Notice Information
Notice Title
Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms
Notice Description
The National Oceanography Centre has awarded a contract for the provision of autonomous underwater glider platforms to support oceanographic research and operational activities. The contract covers the supply of fully configured buoyancy-driven underwater gliders, together with associated scientific payloads, ancillary equipment, delivery, and acceptance arrangements. The platforms will be used to support both deep-water and shallow-water operations and are intended to integrate with the National Oceanography Centre's existing operational and data handling infrastructure.
Procurement Information
Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement This direct award is made in reliance on Schedule 5, paragraph 7 of the Procurement Act 2023. The proposed contract concerns the supply of goods by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, and partial replacement of, existing autonomous underwater glider platforms currently operated by the National Oceanography Centre. The existing platforms are integrated into established operational, command and control, data handling, maintenance, and training arrangements. A change of supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods that are different from, and incompatible with, the existing platforms and supporting infrastructure. This incompatibility would require significant changes to operational systems, software, data processing workflows, spares, tooling, and staff training. The resulting differences would give rise to disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance, including increased operational risk, loss of continuity in research capability, and additional cost and time to implement and validate alternative systems. These impacts would be beyond what could reasonably be justified for the scope and value of this requirement. The direct award is therefore necessary to ensure continuity of operations, compatibility with existing systems, and the effective delivery of NOC's research and operational objectives, in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 5, paragraph 7.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-065b32
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028793-2026
- 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
- Large
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
-
- CPV Codes
35512400 - Unmanned underwater vehicles
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £1,005,848 £1M-£10M
- Contracts Value
- £1,005,848 £1M-£10M
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 28 Mar 20261 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 24 Feb 20262 months ago
- Contract Period
- 30 Mar 2026 - 30 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
- 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
- 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
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028793-2026
28th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017459-2026
26th February 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016536-2026
24th February 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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-065b32-2026-03-28T09:35:21Z",
"date": "2026-03-28T09:35:21Z",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-065b32",
"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": {
"url": "https://noc.ac.uk/",
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
}
]
}
},
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PVLD-7113-RTZD",
"name": "Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PVLD-7113-RTZD"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "49 Edgerton Dr.",
"locality": "North Falmouth",
"postalCode": "02556",
"country": "US",
"countryName": "United States",
"region": "US"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "webbresearch@teledyne.com"
},
"roles": [
"supplier"
],
"details": {
"url": "https://www.teledynemarine.com/brands/webb-research",
"scale": "large",
"vcse": false,
"publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
"shelteredWorkshop": false
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-COH-11444362",
"name": "National Oceanography Centre"
},
"tender": {
"id": "2026PRNOC-1111",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms",
"description": "The National Oceanography Centre has awarded a contract for the provision of autonomous underwater glider platforms to support oceanographic research and operational activities. The contract covers the supply of fully configured buoyancy-driven underwater gliders, together with associated scientific payloads, ancillary equipment, delivery, and acceptance arrangements. The platforms will be used to support both deep-water and shallow-water operations and are intended to integrate with the National Oceanography Centre's existing operational and data handling infrastructure.",
"status": "complete",
"procurementMethod": "direct",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
"procurementMethodRationale": "Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement This direct award is made in reliance on Schedule 5, paragraph 7 of the Procurement Act 2023. The proposed contract concerns the supply of goods by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, and partial replacement of, existing autonomous underwater glider platforms currently operated by the National Oceanography Centre. The existing platforms are integrated into established operational, command and control, data handling, maintenance, and training arrangements. A change of supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods that are different from, and incompatible with, the existing platforms and supporting infrastructure. This incompatibility would require significant changes to operational systems, software, data processing workflows, spares, tooling, and staff training. The resulting differences would give rise to disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance, including increased operational risk, loss of continuity in research capability, and additional cost and time to implement and validate alternative systems. These impacts would be beyond what could reasonably be justified for the scope and value of this requirement. The direct award is therefore necessary to ensure continuity of operations, compatibility with existing systems, and the effective delivery of NOC's research and operational objectives, in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 5, paragraph 7.",
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"status": "complete"
}
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "conflictOfInterest",
"documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
"description": "Not published"
}
],
"riskDetails": "There is a risk that changes in manufacturing costs, component availability, or supplier input pricing during the contract period could result in adjustments to the overall contract value, particularly where specialist components or sub-assemblies are subject to market volatility. There is a risk that delays arising from export controls, customs processes, shipping constraints, or bonded warehouse arrangements could result in additional costs related to storage, logistics, insurance, or revised delivery arrangements. There is a risk that issues identified during testing and acceptance may require remedial work, reconfiguration, or replacement of components, which could lead to variations in scope and associated changes to contract value. There is a risk that changes in operational or research requirements during the delivery period could necessitate agreed modifications to the configuration, delivery sequencing, or acceptance arrangements, potentially impacting the overall contract price. There is a risk that fluctuations in exchange rates between contract signature and payment milestones could affect the total contract cost where pricing is denominated in a foreign currency.",
"procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
{
"id": "additionalRepeatExtensionPartialReplacement"
},
{
"id": "singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons"
}
]
},
"awards": [
{
"id": "1",
"title": "Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms",
"status": "active",
"value": {
"amountGross": 1207017.6,
"amount": 1005848,
"currency": "USD"
},
"mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
"aboveThreshold": true,
"suppliers": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PVLD-7113-RTZD",
"name": "Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research"
}
],
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "35512400",
"description": "Unmanned underwater vehicles"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKJ32",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKJ32",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKJ32",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2026-03-31T00:00:00+01:00",
"endDate": "2028-03-30T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"relatedLots": [
"1"
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "016536-2026",
"documentType": "awardNotice",
"noticeType": "UK5",
"description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016536-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-24T14:51:27Z",
"format": "text/html"
},
{
"id": "017459-2026",
"documentType": "awardNotice",
"noticeType": "UK6",
"description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017459-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-26T15:08:58Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
],
"milestones": [
{
"id": "1",
"type": "futureSignatureDate",
"dueDate": "2026-03-23T23:59:59Z",
"status": "scheduled"
}
],
"date": "2026-02-26T00:00:00Z",
"standstillPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-03-09T23:59:59+00:00"
}
}
],
"language": "en",
"contracts": [
{
"id": "1",
"awardID": "1",
"status": "active",
"period": {
"startDate": "2026-03-31T00:00:00+01:00",
"endDate": "2028-03-30T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"value": {
"amountGross": 1207017.6,
"amount": 1005848,
"currency": "USD"
},
"aboveThreshold": true,
"dateSigned": "2026-03-25T00:00:00Z",
"noAgreedMetricsRationale": "Key Performance Indicators have not been set for this contract as the scope relates to a short-term and/or low-complexity requirement where performance can be adequately managed through standard contractual terms, service specifications, and day-to-day operational oversight. The services are clearly defined, outcomes are binary in nature (delivered or not delivered), and any performance issues can be readily identified and addressed through routine contract management and escalation mechanisms. The introduction of formal KPIs would not provide additional assurance or value beyond existing controls and would be disproportionate to the nature, risk, and duration of the contract.",
"documents": [
{
"id": "028793-2026",
"documentType": "contractNotice",
"noticeType": "UK7",
"description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028793-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-03-28T09:35:21Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
]
}
]
}