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Provision of support for HPC hardware and software

National Oceanography Centre

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

14 Sep 2026 at 17:59

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The National Oceanography Centre in Southampton procured one year of support for high-performance computing (HPC) hardware and software. The service covers maintenance and repair of computer equipment, together with technical computer support, including a four-hour response service-level agreement, break-fix diagnosis, replacement parts and engineer visits to complete repairs. The requirement is categorised as services and is intended to keep the Centre’s HPC infrastructure operational. Delivery is associated with the Centre’s Waterfront Campus on European Way, Southampton. This is relevant to providers of specialist HPC support, computer hardware maintenance, software support and responsive engineering services, particularly those able to manage faults across complex research-computing environments and provide coordinated parts and on-site technical assistance.

The procurement has been completed and awarded following a selective call-off from the ITS4043 SU / SSSNA framework. OCF Limited was awarded the contract on 21 April 2026 for £57,817.84 including the stated contract value, with a contract period from 29 April 2026 to 28 April 2027. The tender deadline was 21 April 2026 at 5pm. The award reflects a requirement for a defined four-hour response service level and practical break-fix support, including diagnosis, parts and engineer visits. The opportunity was suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. Evaluation was conducted through the framework call-off route for maintenance and technical support services rather than an open competition.

This award provides a useful benchmark for suppliers targeting the National Oceanography Centre’s future HPC support requirements. A credible competitor would need demonstrable capability in maintaining high-performance computing hardware and associated software, diagnosing faults quickly and restoring service through break-fix interventions. The requirement also points to the importance of holding or sourcing replacement parts, mobilising suitably qualified engineers for on-site repairs, and managing support against a tightly defined response service level. SMEs are capable of competing for work of this scale through the relevant framework route. Suppliers with proven experience supporting research, scientific or other technically demanding computing environments would be well placed to demonstrate resilience, specialist knowledge and the operational capacity expected by this buyer.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of support for HPC hardware and software

Notice Description

The National Oceanography Centre conducted a call off via the ITS4043 SU / SSSNA for the supply of HPC hardware and software maintenance services for a period of 1 year. The provision of this contract is inclusive of a 4 hour response SLA and the service for breakfix determination and support / parts / engineer visit for fixes.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-ed163f28-074e-4285-b863-14e15a68a835
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d940464d-fee9-4132-a24e-cd85c6d04b73
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

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
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

50 - Repair and maintenance services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

50312000 - Maintenance and repair of computer equipment

72611000 - Technical computer support services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£57,817 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£57,817 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
21 Apr 20264 months ago
Contract Period
29 Apr 2026 - 28 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
National Oceanography Centre
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO14 3ZH
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ32 Southampton
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Southampton
Electoral Ward
Bargate
Westminster Constituency
Southampton Itchen

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

OCF Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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