---
title: "Met Office Academic Partnership Science Framework"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-032581"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-032581"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032581.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032581.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MET OFFICE"
published: "2022-10-13"
---

# Met Office Academic Partnership Science Framework

Buyer: MET OFFICE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-032581

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## Summary

The Met Office has recently awarded the contract for the Academic Partnership Science Framework to several UK universities. The framework covers various research and development services and related consultancy services. The contract involves 13 lots, including Joint Chair Services, Hazard to Decision Making, and Next Generation Modelling Systems. The total contract value is £8,000,000, and the contract was signed on 30th September 2022.

This tender opportunity provides UK universities with the chance to collaborate with the Met Office on cutting-edge research projects across different themes. Businesses in the research and development sector, particularly those with expertise in weather and climate prediction, are well-suited to compete for contracts under this framework. The procurement process involved review procedures advised by the Met Office Legal Team to ensure transparency and compliance.

## Notice

The Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP) is a cluster of research excellence bringing together the Met Office and leading UK Universities through a formal collaboration to advance the science and skill of weather and climate prediction.

### Lot Information

Joint Chair Services

To foster the Partnership the Met Office invests in jointly funded chairs ('MOAP Joint Chair Services') with partner Universities. Up to 8 Universities will be awarded a place on Lot 1 to deliver Joint Chair Services.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Renewal of the Joint Chair contracts will be aligned to the delivery of the R&I strategy and subject to year on year funding.

Hazard to decision making

Hazard to Decision Making Research and Innovation Theme Expand and improve our services for stakeholders' risk-based decision making by working with users, social scientists, behavioural scientists, financial impact experts and engineers to gain an increased understanding of the impacts of hazards and to develop better impact based services.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Research to Production

Research to Production Theme Pull through developments in weather and climate research to improve our forecast systems, tailored to services in the forecasting timescales of primary interest to the Met Office and its customers.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Producing, Refining and Delivering data

Producing, Refining and Delivering data Theme Develop the Met Office supercomputing estate for operations and research, establish the technology and science needed to move, store and process our data, and design a flexible post-processing framework to turn predictions and observations into customer products.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Seamless Environmental Prediction

Seamless Environmental Prediction Theme Further develop our world-leading seamless environmental prediction capability, whereby a single model family is used in conjunction with observations and theory, to quantify weather hazards in the past, in present day climate and into the future across weather and climate timescales.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Next Generation Modelling Systems

Next Generation Modelling Systems Theme Revolutionise the Met Office's complete weather and climate research and operational simulation systems so that the Met Office and its partners are ready to fully exploit future generations of supercomputer.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Fusing Simulation with Data Sciences

Fusing Simulation with Data Sciences Theme Use new and evolving data science methods such as artificial intelligence and machine learning and advanced data assimilation in order to remain at the cutting edge of weather and climate prediction and impact-based services.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

The Path to High Resolution

The Path to High Resolution Theme In order to better predict hazards and extremes, develop the next generation of very high resolution global and regional environmental prediction systems, based on global convection-permitting atmosphere models coupled to eddy-resolving ocean models and eddy-permitting regional atmosphere models coupled to estuary-resolving shelf-seas models.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Producing and Exploiting Ensembles

In order to include forecasts of uncertainty at the heart of our endeavour, develop ensemble based systems and exploit them for prediction across timescales, while developing new and novel uses of ensemble information for improved understanding of weather and climate.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Capturing Environmental Complexity

Capturing Environmental Complexity Theme In order to pioneer new and improved impact based forecast services and advice on global climate change mitigation, extend our environmental prediction capability with a focus on cities, air quality, the water cycle, and carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Technology Architecture and Innovation

The Met Office is looking to develop a federated cloud data platform for Met Office and partner scientists and experts. This will mean developing appropriate standards for data and cloud service interoperability, enhancing opportunities for collaboration on weather and climate domain protocols, APIs, and architectures; and developing a high level platform service model for weather and climate domain users, such as supercomputing services, data/model cataloguing and discovery, adhoc query engines over massive data sets, cross platform data notification and pipelining from modelling through to data services.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Advancing Observations

The Met Office is seeking a step change in its observational capability to deliver what is needed in the 2030s through realising the value of third party and opportunistic observations. This will mean enhancing benefits from underpinning reference and baseline observation networks; systemically enabling access to non traditional and third party observational data; identifying opportunities to assess low Technology Readiness Level observational opportunities for viability; and developing methodologies to exploit these data.

Renewal: Renewal of the framework will be every 4 years. Contracts under Lots 2 to 12 will be let on an as and when required basis in line with the R&I Strategy to deliver the work.

Co-Sponsorship Agreements

Co-Sponsorship Agreements may be available for up to 8 Universities (The same Universities who achieve a Joint Chair Services place on Lot 1). These agreements are approximately 10 in number per annum covering various jointly funded key personnel to support delivery of MOAP research projects.

Renewal: Renewal to be completed every 48 months

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028822-2022 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 13 Oct 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Jun 2022 |
| Future notice date | 14 Apr 2022 |
| Award date | 29 Sep 2022 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | This framework will be completed every 4 years unless a different route to market is chosen. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £8,000,000 |
| Lots value | £1,600,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £8,000,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MET OFFICE |
| Locality | EXETER |
| Post town | Exeter |
| Postcode | EX1 3PB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK4 Devon |
| ITL 3 | TLK43 Devon CC |
| Local authority | Exeter |
| Electoral ward | Pinhoe |
| Westminster constituency | Exmouth and Exeter East |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 8 |
| Supplier names | UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON; UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM; UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL; UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH; UNIVERSITY OF EXETER; UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS; UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; UNIVERSITY OF READING |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73400000 - Research and Development services on security and defence materials

## Release History

- 13 Oct 2022 at 11:57 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028822-2022
- 21 Apr 2022 at 14:38 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010397-2022
- 23 Mar 2022 at 16:05 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007911-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.metoffice.gov.uk
- https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=2d064d34-4cab-ec11-8112-005056b64545
- https://www.gov.uk/check-a-university-is-officially-recognised/recognised-bodies

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-032581. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032581.json.