Official UK procurement notice
UK7 ARIA Chair — UK public procurement notice
Authority: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Department for Science, Innovation Science and Technology requires specialist executive search support to assist with the recruitment of the next Chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.
This is not a generic Chair search. ARIA occupies a distinctive place in the UK research and innovation system, pursuing high-risk, high-reward research with the potential to deliver transformational scientific, economic and societal impact. The Chair appointment requires a supplier able to understand ARIA’s operating model, independence, governance requirements, stakeholder landscape and the leadership capabilities needed to support the organisation as it moves from establishment into delivery at scale.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Below threshold - without competition
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award — no call for competition
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 12 Oct 2026, 17:24 BST
- Last source update
- 12 Oct 2026, 17:24 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-096302- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078610Find a Tender
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics — not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRG Advisors LLP trading as Odgers Berndtson | — | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · IRG Advisors LLP trading as Odgers Berndtson
- Signed
- 7 Oct 2026
- Value
- £30,400
- Period
- 7 Oct 2026 — 15 Dec 2026 · up to 15 Feb 2027 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- Chance for c. 2-month extension if no suitable candidates found.
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Contract details notice published12 Oct 2026, 17:24 BSTUK7
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- IRG Advisors LLP Trading as OdgersAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender