---
title: "Purchase of CL61 Ceilometer Lidars"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-066a27"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066a27"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066a27.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066a27.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MET OFFICE"
published: "2026-03-26"
---

# Purchase of CL61 Ceilometer Lidars

Buyer: MET OFFICE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-066a27

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## Summary

The Met Office, a central government authority located in Exeter, UK, has completed a procurement process involving the purchase of two CL61 Ceilometer Lidars, commonly used as meteorological instruments within the Volcanic Ash Observer Network. The tender, identified under DN806726, was executed through a direct award method, justified by technical reasons and the absence of competition. The procurement process was initiated by tender on 13th March 2026, culminating in an active contract award on 26th March 2026, with the contract period starting from 1st April 2026 and lasting until 31st March 2036. The primary supplier involved in this contract is Vaisala Limited, based in Birmingham, with the contract valued at €130,678.40.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in the provision and innovation of meteorological instruments, particularly those with technical capabilities that match the unique requirements of the Met Office. Companies operating in similar domains or possessing unique technological solutions might find lucrative opportunities in future procurement initiatives of this nature. As the contract was awarded through a direct award process due to specific technical needs, businesses that can demonstrate specialised expertise and minimal competition are well-positioned to compete in related tenders. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with cutting-edge capabilities could particularly benefit from tapping into this sector.

## Notice

Purchase of 2 CL61 Ceilometer Lidars

### Procurement Information

The conditions of Paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023, have been met in relation to an award of a public contract (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, i.e. only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028050-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2036 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £130,678 |
| Contracts value | £130,678 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| 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 | 1 |
| Supplier names | VAISALA |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 38120000 - Meteorological instruments

## Release History

- 26 Mar 2026 at 15:09 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028050-2026
- 17 Mar 2026 at 13:16 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024046-2026
- 13 Mar 2026 at 15:17 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023114-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028050-2026
  26th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024046-2026
  17th March 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023114-2026
  13th March 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.vaisala.com
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

## 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-066a27. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066a27.json.