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Hydrographic Survey Services

Maritime & Coastguard Agency

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

31 Jul 2026 at 15:20

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

24 Apr 2026 at 14:13

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport, intends to procure hydrographic survey services for the UK Civil Hydrography Programme. The programme prioritises, surveys and maps UK waters so that nautical charts and publications remain current, safe and fit for purpose. The work supports the MCA’s statutory hydrographic obligations under the United Nations Safety of Life at Sea Convention and its wider responsibilities for maritime safety, environmental protection, search and rescue, ship safety and preventing coastal pollution. The service category is hydrographic surveying services. Activity will support waters throughout the UK, within a national government programme managed and funded by the MCA.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the MCA has set out an intention to buy and is undertaking preliminary market engagement, rather than inviting tenders. The expected procurement is above threshold, with one planned lot and an estimated value of £16.5 million excluding VAT, or £19.8 million including VAT. The anticipated contract period is 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2031, with the potential to extend to 31 March 2033. The buyer’s indicative date for the next notice is 10 May 2027. Suppliers can contribute to the Market Consultation Questionnaire, which the buyer expects to be completed by 14 September 2026. Registration on the Department for Transport’s Jaggaer eSourcing portal is required to access the consultation documents and questionnaire.

The planned lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. It should suit businesses with established hydrographic surveying capability, marine data collection expertise and the capacity to contribute to a sustained UK-wide programme. Relevant preparation includes demonstrating experience in surveying and mapping navigable waters, producing information that supports current nautical charts and publications, and working within demanding maritime safety and environmental protection requirements. Firms familiar with the United Nations Safety of Life at Sea framework and the statutory responsibilities surrounding national hydrographic information are likely to be well placed. The market consultation gives prospective suppliers an opportunity to explain their capabilities and help shape the future requirement before the planned tender stage.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Hydrographic Survey Services

Notice Description

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport. The MCA is responsible throughout the UK for implementing and developing the UK Government's maritime safety and environmental protection policy. That includes co-ordinating Search and Rescue at sea through His Majesty's Coastguard 24 hours a day, and checking that ships meet UK and international safety rules. The MCA work to prevent the loss of lives at the coast and at sea, to ensure that ships are safe, and to prevent coastal pollution: Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas. The MCA plays a unique role within Government in discharging the UK's statutory hydrographic obligations under the United Nations' Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention. The MCA funds, manages and delivers the UK Civil Hydrography Programme (CHP). The CHP is a multi-million-pound MCA-led Government initiative to prioritise, survey and map UK waters in order to keep UK nautical charts and publications current, safe and fit for purpose.

Planning Information

Market Consultation Questionnaire to be completed in the DfT eSourcing portal Jaggaer. Suppliers must register on the Department for Transport's (DfT) procurement portal (Jaggaer) in order to access the market consultation documents and respond to the questionnaire. https://dft.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ***Once logged into Jaggaer, navigate to: pqq_793 MCA Civil Hydrography Programme Review***

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068ac3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072829-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71353100 - Hydrographic surveying services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£16,500,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
10 May 20278 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2031 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
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
SO15 1EG
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
Banister & Polygon
Westminster Constituency
Southampton Itchen

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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