AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Central Bedfordshire Council published an award and contract notice for replacement and renewal of end-of-life office Wi‑Fi devices. The notice names SOFTCAT PLC as supplier and records a GBP 32,533.70 contract signed on 14 October 2026.
Published outcomeOne active award names SOFTCAT PLC. The underlying lot is marked cancelled, creating an unresolved status conflict with the active award and contract records.
Market significanceThis is a small, direct award for continuity of existing Wi‑Fi services and infrastructure, made without a prior call for competition.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
SOFTCAT PLC
96% confidenceAward 097609-2026-1 · Lots 1 · 32533.70 GBP · Active award; active contract record
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Verified supplier record identifies SOFTCAT PLC (company number 02174990). Award 097609-2026-1 names Softcat PLC for lot 1; the linked contract records GBP 32,533.70. As there is one named supplier and one linked award, the contract value is reported at award level.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice publication
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Process published_at and release history both state 2026-10-15T15:50:28+01:00.
Award record status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 097609-2026-1 has status active.
Contract record status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 097609-2026-1 has status active.
Contract signature
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract 097609-2026-1 states dateSigned: 2026-10-14T00:00:00+01:00.
Lot status
99% confidenceCancelled
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Tender lot 1 and the supplied lot record both state status cancelled.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value
99% confidenceGBP 32,533.70
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Contract 097609-2026-1 value is amount 32533.7, currency GBP.
Lot value
99% confidenceUnknown
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No value is supplied for lot 1 or in the top-level award record.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract dateSigned is 2026-10-14.
Award and contract notice published
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Release history records an award, contract notice dated 15 October 2026.
Contract start
99% confidenceUnknown
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No contract start date is supplied.
Contract end
99% confidenceUnknown
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No contract end date is supplied.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceReplacement and renewal of end-of-life Wi‑Fi devices for offices
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Process and lot description state: 'Replacement and renewal of wifi devices for offices due to end of life'.
Primary classification
99% confidenceCPV 50324100 — System maintenance services
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Tender classification identifies CPV 50324100.
Delivery coverage
98% confidenceUKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKI, UKJ and UKK regions
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The tender item lists these delivery-address regions.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceLimited procedure: award without prior publication of a call for competition
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Process procurement_method is limited and procurement_method_details states this wording.
Published rationale
99% confidenceContinuity of existing Wi‑Fi services and infrastructure; the buyer cites Softcat's system knowledge, reduced disruption and avoidance of additional implementation and transition costs.
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Tender procurementMethodRationale provides these reasons.
Legal rationale classification
98% confidenceRepetition of existing works/services
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procurementMethodRationaleClassifications includes TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL / D_REPETITION_EXISTING.
Competition information
99% confidenceUnknown
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No bid count, bidder list, evaluation scoring or comparison information is supplied.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract status
98% confidenceActive record
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Contract 097609-2026-1 is marked active.
Signature status
99% confidenceSigned on 14 October 2026
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The contract record explicitly provides dateSigned.
Options
99% confidenceNo options
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Lot 1 states hasOptions: false.
Duration and extension terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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No start date, end date, duration or extension terms are supplied.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Procurement positioning
98% confidenceThe buyer characterises the award as a continuity-driven replacement and renewal of existing Wi‑Fi infrastructure.
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The published rationale cites continuity of existing services and infrastructure and Softcat's existing system knowledge.
Commercial value
99% confidenceGBP 32,533.70 at contract level
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The linked contract record states GBP 32,533.70.
Competitive access
99% confidenceThe procurement was conducted without a prior call for competition under a limited procedure.
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Published procedure details state an award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Status inconsistency
99% confidenceActive award and contract records conflict with cancelled lot status.
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Award and contract 097609-2026-1 are active, while related lot 1 is cancelled.
Published contract evidence
99% confidenceA signed contract date and contract value are explicitly supplied.
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Contract record includes dateSigned 2026-10-14 and GBP 32,533.70.
Supplier identity
99% confidenceVerified
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The supplier was matched by Companies House company number 02174990 to SOFTCAT PLC.
Information not supplied in the published notice
99% confidenceNo award date, contract start or end date, duration, pricing breakdown, bid count, scores or lot-level value is provided.
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Relevant supplied fields are null or absent.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The source contains an unresolved lifecycle conflict: the award and contract records are active, while the sole related lot is cancelled.
- No award date is supplied.
- No contract start date, end date, duration, extension terms or renewal terms are supplied.
- No bid count, unsuccessful supplier information, evaluation scores or pricing breakdown is supplied.
- No separate lot value is supplied; the reported GBP 32,533.70 is the linked contract-level value.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Central Bedfordshire CouncilSOFTCAT PLCWi-Fi replacementWi-Fi renewalIT infrastructuredirect awardGBP 32533.70
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the Central Bedfordshire Council Wi‑Fi replacement award?
The active award names verified legal supplier SOFTCAT PLC.
What is the contract value?
The linked contract record states a value of GBP 32,533.70.
Was the contract signed?
Yes. The contract record explicitly states a signature date of 14 October 2026.
Was there a competition?
The notice describes a limited procedure awarded without prior publication of a call for competition. Bidder and evaluation details were not supplied.
Is the contract currently unambiguous?
No. The award and contract records are active, but the related lot is marked cancelled.
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.