--- title: "Award Notice for Pre-Award Costing Tool under G-Cloud 14" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "University of Chester" published: "2026-08-14" --- # Award Notice for Pre-Award Costing Tool under G-Cloud 14 Buyer: University of Chester Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d.json) ## Summary The University of Chester procured a pre-award research and costing software tool, described as software supply services (CPV 72268000). The tool is intended for use within the university to support costing before awards are made. Delivery is associated with Chester, in the North West of England. The requirement is classified as a services contract and was sourced through the university’s use of the G-Cloud 14 framework. The selected solution is Fusion Practices’ GrantsNow product, supplied by Fusion Practices Limited. This is therefore relevant to software providers with products for grant, bid or pre-award research and costing activity, particularly those able to support higher education users. The procurement has been completed and awarded. The University of Chester selected Fusion Practices Limited on 20 April 2026, following formal searches, service assessment and evaluation. The award value is £220,000 including the full potential four-year contract period. The contract runs from 21 April 2026 to 20 April 2030. It was conducted as a selective call-off from a framework agreement, specifically G-Cloud 14. The tender submission deadline was 17 April 2026 at 10:00. The procurement was suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. The award is active, with Fusion Practices’ GrantsNow named as the successful solution. For suppliers who did not win this procurement, the award demonstrates a defined higher education demand for software that supports pre-award research and costing. A credible competitor would need a functioning product focused on grant or bid costing workflows, with the usability and service capability to operate within a university environment. Experience supporting research, funding or finance teams would help demonstrate relevance, while evidence of successful software delivery and implementation would strengthen a future proposition. Suppliers should also be able to compete through a public-sector framework route such as G-Cloud, understand framework call-off requirements and provide the capacity to support a multi-year institutional service. The requirement was considered suitable for smaller organisations. ## Notice This Award Notice follows the formal searches, service assessment and evaluation conducted through CCS G-Cloud 14, of a pre award research costing tool which resulted in an award to Fusion Practices - GrantsNow, for use within University of Chester. The contract values in this notice are for the full potential 4 year contract period and have been rounded up. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9c3ce2c3-5a39-48d6-8afb-3a92082618ee | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 14 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | 17 Apr 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 20 Apr 2026 | | Contract period | 21 Apr 2026 - 20 Apr 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £220,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | £220,000 | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | University of Chester | | Locality | CHESTER | | Postcode area | Chester | | Postcode | CH1 4BJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLD6 Cheshire | | ITL 3 | TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester | | Local authority | Cheshire West and Chester | | Electoral ward | Chester City & the Garden Quarter | | Westminster constituency | Chester North and Neston | | Delivery location | TLD North West (England) | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | Fusion Practices Limited | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72268000 - Software supply services ## Release History - 14 Aug 2026 at 15:48 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9c3ce2c3-5a39-48d6-8afb-3a92082618ee ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9c3ce2c3-5a39-48d6-8afb-3a92082618ee 14th August 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - http://www.chester.ac.uk ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9269b72c-0616-4165-9f54-eb41c304712d.json.