--- title: "UKRI-4855 North Sea Late Cenozoic Environments" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-058255" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-058255" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-058255.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-058255.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI)" published: "2026-02-26" --- # UKRI-4855 North Sea Late Cenozoic Environments Buyer: UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI) Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-058255 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-058255) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-058255.json) ## Summary The procurement process, titled "UKRI-4855 North Sea Late Cenozoic Environments," is managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), a public authority under central government. The process involves scientific drilling and coring operations offshore in regions like the southern North Sea, Netherlands, or Denmark, focusing on geological research during the last 50 ice ages. Initially published in August 2025, various stages including tender and award have been completed with the most recent update in February 2026, indicating the tender's cancellation due to technical issues. The procurement method used was open procedure, with engagement spanning between June and September 2026. This project involves analysis in the scientific research services category, and covers offshore drilling and core drilling services. Key dates previously involved include the tender deadline extension to 12 September 2025 and further updates into late 2025 and early 2026. The tender creates opportunities for businesses specialising in marine operations, particularly those with capabilities in offshore drilling services. Companies like Fugro UK Limited, a large enterprise with prior involvement, would be ideal candidates due to their experience and resource availability. This contract is significant in scope, involving substantial financial engagement of about 15 million euros. Businesses equipped to provide the required vessel, drill rig, and operational personnel will find promising opportunities for growth and collaboration with UKRI. Such initiatives contribute extensively to the understanding of climate and ecological impacts, making them not only commercially valuable but also scientifically significant. ## Notice The British Geological Survey (BGS), acting on behalf of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), requires a marine coring capability and suitable vessel to operate offshore southern North Sea, Netherlands or Denmark, for a scientific drilling and coring campaign for a period of 30 days (estimated) between June and September 2026 This scientific coring project seeks to extend our understanding of Earth's dynamics during the last 50 ice ages and the warmer periods between them. The North Sea Basin is an area that was heavily impacted by these ice age cycles as climate fluctuated between fully glacial to warmer-than-present conditions. The continuous sediment accumulation found in this marine environment should be thought of as a 'tape recorder' that contain an almost complete record of glacial-interglacial episodes, providing insight on Europe's past climate, ecology, and large river systems over the last ~3.3 million years. Relatively little is known about how Europe evolved during repeated ice age cycles. In this expedition, we aim to collect geological samples to gain insight into the baseline dynamics and thresholds for depositional and ecosystem regime shifts, as well as biodiversity turnover driven by rapid climate changes. This research will help us better understand the environmental responses to modern-day warming. The Contractor must be able to supply the full operational spread including a drill rig, the vessel, and all personnel required to operate the spread. The drilling platform must be capable of recovering core to at least 1200m below seafloor in shallow water depths (28m or 60m). UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice: 2025/S 000-014119 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017206-2026 | | Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Large | | All stages | Tender, Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 26 Feb 2026 | | Submission deadline | 12 Sep 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 3 Nov 2025 | | Contract period | 1 Dec 2025 - 30 Sep 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £15,000,000 | | Lots value | £15,000,000 | | Awards value | £14,883,062 | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Cancelled | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI) | | Additional buyers | Missing | | Locality | SWINDON, WILTSHIRE | | Post town | Swindon | | Postcode | SN2 1FL | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon | | Local authority | Swindon | | Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney | | Westminster constituency | Swindon North | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | FUGRO | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 76 - Services related to the oil and gas industry ### Codes - 76320000 - Offshore drilling services - 76340000 - Core drilling ## Release History - 26 Feb 2026 at 10:56 - TenderCancellation - UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017206-2026 - 3 Nov 2025 at 14:41 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070507-2025 - 22 Aug 2025 at 10:07 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050796-2025 - 6 Aug 2025 at 10:56 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046462-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017206-2026 26th February 2026 - Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070507-2025 3rd November 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050796-2025 22nd August 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046462-2025 6th August 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://ukri2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MTm0000077Z8HMAU&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County= - https://ukri2.my.site.com - https://www.fugro.com/ - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.ukri.org/ ## 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-058255. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-058255.json.