Award

RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025

NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

ContractAmendment

22 Jul 2025 at 14:15

ContractAmendment

22 Jul 2025 at 11:27

Award

27 Jun 2025 at 14:33

Award

25 Mar 2025 at 14:46

Award

19 Mar 2025 at 15:02

Summary of the contracting process

The National Oceanography Centre has advanced the procurement stage to a contract amendment under the procurement process titled "RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025". Located in Southampton, United Kingdom (region UKJ32), this process falls within the category of repair and maintenance services of ships, specifically targeting works important for the continued operation and safety of the RRS James Cook vessel. The original award, made under urgent circumstances due to the failure of the planned contract, was issued through a direct procurement method to Damen Shipyards. Recent contract amendments, dated 22nd July 2025, address unforeseen circumstances like latent defects and the necessity for additional complementary works, justifying the contract modifications as necessary within the legal framework provided by the Procurement Act 2023.

The ongoing maintenance and refit of the RRS James Cook offer significant business opportunities, especially for firms specialising in maritime repair and maintenance, vessel inspection, and auxiliary technical services. Companies with expertise in overcoming technical integration challenges and those that can provide continuity and compatibility in ship maintenance operations are well-suited to this contract. Damen Shipyards, being a large-scale supplier from the Netherlands, highlights the level of expertise and scale required. The tender holds potential for business growth for companies capable of delivering complex maritime services and navigating the intricacies of legal and technical maritime standards.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025

Notice Description

This notice follows the completion of voluntary standstill against the Contract Award Notice 2025/S 000-010186 for RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025. As a result, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has contracted for the essential annual maintenance of the vessel, scheduled for June/July 2025. Given the urgency of scheduling and resource requirements, an immediate booking was essential to ensure the legal compliance & safety of the vessel.

Procurement Information

Following the failure of the originally planned contract, the scheduled and essential re-fit of the RSS James Cook could no longer be accommodated at the previously designated yard. As a result, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) was compelled to re-contract for the essential annual maintenance of the vessel, scheduled for June/July 2025. Given the urgency of scheduling and resource requirements, an immediate booking was essential to ensure the legal compliance & safety of the vessel.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04ef24
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042079-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK10 - Contract Change Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

50 - Repair and maintenance services


CPV Codes

50241000 - Repair and maintenance services of ships

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£350,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
£572,188 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Jul 20257 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
19 Mar 202511 months ago
Contract Period
21 Jul 2025 - 26 Jul 2025 30 days
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
noc_tenders@noc.ac.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO14 3ZH
Post Town
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

DAMEN SHIPYARDS

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-04ef24-2025-07-22T15:15:53+01:00",
    "date": "2025-07-22T15:15:53+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04ef24",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-COH-11444362",
            "name": "National Oceanography Centre",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-COH",
                "id": "11444362"
            },
            "additionalIdentifiers": [
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-CHC",
                    "id": "1185265"
                },
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-SC",
                    "id": "SC049896"
                },
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                    "id": "PYLV-3456-PMCQ"
                }
            ],
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "National Oceanography Centre",
                "locality": "Southampton",
                "postalCode": "SO14 3ZH",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKJ32"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "noc_tenders@noc.ac.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PWLR-8384-GXMN",
            "name": "Damen Shipyards",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PWLR-8384-GXMN"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Avelingen West 20",
                "locality": "Gorinchem",
                "postalCode": "4202 MS",
                "country": "NL",
                "countryName": "Netherlands",
                "region": "NL"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "anita.goudriaan@damen.com"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.damen.com/",
                "scale": "large",
                "vcse": false,
                "publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
                "shelteredWorkshop": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-COH-11444362",
        "name": "National Oceanography Centre"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "NOCP00521",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025",
        "description": "This notice follows the completion of voluntary standstill against the Contract Award Notice 2025/S 000-010186 for RRS James Cook Refit Contract 2025. As a result, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has contracted for the essential annual maintenance of the vessel, scheduled for June/July 2025. Given the urgency of scheduling and resource requirements, an immediate booking was essential to ensure the legal compliance & safety of the vessel.",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "Following the failure of the originally planned contract, the scheduled and essential re-fit of the RSS James Cook could no longer be accommodated at the previously designated yard. As a result, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) was compelled to re-contract for the essential annual maintenance of the vessel, scheduled for June/July 2025. Given the urgency of scheduling and resource requirements, an immediate booking was essential to ensure the legal compliance & safety of the vessel.",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "urgency"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "status": "active",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 350000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-PPON-PWLR-8384-GXMN",
                    "name": "Damen Shipyards"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "50241000",
                            "description": "Repair and maintenance services of ships"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "NL",
                            "country": "NL",
                            "countryName": "Netherlands"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "NL",
                            "country": "NL",
                            "countryName": "Netherlands"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "NL",
                            "country": "NL",
                            "countryName": "Netherlands"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2025-06-30T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2025-07-26T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "hasOptions": true,
            "options": {
                "description": "Ad-hoc works may be found during refit activity."
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "010186-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK5",
                    "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010186-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-03-19T15:02:58Z",
                    "format": "text/html"
                },
                {
                    "id": "011150-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK6",
                    "description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011150-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-03-25T14:46:44Z",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2025-04-04T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ],
            "date": "2025-03-19T00:00:00Z",
            "standstillPeriod": {
                "endDate": "2025-04-03T23:59:59+01:00"
            }
        }
    ],
    "language": "en",
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "awardID": "1",
            "status": "active",
            "period": {
                "startDate": "2025-07-22T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2025-07-26T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "hasOptions": true,
            "options": {
                "description": "Due to the nature of the works - there may be additional requirements identified during installations or repairs."
            },
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 572188.06,
                "currency": "GBP",
                "amount": 572188.06
            },
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "dateSigned": "2025-04-04T00:00:00+01:00",
            "noAgreedMetricsRationale": "Provision of the services required to the applicable standards are mandated within the contract as pass fail upon inspection to be considered as completed and therefore no further performance measures are required.",
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "035868-2025",
                    "documentType": "contractNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK7",
                    "description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035868-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-06-27T15:33:02+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                },
                {
                    "id": "041972-2025",
                    "documentType": "contractNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK10",
                    "description": "Contract change notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041972-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-07-22T12:27:05+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                },
                {
                    "id": "042079-2025",
                    "documentType": "contractNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK10",
                    "description": "Contract change notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042079-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-07-22T15:15:53+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "amendments": [
                {
                    "id": "041972-2025",
                    "date": "2025-07-22T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "rationale": "This modification is made under the legal ground provided in the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 8, paragraph 8 (\"Additional goods, services or works\"). The justification for using this ground is that the modification provides for the supply of works in addition to those already provided for in the contract. Using a different supplier for these highly integrated works would result in the supply of works that are incompatible with the ongoing refit, leading to disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance and a substantial duplication of costs for the authority. This modification increases the original contract value, but remains within the 50% cap permitted under this ground.",
                    "rationaleClassifications": [
                        {
                            "id": "additionalGoodsServicesWorks"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "id": "042079-2025",
                    "date": "2025-07-22T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "rationale": "This modification is made under the legal ground provided in the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 8, paragraph 4 (\"Unforeseeable circumstances\"). The justification for using this ground is that the circumstances giving rise to the need for these specific works (e.g., latent defects, corrosion, and other issues discovered only after inspecting the vessel) could not reasonably have been foreseen by a diligent contracting authority before the contract was awarded. This modification does not change the overall nature of the contract, which remains a vessel refit. This contract is for works not subject to vat and therefore is correctly declared at 0% VAT. The total amount payable after all taxes & charges is therefore PS572,188.06 This modification increases the contract value but within the 50% cap permitted by this ground.",
                    "rationaleClassifications": [
                        {
                            "id": "unforseeableCircumstances"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}