AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology has published a transparency notice for a direct, below-threshold procurement of industry representation and engagement services from UKQuantum for FY2026/27. The sole award is pending, with signature scheduled for 30 October 2026; the notice does not confirm that a contract has been signed.
Published outcomeOne pending award names UKQuantum for lot 1, valued at £38,000 excluding VAT (£45,600 gross).
Market significanceThe engagement is a small, targeted public-sector purchase of quantum-sector representation, international engagement and adoption convening across defence, health, finance and energy.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
UKQuantum
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 38000 net; 45600 gross GBP · Pending award
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Award 1 identifies UKQuantum as supplier and states £38,000 amount and £45,600 amountGross in GBP.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
95% confidencePublished transparency notice; procurement and lot marked complete
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The notice is described as a "Transparency notice on Find a Tender"; tender and lot 1 have status "complete".
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status "pending".
Signature status
99% confidenceNot confirmed; future signature date scheduled for 30 October 2026
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The award milestone is type "futureSignatureDate", due 2026-10-30, with status "scheduled".
Contract commencement
94% confidencePlanned for 2 November 2026, subject to conclusion
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Award 1 contractPeriod startDate is 2026-11-02, while the award remains pending.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
99% confidence£38,000
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Award 1 value.amount is 38000 GBP.
Award value including VAT
99% confidence£45,600
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 45600 GBP.
Value allocation
96% confidenceAward-level value for the sole award and sole supplier
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The notice contains one award, naming one supplier, related to lot 1.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Notice publication
99% confidence16 October 2026
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The award-notice document datePublished is 2026-10-16T10:14:00+01:00.
Scheduled signature date
99% confidence30 October 2026
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Future-signature milestone dueDate is 2026-10-30T23:59:59+00:00.
Planned service start
99% confidence2 November 2026
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Award contractPeriod startDate is 2026-11-02.
Planned service end
99% confidence31 March 2027
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Award contractPeriod endDate is 2027-03-31T23:59:59+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceIndustry representation, convening and engagement services for the UK quantum sector
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The procurement title and description specify a defined package of industry representation, convening and engagement services.
Core activities
98% confidenceInvestment and partnership pipeline building; representation in priority countries; targeted multilateral activity; and convening suppliers and end users
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The description lists these four intended service areas.
Priority adoption sectors
99% confidenceDefence, health, finance and energy
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The description states that adoption activity will convene quantum suppliers and end users in these sectors.
Expected deliverables
98% confidenceEngagement plans, stakeholder engagement, opportunity records and follow-up, briefings or industry input, sector convening and outcome reports
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These deliverables are listed in the procurement description.
Exclusion
99% confidenceGeneral organisational running costs are excluded
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The description explicitly excludes general organisational running costs.
Classification
98% confidenceCPV 73000000 — Research and development services and related consultancy services
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Award item 1 carries this additional CPV classification.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect procurement
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The tender procurementMethod is "direct".
Competition detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - without competition
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The tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - without competition".
Threshold status
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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Award 1 aboveThreshold is false.
Bid and evaluation information
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Planned contract period
99% confidence2 November 2026 to 31 March 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod gives these start and end dates.
Duration
93% confidenceAbout five months
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Calculated from the stated planned dates of 2 November 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Output management
98% confidenceServices will be managed against agreed outputs
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The procurement description states that the requirement will be managed against agreed outputs.
Extensions and options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
96% confidenceThe £38,000 net requirement is narrowly framed around specified outputs rather than general organisational support.
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The notice gives a £38,000 net award value, excludes general running costs and says delivery will be managed against agreed outputs.
Route-to-market observation
99% confidenceThe buyer used a direct below-threshold route without competition, so the notice provides no competitive bid comparison or evaluation evidence.
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Procurement method details state "Below threshold - without competition"; no bid or scoring information is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award and unsigned status
99% confidenceThe award is pending and has only a scheduled future signature date; it must not be treated as a signed or active contract.
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Award status is "pending" and the futureSignatureDate milestone is scheduled for 30 October 2026.
Supplier identity
98% confidenceUKQuantum is the source-supplied supplier name and is not accompanied by a verified legal company name or company number in the supplied data.
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verified_company_name and verified_company_number are null; supplier identity status is "not_applicable".
Unpublished commercial detail
99% confidenceNo pricing breakdown, evaluation, bid-count, award-date, extension or renewal information is supplied.
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award remains pending; a signed contract is not evidenced.
- The source does not provide an award decision date, bid count, bid prices, evaluation results or rationale for selecting the supplier.
- No extension, option, renewal or pricing-breakdown information is published.
- The supplier has no supplied verified legal company name or company number; UKQuantum is reported as the source-supplied supplier name.
- Lot 1 has no separate published title, description or value.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
DSITUKQuantumquantum sectorindustry representationengagement servicesdirect awardFind a TenderPS26312
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is named for the PS26312 award?
UKQuantum is named as the sole supplier for the pending award.
What is the value of the award?
The notice states £38,000 excluding VAT and £45,600 including VAT.
Has the contract been signed?
The supplied notice does not confirm signature. The award is pending and lists a scheduled signature date of 30 October 2026.
What services are planned?
The requirement covers quantum-sector representation, stakeholder engagement, partnership pipeline activity and adoption convening.
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.