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FMDG Persistent Oceanographic Data Collect

Ministry of Defence

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Implementation

01 Sep 2026 at 13:56

Award Notice
Implementation

22 Jun 2026 at 20:28

Award Notice
AwardUpdate

16 Apr 2026 at 22:11

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

29 Mar 2026 at 19:20

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

03 Feb 2026 at 23:45

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

22 Dec 2025 at 12:20

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence is procuring persistent oceanographic data collection equipment for Royal Navy operations. The requirement covers up to 15 underwater gliders and supporting systems, including equipment compatible with the Navy’s existing Teledyne Slocum glider fleet. The goods are intended for deployment within the United Kingdom and integration into the Ministry’s underwater battlespace architecture, including command-and-control systems and secure data exchange with strategic partners. This is a specialist defence and marine technology requirement, classified under CPV 34721000 for gliders. The buyer is the Ministry of Defence, with the Royal Navy as the operational user. Suppliers would need to provide the gliders together with the associated systems and support needed for their use in an established military capability.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded through a direct award to Teledyne Webb Research, a business unit of Teledyne Instruments, Inc. The award was made on 3 February 2026, with a standstill period ending on 12 February 2026. The contract was signed on 16 March 2026 and runs from 16 March 2026 to 31 March 2028, with a possible extension to 31 March 2030. The contract value is £10,000,000 excluding VAT and £12,000,000 including VAT. It has an initial value of £6,666,666 excluding VAT and £8,000,000 including VAT, with options to purchase additional equipment or support up to the maximum value. The single lot was completed. Competition was absent for technical reasons: changing supplier would create incompatibility, security, safety, integration and disproportionate technical difficulties under Schedule 5, paragraphs 6 and 7 of the Procurement Act 2023.

This procurement demonstrates demand for military-grade autonomous underwater gliders, supporting systems and specialist through-life support. A credible future supplier would need proven original-equipment or integration capability, proprietary design and interface knowledge, and the ability to work with existing underwater battlespace command, control, encryption and secure data-exchange systems. NATO-standard interoperability and security compliance are important, as are documented operational safety arrangements and the ability to support deployment without disrupting mission continuity. The requirement also favours suppliers able to provide responsive technical support, reliable spares and training, and to avoid duplicating logistics or requiring extensive re-engineering. Performance is measured against delivery to agreed timescales, equipment being fully functional on delivery, and support being provided when required. The selected SME supplier met all reported performance measures.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

FMDG Persistent Oceanographic Data Collect

Notice Description

The Royal Navy intends to award a 2-year contract to Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research for up to 15 gliders and supporting systems.

Procurement Information

The Royal Navy intends to award a 2-year contract to Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research for up to 15 gliders and supporting systems. This approach is lawful under Schedule 5, paragraphs 6 and 7 of the Procurement Act 2023, as competition is absent for technical reasons and a change in supplier would result in incompatibility and disproportionate technical difficulties. Compatibility Context: Teledyne is the original equipment manufacturer and sole holder of proprietary design and integration protocols for the Royal Navy's existing glider fleet (nine Teledyne Slocum Gliders). These gliders are integrated into MOD's underwater battlespace architecture, including command-and-control systems and secure data exchange with strategic partners. Disproportionate Technical Difficulties: * Interoperability: Alternative gliders may fail to meet NATO-standard interoperability and encryption requirements, creating vulnerabilities in classified mission data exchange. * Safety Risks. Currently only Teledyne Gliders have a safety Case for Royal Navy Operations. New gliders will require new safety policy and permissions. * Operational Delays: Integration with existing systems would require extensive re-engineering and validation, delaying capability potentially up to 12-18 months. * Cost Impact: Additional costs for bespoke middleware, retraining, support, and duplicating spares inventory would exceed the contract value. Note: RN has a funded two year sole Teledyne Glider Support Contract. A different glider contract will require additional funds for support and interoperability provision. Not scoped currently. * Mission Continuity: Introducing a second platform would double logistic complexity and increase failure points during deployments. These difficulties are disproportionate because they would compromise safety, delay delivery, and impose costs far beyond the contract value, with no operational benefit. Teledyne remains the only supplier able to guarantee seamless interoperability, security compliance, and mission readiness into the Current RN Glider Fleet.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05fb72
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082671-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

CPV Codes

34721000 - Gliders

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Dec 20258 months ago
Contract Period
16 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Ministry of Defence
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PORTSMOUTH
Postcode
PO2 8BY
Postcode Area
Portsmouth
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ31 Portsmouth
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Portsmouth
Electoral Ward
Nelson
Westminster Constituency
Portsmouth North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Teledyne Webb Research, a Business unit of Teledyne Instruments

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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