AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
FCDO Services published an award and contract notice for recruitment advertising, media-channel services and careers website management. The notice identifies PENNA PLC as the verified supplier and reports a £1,000,000 contract value.
Published outcomeThe source records an active award and active contract for PENNA PLC, with a contract signature date of 19 October 2026. However, the related lot is separately marked cancelled.
Market significanceThis is a £1.0m public-sector recruitment advertising requirement procured through a further competition under ESPO framework 3A_24.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
PENNA PLC
97% confidenceAward 098629-2026-1 · Lots 1 · 1000000 GBP · Verified supplier on an active award; related contract reports £1,000,000
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The award names Penna Plc as supplier; supplier verification matches Companies House number 01918150 to PENNA PLC. The associated contract reports GBP 1,000,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice status
98% confidenceAward and contract notice; source status complete
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Process display status is awarded; notice type is 'award, contract'; source status is complete.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 098629-2026-1 is marked active.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive; signed date reported
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Contract 098629-2026-1 is marked active and gives dateSigned as 2026-10-19.
Lot status
99% confidenceCancelled
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Related lot 1 is marked cancelled, despite the active award and contract records.
VALUES
Published values explained
Reported contract value
99% confidence£1,000,000 GBP
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Contract 098629-2026-1 has value amount 1000000 and currency GBP.
Lot value
99% confidenceUnknown
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No lot-level value is supplied.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract signature date
99% confidence19 October 2026
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Contract dateSigned is 2026-10-19T00:00:00+01:00.
Notice publication date
99% confidence19 October 2026
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Process published_at is 2026-10-19T15:58:40+01:00.
Contract start date
99% confidenceUnknown
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No contract start date is supplied.
Contract end date
99% confidenceUnknown
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No contract end date is supplied.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
98% confidenceRecruitment advertising and related services using media channels
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Process title and description state 'Recruitment Advertising & Related Services, utilising media channels.'
Lot 1 scope
98% confidenceRecruitment advertising, media channels and careers website management
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Lot 1 description includes careers website management.
Primary classification
99% confidenceCPV 79600000 — Recruitment services
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Tender classification is CPV 79600000.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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The item delivery address region is UK.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceLimited procedure: award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
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Procurement method and method details are stated in the tender data.
Route to market
99% confidenceFurther competition via ESPO framework 3A_24 Recruitment Advertising
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The published procurement rationale states this route.
Competition information
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information on bidders, tender responses and evaluation is not supplied in the published notice.
Award criterion
94% confidencePrice
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Lot 1 award criteria lists price.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Reported contract status
98% confidenceActive contract record with a reported signature date
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The contract is marked active and includes dateSigned 2026-10-19.
Options
82% confidenceUp to 12 months
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Lot 1 options description states 'up to 12 months'. Applicability is uncertain because the lot is marked cancelled.
Contract duration
99% confidenceUnknown
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No start date, end date or stated base duration is supplied.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial route
99% confidenceFramework further competition
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The procurement rationale identifies a further competition under ESPO framework 3A_24.
Published value visibility
98% confidenceA £1.0m contract value is reported, but no pricing breakdown is published.
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The contract contains a total GBP value; no unit rates or pricing schedule is supplied.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Status inconsistency
99% confidenceThe related lot is marked cancelled while the award and associated contract are marked active.
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Lot 1 status is cancelled; award and contract 098629-2026-1 are active.
Supplier verification
99% confidenceSupplier identity verified
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Published company number 01918150 matches verified company name PENNA PLC.
Unpublished fields
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice: contract start/end dates, lot value, bid count, evaluation detail and pricing breakdown.
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These fields are absent or null in the supplied data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The source contains an unresolved lifecycle inconsistency: lot 1 is marked cancelled while its related award and contract are marked active.
- Information not supplied in the published notice includes the contract start date, end date, lot-level value, bidder count, evaluation results and detailed pricing.
- The stated option of up to 12 months is associated with a lot marked cancelled, so its applicability to the active contract cannot be confirmed.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
FCDO ServicesPENNA PLCrecruitment advertisingESPO 3A_24recruitment services contract
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the named supplier?
The verified supplier is PENNA PLC, Companies House number 01918150.
What value is reported?
The associated contract record reports a value of £1,000,000 GBP.
Is the contract signed?
The contract record provides a signature date of 19 October 2026 and is marked active. The related lot is nevertheless marked cancelled in the source data.
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.