AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
University of Bedfordshire has published a contract award notice for CINAHL Ultimate, a subscription service. The notice names EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC. as the sole supplier and records an active award valued at £29,400 excluding VAT (£35,280 including VAT).
Published outcomeOne active award was made to EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC. following a below-threshold direct procurement without competition. The notice records a planned contract period from 1 November 2026 to 30 October 2027; a future signature milestone was still scheduled for 16 October 2026.
Market significanceThis is a small, single-supplier subscription-services award in the higher-education sector, with a stated net value of £29,400.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 29400 GBP · active
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Award 1 names EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC. as supplier and states a £29,400 amount excluding VAT. Supplier identity is verified by exact-name matching to company number FC016134.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract award notice on Find a Tender
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Document 097878-2026 is described as a Contract award notice on Find a Tender.
Award status
99% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status "active".
Signature status
98% confidenceNot confirmed; signature was scheduled
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Award 1 includes a futureSignatureDate milestone scheduled for 16 October 2026. No signed-contract confirmation is supplied.
Contract period
99% confidence1 November 2026 to 30 October 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod specifies startDate 2026-11-01 and endDate 2027-10-30.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
99% confidence£29,400
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Award 1 value.amount is 29400 GBP.
Award value including VAT
99% confidence£35,280
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 35280 GBP.
Value allocation
95% confidenceAward-level value; one named supplier and one related lot
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Award 1 has one supplier and relates to lot 1; no separate lot value is published.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Award decision date
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-15.
Award notice publication
99% confidence16 October 2026
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Award notice document 097878-2026 was published 2026-10-16.
Scheduled signature date
98% confidence16 October 2026
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The futureSignatureDate milestone is due 2026-10-16.
Planned contract start
99% confidence1 November 2026
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Award 1 contractPeriod startDate is 2026-11-01.
Planned contract end
99% confidence30 October 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod endDate is 2027-10-30.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceCINAHL Ultimate subscription service
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The procurement title is "CINAHL Ultimate" and the description states "CINAHL Ultimate-UoB".
Procurement category
99% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is services.
CPV classification
99% confidence79980000 — Subscription services
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Award item 1 carries CPV 79980000, described as Subscription services.
Delivery region
97% confidenceUKH, United Kingdom
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Award item 1 delivery address specifies region UKH and country GB.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect
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Tender procurementMethod is direct.
Competition approach
99% confidenceBelow threshold — without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - without competition".
Legal basis
98% confidenceProcurement Act 2023
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Tender legalBasis identifies UKPGA 2023/54.
Bidder count and evaluation detail
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
98% confidenceApproximately 12 months
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The stated period runs from 1 November 2026 to 30 October 2027.
Extension or renewal options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
Lot structure
99% confidenceOne completed lot (lot 1)
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Tender data contains lot 1 with status complete; award 1 relates to lot 1.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
99% confidenceSingle-supplier, direct subscription-services award
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One supplier is named on award 1; the procedure is direct and the item classification is Subscription services.
Award value basis
99% confidenceNet and gross values are both published
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Award 1 reports £29,400 amount and £35,280 amountGross.
Competition insight
99% confidenceNo competitive process is indicated by the notice
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The procurement method details state below threshold - without competition.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Signature and commencement distinction
99% confidenceThe notice contains an active award and planned contract dates, but does not confirm that the contract was signed or that delivery has commenced.
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A futureSignatureDate milestone is scheduled; no signature-completion field or later contract-start confirmation is supplied.
Published scope detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or standalone value.
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Lot 1 is present but its title, description and value are null.
Competition and evaluation detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, evaluation scoring, award rationale or pricing breakdown is provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The notice does not confirm that the contract was signed; it only records a scheduled future signature date.
- The notice does not confirm that the planned 1 November 2026 start date was reached or that services commenced.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bidder count, evaluation methodology, award rationale, prices or pricing schedule, extension options and renewal terms.
- Lot 1 has no published title, description or individual value.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
University of BedfordshireEBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC.CINAHL Ultimatesubscription servicescontract awardFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who was awarded the CINAHL Ultimate contract?
The award notice names EBSCO INTERNATIONAL INC. as the supplier for award 1.
What is the value of the award?
The published value is £29,400 excluding VAT and £35,280 including VAT.
Was the contract signed?
The supplied data does not confirm signature. It records a signature milestone scheduled for 16 October 2026.
When is the planned contract period?
The notice specifies 1 November 2026 to 30 October 2027.
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.