---
title: "Civil Hydrography Programme Sample Analysis"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-067086"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067086"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067086.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067086.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY"
published: "2026-03-20"
---

# Civil Hydrography Programme Sample Analysis

Buyer: MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067086

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## Summary

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a central government public authority, has completed the procurement process for the "Civil Hydrography Programme Sample Analysis" project. Located in Southampton, the MCA is commissioning the British Geological Survey (BGS) for Particle Size Analysis on sediment samples connected with the UK Civil Hydrography Programme (CHP). This direct procurement, classed as below threshold without competition, recognised BGS as the sole supplier capable of fulfilling the MCA's requirements. The contract, with a gross value of £110,400, was awarded on 19 March 2026 and is scheduled to begin on 2 April 2026, running until 31 May 2031, with possible extensions until 31 March 2033 under the existing Memorandum of Understanding.

This tender presents growth opportunities for businesses specialising in research services within the hydrographic and geological sectors. Organisations with advanced technical capabilities and expertise in particle analysis are particularly well-suited to such projects, albeit this contract was directly awarded to BGS due to its unique qualifications. While direct procurement limits competition in this instance, it underscores the importance of sector-specific expertise and partnerships with government agencies for obtaining future contracts. For SMEs and VCSEs, the tender's suitability classification suggests potential openings for similar projects when expertise aligns with procurement needs.

## Notice

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) intends to commission the British Geological Survey (BGS) to undertake Particle Size Analysis (PSA) on sediment samples collected as part of the MCA-managed UK Civil Hydrography Programme (CHP). This recommendation is made in accordance with Schedule 5, paragraph 6(a) of the Procurement Act 2023. The BGS has been identified as the only supplier capable of meeting the Authority's requirements within the scope of the current need, due to its specialist technical capability and sector-specific expertise, which are essential to the delivery of the services.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025872-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 19 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Apr 2026 - 31 May 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £92,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active, Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY |
| Locality | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Post town | Southampton |
| Postcode | SO15 1EG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| ITL 3 | TLJ32 Southampton |
| Local authority | Southampton |
| Electoral ward | Banister & Polygon |
| Westminster constituency | Southampton Itchen |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73110000 - Research services

## Release History

- 20 Mar 2026 at 15:08 - AwardUpdate - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025872-2026
- 20 Mar 2026 at 15:05 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025866-2026
- 20 Mar 2026 at 14:53 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025855-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025872-2026
  20th March 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025866-2026
  20th March 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025855-2026
  20th March 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-067086. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067086.json.