AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Education Authority has published a VEAT notice stating that it intends to make a non-substantial modification to the Education Network (NI) contract. The underlying contract is recorded as active and is associated with CAPITA MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS LIMITED. The notice does not evidence that the proposed modification has been concluded or signed.
Published outcomeProposed modification to an existing Education Network (NI) contract; not a new competed award.
Market significanceThis is a long-running Northern Ireland education ICT, connectivity and managed-services arrangement with a recorded contract value of £721,000,000. The published notice describes an intended modification and extension context rather than a fresh market opportunity.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
CAPITA MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS LIMITED
98% confidenceAward 097633-2026-1 · Lots 1 · Shared contract value recorded separately; no supplier-specific allocation published GBP · Verified supplier on active award record
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Award 097633-2026-1 names Capita Managed IT Solutions; supplier verification provides verified legal name CAPITA MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS LIMITED (company number NI032979).
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceVEAT notice / award and contract notice
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Description: "The purpose of this VEAT notice is to give prior notice to the market that the Education Authority ... intends to modify the Contract."
Underlying contract status
95% confidenceActive in the supplied contract record
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Contract 097633-2026-1 has status "active".
Modification status
99% confidenceIntended; not evidenced as concluded or signed
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The notice says the Education Authority "intends to modify the Contract". No modification signature date is supplied.
Underlying contract signature date
95% confidence29 March 2012
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Contract 097633-2026-1 dateSigned: 2012-03-29.
VALUES
Published values explained
Recorded underlying contract value
94% confidence721000000
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Contract 097633-2026-1 value: GBP 721,000,000.
Value of proposed modification
99% confidenceUnknown
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No separate modification value is supplied in the notice data.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Notice publication
99% confidence15 October 2026
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published_at: 2026-10-15T16:18:40+01:00.
Original contract commencement
94% confidence1 April 2012
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Procurement rationale states that the contract originally commenced on 1 April 2012.
Extension stated in prior modification notice
93% confidenceUntil 31 March 2027
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Procurement rationale states that modification notice 2025/S000-012429 provided for an extension until 31/03/2027.
Further extension options stated in prior modification notice
92% confidenceTwo additional one-year options, potentially to 31 March 2029
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Procurement rationale states there were "2 x 1 year additional extension options until 31/03/2029".
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service area
97% confidenceEducation ICT infrastructure, connectivity, online services, managed operations and maintenance, consultancy, hardware and software
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Lot 1 description lists computer-related services, management, operation, maintenance, IT consultancy, hardware, software, connectivity and online services for educational establishments.
Primary classification
98% confidenceCPV 72263000 — Software implementation services
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Tender classification and item additional classification specify CPV 72263000.
Delivery region
98% confidenceUKN (Northern Ireland)
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Item 1 delivery address region: UKN.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
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procurementMethodDetails: "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition".
Stated modification basis
97% confidenceRegulation 72(1)(e), Public Contracts Regulations 2015
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Notice description states that the Education Authority considers the modification to be under Regulation 72(1)(e).
Competition information
99% confidenceNot supplied
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The supplied notice data contains no bid count, tenderer list, evaluation scores or award-comparison information.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Extension options
96% confidenceTwo one-year additional optional extensions
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Lot 1 options description: "2 x 1 year additional optional extensions."
Modification characterisation by buyer
97% confidenceNon-substantial
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The notice states: "The modification is not substantial."
Contract end date
98% confidenceNot directly supplied in the contract record
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process.contract_end_at is null. The rationale references a prior extension to 31 March 2027 and options potentially to 31 March 2029.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial interpretation
95% confidenceThe notice concerns continuity and modification of an incumbent education ICT arrangement, rather than a newly advertised competitive procurement.
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The notice expressly concerns an intended modification to a contract originally entered into in 2012 and uses a procedure without prior publication.
Modification value and pricing
99% confidenceUnknown
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No separate modification value, pricing schedule or price-change detail is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Modification not yet evidenced as concluded
99% confidenceThe publication states an intention to modify; it does not provide evidence of a signed or concluded modification.
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Notice description uses "intends to modify"; no modification signature date is supplied.
Value attribution limitation
98% confidenceThe £721,000,000 figure is recorded against the contract and is not published as a value of the intended modification or as a supplier-specific allocation.
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Only the contract object contains the GBP 721,000,000 value; award and lot values are null.
Contract end-date ambiguity
97% confidenceNo direct contract end date is supplied, although the rationale describes a prior extension to 31 March 2027 and optional extensions potentially to 2029.
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contract_end_at is null; procurement rationale supplies the extension narrative.
Information not supplied in the published notice
99% confidenceBid counts, evaluation results, award date, individual lot value, modification value and detailed pricing are unavailable.
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Relevant supplied fields are null or absent.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The notice does not evidence that the intended modification has been signed, concluded or implemented.
- No standalone value is published for the intended modification; the £721,000,000 figure is the recorded contract value and is not allocated to the supplier or lot.
- The direct contract end date is not supplied. The stated 2027 and 2029 dates appear in the rationale as a prior extension and optional-extension context.
- No bid count, evaluation detail, award date, individual lot value, pricing breakdown or modification implementation date is supplied.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Education Network NIEducation AuthorityCAPITA MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS LIMITEDVEAT noticeNorthern Ireland education ICTcontract modification
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Has the Education Network (NI) modification been signed?
No. The supplied notice says the Education Authority intends to modify the contract, but does not provide evidence of a signed or concluded modification.
Which supplier is associated with the active award record?
The verified legal supplier is CAPITA MANAGED IT SOLUTIONS LIMITED (NI032979).
What is the published contract value?
The contract record states £721,000,000, but no separate value is published for the intended modification.
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.