AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
JISC has published a transparency notice for a proposed direct award to Ithaka Harbors Inc. d/b/a for JSTOR Path to Open 2027-2029. The award is pending, with a future signature date scheduled for 23 October 2026; the notice does not evidence a signed or active contract.
Published outcomeOne pending award, valued at USD 450,000, covers lot 1 for the JSTOR Path to Open service.
Market significanceThe arrangement supports Jisc members’ access to a monograph publishing model under which participating members pay an annual fee and eligible electronic books become open access in January three years after publication.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
Ithaka Harbors Inc. d/b/a
98% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 450000 USD · pending award
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Award 1 names supplier GB-PPON-PXGZ-4979-RYXR as "Ithaka Harbors Inc. d/b/a", relates it to lot 1, and states a gross value of USD 450,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published notice
99% confidenceTransparency notice published 20 October 2026
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Award document 099055-2026 is described as a Transparency notice on Find a Tender and dated 2026-10-20T14:24:37+01:00.
Award status
99% confidencePending
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Award 1 has status "pending".
Signature status
99% confidenceFuture signature date scheduled for 23 October 2026
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Award milestone type futureSignatureDate is scheduled for 2026-10-23T23:59:59+01:00.
Contract conclusion
99% confidenceNot evidenced as signed or concluded
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The only supplied signature milestone is future-dated and scheduled; award status is pending.
VALUES
Published values explained
Pending award value
99% confidenceUSD 450,000 gross
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 450000 and currency is USD.
Participation fee
96% confidence1% service fee from 1 August 2028
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Tender participationFees states: "The service fee will be 1% from 1 Aug 2028."
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Notice publication
99% confidence20 October 2026
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The award notice publication date is 2026-10-20T14:24:37+01:00.
Scheduled signature
99% confidence23 October 2026
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Future signature milestone dueDate is 2026-10-23T23:59:59+01:00.
Planned contract period
99% confidence1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029
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Award 1 contractPeriod runs from 2027-01-01T00:00:00Z to 2029-12-31T23:59:59Z.
Open-access timing model
95% confidenceJanuary, three calendar years after publication
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The notice states that electronic books will be made available open access in January of the calendar year three years after the year of publication.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceJSTOR Path to Open monographs
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The tender title and description identify JSTOR Path to Open 2027-2029 and support for Path to Open monographs.
Service model
96% confidenceAnnual-fee access to electronic books with later open-access availability
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The description says participating members pay an annual fee to access electronic books that become available open access under the stated timing model.
User group
99% confidenceJisc members only; not for Jisc’s own use
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The description explicitly limits use to Jisc Members and states it is not for Jisc's own use.
Lot
99% confidenceLot 1; title and description not supplied
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Award 1 is related to lot 1. The supplied lot record has no title or description.
Classification
97% confidencePeriodicals; software and information systems; database services; subscription services; education and training services
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Award item classifications list CPV codes 22212000, 48000000, 72320000, 79980000 and 80000000.
Delivery geography
98% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item delivery address is GB / UK.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceDirect award
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Tender procurementMethod is "direct" and procurementMethodDetails is "Direct award".
Direct-award rationale
99% confidenceSupplier stated to be the IP rightsholder and sole supplier of the unique resource
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The published rationale states: "The supplier is the rightsholder to the IP of the content and the sole supplier of this unique resource."
Rationale classification
99% confidenceSingle supplier: intellectual property or exclusive rights
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procurementMethodRationaleClassifications id is "singleSuppliersIntellectualPropertyExclusiveRights".
Framework
95% confidenceOpen framework arrangement indicated
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Tender techniques.hasFrameworkAgreement is true and frameworkAgreement.type is "open".
Competition information
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No bid count, bidder list, evaluation scores or comparative assessment is supplied.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Planned term
99% confidence1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029
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Award 1 contractPeriod specifies these dates.
Extension or renewal terms
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice
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No extension options or renewal clauses are provided.
Contract execution
99% confidenceNot evidenced
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The pending award has a scheduled future signature date rather than confirmation of signature.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial model
96% confidenceMember institutions participate through annual fees
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The notice states that members participating will pay an annual fee.
Rights-based market position
99% confidenceThe buyer’s stated basis for direct award is exclusive control of the content IP and sole supply of the resource
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Published direct-award rationale cites IP rightsholding and sole supply.
Service-fee change
96% confidenceA 1% service fee is stated from 1 August 2028
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Tender participation fee description states this explicitly.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending award and scheduled signature
99% confidenceThe notice is a transparency notice and records a pending award, not a signed contract
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Award status is pending and the signature milestone is scheduled for 23 October 2026.
Supplier legal identity
99% confidenceNo verified legal company name was supplied; the source supplier name is retained as published
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verified_company_name is null and supplier_identity_status is not_applicable.
Value allocation
99% confidenceUSD 450,000 is recorded for the single pending award; no lot-level pricing breakdown is supplied
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Award 1 has USD 450,000 gross and lot 1 has no value amount.
Incomplete commercial detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice includes bid data, evaluation detail, lot description, pricing breakdown and extension terms
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The record is a pending award with a scheduled future signature date; it does not confirm a signed, concluded or active contract.
- No verified legal company name is supplied for the named supplier; Companies House verification is marked not applicable.
- The published USD 450,000 value is an award-level gross value. No individual lot price or pricing breakdown is supplied.
- Information not supplied in the published notice includes bid counts, competing suppliers, evaluation scores, award date, lot title and description, extension options, renewal terms and detailed payment terms.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
JISCJSTOR Path to OpenIthaka Harbors Inc.direct awardopen access monographsJisc Services LimitedFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Has the JSTOR Path to Open 2027-2029 contract been signed?
Not according to the supplied notice. The award is pending and a future signature date is scheduled for 23 October 2026.
Who is named for the pending award?
The notice names Ithaka Harbors Inc. d/b/a as supplier for award 1.
What is the published value?
The pending award is valued at USD 450,000 gross.
Why was a direct award used?
JISC states that the supplier is the IP rightsholder for the content and the sole supplier of the unique resource.
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.