direct award rather than a competed procedure
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The notice explicitly records procurement method and details as direct award.
Contracting maturity
99% confidenceThe award is not yet a concluded contract on the published evidence
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Award status is pending and signature is listed as a future scheduled milestone.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award record
99% confidenceThe published contract award notice records the award as pending; signature and commencement are scheduled rather than confirmed
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Award status is pending; future signature is scheduled for 30 October 2026; period start is 1 November 2026.
Funding qualification
98% confidenceThe description qualifies the £1 million estimate as subject to fundraising
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Procurement description states this explicitly.
Unpublished competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No bid count, bidder list, evaluation rationale, scores or award criteria are present.
Unpublished lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value
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Lot record fields are null; award value is at award level.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award is pending; the source does not confirm signature, contract conclusion or service commencement.
- The requirement description says the £1 million estimate is subject to fundraising, but the notice does not explain the practical effect on the pending award.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, competing suppliers, evaluation criteria, scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown and payment terms.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value, although the award relates to it.
- No tender launch date or submission deadline is supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
IWM Immersive ExperienceImperial War MuseumEAST CITY FILMS LTDimmersive VRdirect awardFind a Tenderentertainment software development services
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named as supplier for the IWM Immersive Experience award?
EAST CITY FILMS LTD, company number 05979656, is named as the supplier for the pending award.
What is the value of the IWM Immersive Experience award?
The published award value is £1,000,000 net and £1,200,000 gross.
Has the IWM Immersive Experience contract been signed?
The published data does not evidence signature. The award is pending and lists a future signature date of 30 October 2026.
What is the planned contract duration?
The scheduled initial period is 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031, with a discretionary two-year extension that could take the maximum end date to 31 October 2033.
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.