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UKRI-7480 Flotation for Orkney Passage moorings

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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23 Oct 2026 at 11:32

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), through its Natural Environment Research Council, procured glass flotation spheres to provide buoyancy for oceanographic moorings in the Orkney Passage. The requirement was for bespoke spheres meeting specific requirements, rather than a general supply of marker buoys. The goods support the deployment and operation of oceanographic moorings. The procurement is classified as goods, with marker buoys as the associated product category. The purchasing organisation is UKRI, a central government research funder. The stated location is the Orkney Passage; no more specific delivery site is identified.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to RS Aqua. UKRI used a direct award below the applicable threshold, without competition. There was one lot. The award is active, and the contract is active. The contract was signed on 22 October 2026 and runs from 23 October 2026 to 28 January 2027. Its value is £35,290 excluding VAT and £42,348 including VAT. The award record does not give a separate award date or an evaluation basis. The requirement was bespoke, for glass flotation spheres for oceanographic moorings in the Orkney Passage.

The purchase demonstrates a specialist requirement for glass flotation spheres engineered to provide buoyancy to oceanographic moorings, including bespoke specifications. Suppliers seeking to compete for comparable UKRI work would need to show they can supply suitable glass spheres and meet project-specific technical requirements for marine scientific equipment. Credibility would rest on relevant product expertise, reliable supply and the ability to support mooring applications; general buoy or marine-equipment experience alone may not establish fit unless it covers this flotation requirement. The selected supplier, RS Aqua, is an SME, showing that the scale of this single-lot goods contract was within the reach of a specialist small business. The procurement was handled by direct award without competition, so capability to satisfy UKRI’s defined requirement is commercially relevant alongside price.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

UKRI-7480 Flotation for Orkney Passage moorings

Notice Description

UKRI NERC have appointed a supplier to supply glass flotation spheres for providing buoyancy to oceanographic moorings for specific bespoke requirements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078ebe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100373-2026
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
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

CPV Codes

34515100 - Marker buoys

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£35,290 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
23 Oct 2026 - 28 Jan 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON, WILTSHIRE
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Postcode Area
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

RS Aqua 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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