AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
NHS England has awarded and signed a direct, below-threshold contract with NHS Creative for a South West paid-advertising campaign supporting the 2026/27 autumn COVID-19 and flu vaccination programme.
Published outcomeNHS Creative is the sole named supplier for award 1 and lot 1. The published contract is active, was signed on 31 August 2026, and runs from 1 September to 31 December 2026.
Market significanceThis is a £50,000 gross public-health communications commission for targeted regional vaccination advertising, awarded without competition.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
NHS Creative
98% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £50,000 gross contract value shared only with this sole named supplier GBP · active
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Award 1 names NHS Creative as its supplier and relates to lot 1. Contract 1, linked to award 1, has a gross value of 50000 GBP.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceContract details notice published 19 October 2026
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Contract document 098282-2026 is described as a Contract details notice, with datePublished 2026-10-19T09:19:06+01:00.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status active.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 has status active.
Contract signature
99% confidence31 August 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-08-31T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract term
99% confidence1 September 2026 to 31 December 2026
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Contract 1 period specifies startDate 2026-09-01T00:00:00+01:00 and endDate 2026-12-31T23:59:59Z.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value
99% confidence£50,000 gross
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Contract 1 value records amountGross 50000 and currency GBP.
Net value
99% confidence£50,000
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Contract 1 value also records amount 50000 GBP.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signed
99% confidence31 August 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-08-31T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract start
99% confidence1 September 2026
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Contract 1 period startDate is 2026-09-01T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract end
99% confidence31 December 2026
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Contract 1 period endDate is 2026-12-31T23:59:59Z.
Notice published
99% confidence19 October 2026
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The contract details notice was published on 2026-10-19T09:19:06+01:00.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidencePaid advertising campaign for South West seasonal vaccinations
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The notice title is SW Seasonal Vaccinations Paid Advertising Winter 2026.
Campaign purpose
99% confidenceSupport the 2026/27 autumn COVID-19 and flu vaccination programme
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The tender description states that the campaign will support the 2026/27 autumn COVID-19 and flu vaccination programme.
Target audience and geography
99% confidencePriority cohorts with lower vaccination uptake across the South West
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The description specifies targeted, region-specific communications aimed at priority cohorts with lower uptake across the South West.
Procurement category
97% confidenceServices
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is services.
Published classification
98% confidenceCPV 85100000 — Health services
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The award item lists additional classification CPV 85100000, described as Health services.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect procurement
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Tender procurementMethod is direct.
Procedure detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold — without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states Below threshold - without competition.
Threshold status
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.
Competition information
98% confidenceNo competition was used; bid count and evaluation information were not supplied
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The stated procedure is below threshold - without competition. No bid count, tender submissions or evaluation data are present in the published data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Term
99% confidenceApproximately four months
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The published period runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 December 2026.
Extension or options
99% confidenceUnknown
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No extension, option or renewal terms are supplied in the published contract data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
97% confidenceA single-supplier, single-lot direct award for a time-limited regional advertising campaign
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One active award names one supplier, relates to lot 1, and is linked to a contract running from September through December 2026.
Value context
99% confidenceThe published £50,000 value is below threshold
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Contract 1 is valued at £50,000 gross and is marked aboveThreshold false.
Market access signal
99% confidenceThe buyer used a below-threshold procedure without competition for this requirement
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The procurement method details explicitly state Below threshold - without competition.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Supplier identity treatment
98% confidenceNHS Creative is reported as the source-named supplier; company-verification status is not applicable
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The supplier record gives supplier_identity_status not_applicable, with no verified company name or number supplied.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 has no published title, description or individual value
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Lot 1 is listed only with status complete; title, description and value fields are null.
Commercial detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice: pricing breakdown, evaluation, bid count, award date, and extension or renewal terms
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These fields are absent or null in the supplied process, award, lot and contract data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published data do not provide an award date, bid count, evaluation rationale, scoring, pricing breakdown, lot title or lot-level value.
- No extension, option or renewal terms are published; any re-procurement timing is an estimate based only on the stated contract end date.
- NHS Creative has no supplied verified legal company name or company number because supplier verification is marked not applicable.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
NHS EnglandNHS CreativeSouth West vaccination advertisingCOVID-19 vaccination campaignflu vaccination campaignpublic sector advertising contractdirect award
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who won the NHS England South West seasonal vaccinations advertising contract?
NHS Creative is the sole named supplier for award 1 and lot 1.
What is the value of the contract?
The published contract value is £50,000 gross (and £50,000 net).
Was the contract competitively tendered?
No. The notice states a direct, below-threshold procurement without competition.
When does the contract run?
It runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 December 2026 and was signed on 31 August 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.