AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research and Innovation has published a contract details notice for communications training. The contract was directly awarded to MEDIA FIRST LIMITED without competition, citing technical reasons and the stated absence of alternative suppliers.
Published outcomeOne active award and one active contract are recorded for MEDIA FIRST LIMITED. The contract record states it was signed on 14 October 2026 and runs from 14 to 20 October 2026.
Market significanceThis is a short-duration, below-threshold training-services engagement valued at £13,485 excluding VAT (£16,182 including VAT). It was not competitively tendered.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
MEDIA FIRST LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £13,485 excluding VAT; £16,182 including VAT (contract-level value) GBP · Verified supplier; active award and contract
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Award 1 names supplier GB-COH-01830643; supplier verification matches Companies House number 01830643 to MEDIA FIRST LIMITED. Contract 1 is linked to award 1 and records the values.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Process and contract document identify the publication as a Contract details notice (UK7).
Procurement stage
98% confidenceContract
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Process stage is "contract"; tender, award and contract statuses are complete/active.
Contract signature
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract 1 gives dateSigned as 2026-10-14.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 status is "active".
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value excluding VAT
99% confidence£13,485
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Contract 1 value.amount is 13485 GBP.
Contract value including VAT
99% confidence£16,182
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Contract 1 value.amountGross is 16182 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceContract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1
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Contract 1 is linked to award 1; award 1 is linked to lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-14.
Contract start
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-10-14.
Contract end
99% confidence20 October 2026
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Contract 1 period.endDate is 2026-10-20.
Notice published
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Notice 097413-2026 datePublished is 2026-10-15.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceCommunications training
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Process title is "CSP26907 - Communications Training" and description states "Details notice for communications training."
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is "services".
CPV classification
99% confidence80500000 — Training services
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Award item 1 lists CPV 80500000 with description "Training services".
Delivery geography
96% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address specifies region UK and country GB.
Lot
98% confidenceLot 1; no published lot title or description
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Award 1 and contract 1 are linked to lot 1; lot record contains no title or description.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award — below threshold, without competition
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Tender procurementMethod is "direct" and procurementMethodDetails is "Below threshold - without competition".
Stated rationale
99% confidenceAbsence of competition for technical reasons; the notice states only a particular supplier could supply the requirement
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Published process description explicitly gives this rationale.
Competition
99% confidenceNo call for competition
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The notice description states it is a contract details notice, not a call for competition.
Above-threshold status
99% confidenceNo
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
99% confidence14 October 2026 to 20 October 2026
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Contract 1 period provides these start and end dates.
Duration
96% confidence7 calendar days inclusive
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Calculated from the published start date of 14 October 2026 and end date of 20 October 2026.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Engagement profile
96% confidenceA short, defined communications-training engagement
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The scope is communications training and the published contract period is 14–20 October 2026.
Route-to-market implication
99% confidenceThe stated technical-reasons rationale indicates this requirement was awarded outside a competitive process
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The notice explicitly describes a direct, below-threshold procedure without competition and gives the rationale.
Pricing detail
99% confidenceNo rate card, unit pricing, volume, deliverables or evaluation information published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Published contract record
94% confidenceGood
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The notice identifies the buyer, procuring entity, verified supplier, award, contract value, signed date, contract period, procedure and service classification.
Supplier identity
99% confidenceVerified
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Companies House number 01830643 and legal name MEDIA FIRST LIMITED are matched by company number.
Commercial detail limitation
99% confidenceLot title, deliverables, pricing breakdown, bid information and evaluation detail are not published
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Notice timing
99% confidencePublished after the recorded signature and start date
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Contract signature/start is 14 October 2026; publication is 15 October 2026.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published notice does not provide a lot title or detailed specification beyond communications training.
- No bid counts, competing suppliers, evaluation criteria, scoring, award rationale beyond the stated technical-reasons justification, or savings information are published.
- No pricing breakdown, unit rates, volume, deliverables, performance measures or payment terms are published.
- No extension, renewal or follow-on procurement terms are published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UK Research and InnovationUKRIMEDIA FIRST LIMITEDcommunications trainingtraining servicesdirect awardCSP26907
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the UKRI communications training contract?
MEDIA FIRST LIMITED, verified against Companies House number 01830643.
What is the contract value?
The contract record gives £13,485 excluding VAT and £16,182 including VAT.
Was the opportunity competitively tendered?
No. The notice states that it was concluded without competition under a below-threshold direct procedure, citing technical reasons and an absence of competition.
When does the contract run?
The published contract period is 14 October 2026 to 20 October 2026.
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.