AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) has awarded and signed a contract with SwissNeutronics AG for a replacement pair of bespoke 1m polarising supermirror V-cavities for the Larmor beamline at the ISIS neutron and muon source.
Published outcomeA direct, below-threshold procurement without competition resulted in one active award and one active contract.
Market significanceThis is a specialist scientific-equipment purchase valued at £70,480 excluding VAT (£84,576 including VAT), with a contract period running from 8 October 2026 to 16 March 2027.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
SwissNeutronics AG
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · Shared contract value: £70,480 excluding VAT; £84,576 including VAT GBP · Active award; active signed contract
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Award 1 identifies SwissNeutronics AG as supplier. Contract 1 is linked to award 1 and states the gross and net values.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceContract details notice published 14 October 2026
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Notice document 096766-2026 is dated 2026-10-14T08:18:58+01:00.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status “active”.
Contract status
99% confidenceActive and signed
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Contract 1 has status “active” and dateSigned of 2026-10-08.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£70,480
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Contract 1 value.amount is 70480 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£84,576
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 84576 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence8 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-08.
Contract start
99% confidence8 October 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-10-08.
Contract end
99% confidence16 March 2027
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2027-03-16T23:59:59Z.
Notice published
99% confidence14 October 2026
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The contract details notice was published at 2026-10-14T08:18:58+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceReplacement pair of bespoke 1m polarising supermirror V-cavities for the Larmor beamline
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The procurement description states that a replacement pair is required for ongoing operation of the Larmor beamline at the ISIS neutron and muon source.
Procurement category
99% confidenceGoods
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is “goods”.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 38000000 — Laboratory, optical and precision equipment (excluding glasses)
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Award item 1 carries CPV 38000000.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect procurement
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Tender procurementMethod is “direct”.
Competition approach
99% confidenceBelow threshold — without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states “Below threshold - without competition”.
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceNo
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract period
99% confidence8 October 2026 to 16 March 2027
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Contract 1 period provides these start and end dates.
VAT treatment
99% confidence£70,480 excluding VAT; £84,576 including VAT
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Contract 1 separately reports amount and amountGross.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Market route
98% confidenceSpecialist requirement purchased through a direct, below-threshold route without competition
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The stated route is direct procurement, below threshold and without competition; the description concerns bespoke polarising supermirror V-cavities.
Value interpretation
98% confidenceThe published values are contract-level values linked to the sole award and should not be treated as a pricing breakdown.
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Contract 1 reports aggregate net and gross amounts only; no unit prices or lot-level value are supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier verification coverage
99% confidenceCompanies House-style verification is not applicable
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supplierVerification status is “not_applicable”; the supplier is located in Switzerland.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or standalone value
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Lot 1 is present but its 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 provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- No individual lot value, lot title or lot description is published.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation methodology, award rationale, scoring, unit pricing and renewal or extension terms.
- The supplier is Swiss-based and supplier verification is marked not_applicable; no Companies House verification is asserted.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UKRISwissNeutronics AGLarmorISIS neutron and muon sourcepolarising supermirrorscientific equipment procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the contract?
SwissNeutronics AG was named as the supplier for award 1.
What is the contract value?
The contract value is £70,480 excluding VAT and £84,576 including VAT.
When does the contract end?
The published contract end date is 16 March 2027.
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.