---
title: "Provision of Oceano R5 Acoustic Release Capital Instruments"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06818a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06818a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06818a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06818a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE"
published: "2026-04-14"
---

# Provision of Oceano R5 Acoustic Release Capital Instruments

Buyer: NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06818a

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06818a)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06818a.json)

## Summary

The National Oceanography Centre, a sub-central governmental public authority located in Southampton, United Kingdom, initiated a procurement process titled "Provision of Oceano R5 Acoustic Release Capital Instruments" within the industry category of hydrographic instruments. This tender involved direct procurement below the threshold, without competition, and has reached the award stage as of 14th April 2026, with a contract period starting from 19th March 2026 to 18th March 2027. The procurement aimed to acquire specialised equipment suited for long-term subsea deployments in harsh marine environments, supporting the centre's deep-water scientific and oceanographic operations.

This procurement provides substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in marine technology and hydrographic instruments, particularly those able to supply robust subsea equipment under challenging conditions. The contract was awarded to EXAIL LIMITED, an SME known for its expertise in subsea acoustic systems. Businesses with the capability to innovate and deliver high-quality marine technology products could potentially position themselves as key suppliers for similar future procurements by fostering relationships with prestigious organisations like the National Oceanography Centre.

## Notice

The Exail Oceano R5 is an oceanographic acoustic release designed for long-term subsea deployments in harsh marine environments. The system enables the controlled acoustic release of subsea payloads of up to 2,500 kg and is operable at water depths of up to 6,000 metres. The Oceano R5 is suited to deep-water scientific and oceanographic applications requiring robust, long-life subsea release capability. The National Oceanography Centre has procured ten of the R5's for it marine operations.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033554-2026 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 19 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | 19 Mar 2026 - 18 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £124,650 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE |
| Locality | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Post town | Southampton |
| Postcode | SO14 3ZH |
| 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 | Bargate |
| Westminster constituency | Southampton Itchen |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | EXAIL |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38292000 - Hydrographic instruments

## Release History

- 14 Apr 2026 at 08:29 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033554-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033554-2026
  14th April 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://WWW.EXAIL.COM
- https://noc.ac.uk/
- 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-06818a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06818a.json.