AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research and Innovation has published a contract award notice naming WAVEMAKER LIMITED for media strategy, planning and buying services. The award is pending, with a standstill period ending 24 October 2026 and a future signature milestone scheduled for 26 October 2026; the notice does not establish that a contract has been signed.
Published outcomePending award to WAVEMAKER LIMITED under a framework.
Market significanceThe published award value is £4,000,000 excluding VAT (£4,800,000 including VAT) for advertising and marketing-related services.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
WAVEMAKER LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £4,000,000 excluding VAT; £4,800,000 including VAT GBP · Verified legal supplier; pending award
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The supplier is identified by Companies House number 04078547 and verified_company_name "WAVEMAKER LIMITED". Award 1 names this supplier and has a total award value of £4,000,000 excluding VAT and £4,800,000 gross. The amount is published at award level for the single listed lot.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract award notice on Find a Tender
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The published document is described as a "Contract award notice on Find a Tender" (UK6).
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status "pending".
Contract conclusion
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed or concluded
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The award is pending and the notice records a future signature date milestone rather than a completed signature.
Standstill period
99% confidenceEnds 24 October 2026, 23:59:59 +01:00
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Award 1 standstillPeriod.endDate is 2026-10-24T23:59:59+01:00.
Future signature milestone
99% confidenceScheduled for 26 October 2026, 23:59:59 UTC
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Award milestone type "futureSignatureDate" is scheduled for 2026-10-26T23:59:59Z.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
99% confidence£4,000,000
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Award 1 value.amount is 4000000 GBP.
Award value including VAT
99% confidence£4,800,000
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 4800000 GBP.
Value allocation
98% confidenceAward-level value; no separate lot pricing published
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The award covers lot 1, while the supplied lot record has no value amount.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Award date
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-14T00:00:00+01:00.
Notice publication
99% confidence14 October 2026, 10:42:07 +01:00
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The award notice was published at 2026-10-14T10:42:07+01:00.
Planned contract start
98% confidence2 November 2026
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Award 1 contractPeriod.startDate is 2026-11-02T00:00:00Z.
Planned contract end
98% confidence14 June 2030
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Award 1 contractPeriod.endDate is 2030-06-14T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Services
99% confidenceMedia strategy, planning and buying services
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The notice title and description state that UKRI is procuring media strategy, planning and buying services.
Intended activity
99% confidenceSupport for organisational priorities, strategic campaigns, public engagement activity and thematic communications programmes
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This wording appears in the published procurement description.
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices; advertising and marketing services (CPV 79340000)
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Award 1 is categorised as services and its item carries CPV 79340000, "Advertising and marketing services".
Delivery location
98% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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The award item delivery address is region UK, country GB.
Lot
99% confidenceLot 1; title and description not supplied
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Award 1 is related to lot 1. The supplied lot record contains no title or description.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceSelective procedure; award under framework
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Tender fields state procurementMethod "selective" and procurementMethodDetails "Award under framework".
Competition data
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice data
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No bid count, bidder list, scoring or evaluation detail is supplied.
Threshold status
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is true.
Framework reference
98% confidenceRelated framework process ocds-h6vhtk-0502d0
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The relatedProcesses entry identifies framework process ocds-h6vhtk-0502d0 for lot 1.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Published contract period
98% confidence2 November 2026 to 14 June 2030
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Award 1 contractPeriod records those start and end dates.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceNot supplied in the published notice data
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No extension, option or renewal terms are included in the supplied record.
Contract status
99% confidencePlanned period associated with a pending award; active contract not evidenced
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The award status is pending and signature is only recorded as a future scheduled milestone.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Route to market
99% confidenceFramework call-off/award route
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The procurement method details state "Award under framework".
Commercial scale
99% confidence£4.0m excluding VAT across the published award
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The award-level value is £4,000,000 excluding VAT; no separate lot price is published.
Award maturity
99% confidencePost-award notice, but completion remains contingent on the pending award process
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The award is pending, with standstill and future signature dates recorded.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier name normalisation
99% confidenceVerified legal name differs from the source display name
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The source name is "WAVEMAKER LIMITED t/a WPP650", while company-number verification identifies the legal company as WAVEMAKER LIMITED. The trading style is retained as source context.
Pending lifecycle status
99% confidenceDo not treat as a signed or active contract
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The award status is pending and signature is scheduled for a future date.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or separate value
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The supplied lot record contains null title, description and value fields.
Information not supplied in the published notice
99% confidenceNo bid count, evaluation scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown or extension terms
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award remains pending; the source does not evidence signature, contract conclusion or service commencement.
- The source display name includes the trading style "t/a WPP650"; the verified legal supplier name is WAVEMAKER LIMITED.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation results, award rationale, detailed pricing, and extension or renewal terms.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UK Research and InnovationWAVEMAKER LIMITEDmedia strategymedia planningmedia buyingframework awardCSP26480
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named in the UKRI media services award?
WAVEMAKER LIMITED is the verified legal supplier named for award 1. The source notice displays WAVEMAKER LIMITED t/a WPP650.
Has the contract been signed?
The supplied notice does not evidence a signed contract. The award is pending, with a future signature milestone scheduled for 26 October 2026.
What is the published award value?
£4,000,000 excluding VAT, or £4,800,000 including VAT, at award level.
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.