Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms

{
  "awards": [
    {
      "aboveThreshold": true,
      "contractPeriod": {
        "endDate": "2028-03-30T23:59:59+01:00",
        "startDate": "2026-03-31T00:00:00+01:00"
      },
      "documents": [
        {
          "datePublished": "2026-02-24T14:51:27Z",
          "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
          "documentType": "awardNotice",
          "format": "text/html",
          "id": "016536-2026",
          "noticeType": "UK5",
          "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016536-2026"
        }
      ],
      "id": "1",
      "items": [
        {
          "additionalClassifications": [
            {
              "description": "Unmanned underwater vehicles",
              "id": "35512400",
              "scheme": "CPV"
            }
          ],
          "deliveryAddresses": [
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              "countryName": "United Kingdom",
              "region": "UKJ32"
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          "id": "1",
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      ],
      "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
      "milestones": [
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          "id": "1",
          "status": "scheduled",
          "type": "futureSignatureDate"
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      "status": "pending",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-PPON-PVLD-7113-RTZD",
          "name": "Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms",
      "value": {
        "amount": 750000,
        "amountGross": 900000,
        "currency": "GBP"
      }
    }
  ],
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-COH-11444362",
    "name": "National Oceanography Centre"
  },
  "date": "2026-02-24T14:51:27Z",
  "id": "016536-2026",
  "initiationType": "tender",
  "language": "en",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-065b32",
  "parties": [
    {
      "additionalIdentifiers": [
        {
          "id": "1185265",
          "scheme": "GB-CHC"
        },
        {
          "id": "SC049896",
          "scheme": "GB-SC"
        },
        {
          "id": "PYLV-3456-PMCQ",
          "scheme": "GB-PPON"
        }
      ],
      "address": {
        "country": "GB",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "locality": "Southampton",
        "postalCode": "SO14 3ZH",
        "region": "UKJ32",
        "streetAddress": "National Oceanography Centre"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "noc_tenders@noc.ac.uk"
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        "url": "https://noc.ac.uk/"
      },
      "id": "GB-COH-11444362",
      "identifier": {
        "id": "11444362",
        "scheme": "GB-COH"
      },
      "name": "National Oceanography Centre",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ]
    },
    {
      "address": {
        "country": "US",
        "countryName": "United States",
        "locality": "North Falmouth",
        "postalCode": "02556",
        "region": "US",
        "streetAddress": "49 Edgerton Dr."
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "webbresearch@teledyne.com"
      },
      "details": {
        "scale": "large",
        "url": "https://www.teledynemarine.com/brands/webb-research",
        "vcse": false
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      "id": "GB-PPON-PVLD-7113-RTZD",
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PVLD-7113-RTZD",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
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      "name": "Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
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    }
  ],
  "tag": [
    "award",
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  "tender": {
    "description": "The National Oceanography Centre intends to directly award a contract for the supply of autonomous underwater glider platforms and associated equipment to support oceanographic research and operational programmes. This direct award will be made under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, relying on the justification in Schedule 5, paragraph 7 for extensions or partial replacements from the existing supplier. Under this provision, the public contract concerns the supply of goods by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, or partial replacement of, existing goods in circumstances where (a) a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, and (b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance.\nThe requirement is to obtain a small number of buoyancy\u2011driven underwater glider platforms with associated ancillary equipment for deployment, recovery and operational use. The goods must remain fully compatible with NOC\u0027s established command and control systems, data handling arrangements and maintenance processes to ensure continuity of operations and to avoid disproportionate technical, operational and financial impacts that would arise from introducing an alternative platform. The procurement will include delivery to NOC\u0027s facilities in Southampton, appropriate testing and acceptance prior to handover, and standard warranty arrangements commencing on acceptance. This is a pre\u2011award transparency notice; a separate UK6 Contract Award Notice will be published following completion of the award.",
    "documents": [
      {
        "description": "Not published",
        "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
        "id": "conflictOfInterest"
      }
    ],
    "id": "2026PRNOC-1111",
    "legalBasis": {
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      "scheme": "UKPGA",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
    },
    "lots": [
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        "status": "complete"
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    "procurementMethod": "direct",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
    "procurementMethodRationale": "This direct award is made in reliance on Schedule 5, paragraph 7 of the Procurement Act 2023. The proposed contract concerns the supply of goods by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, and partial replacement of, existing autonomous underwater glider platforms currently operated by the National Oceanography Centre.\nThe existing platforms are integrated into established operational, command and control, data handling, maintenance, and training arrangements. A change of supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods that are different from, and incompatible with, the existing platforms and supporting infrastructure. This incompatibility would require significant changes to operational systems, software, data processing workflows, spares, tooling, and staff training.\nThe resulting differences would give rise to disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance, including increased operational risk, loss of continuity in research capability, and additional cost and time to implement and validate alternative systems. These impacts would be beyond what could reasonably be justified for the scope and value of this requirement.\nThe direct award is therefore necessary to ensure continuity of operations, compatibility with existing systems, and the effective delivery of NOC\u0027s research and operational objectives, in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 5, paragraph 7.",
    "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "additionalRepeatExtensionPartialReplacement"
      }
    ],
    "riskDetails": "There is a risk that changes in manufacturing costs, component availability, or supplier input pricing during the contract period could result in adjustments to the overall contract value, particularly where specialist components or sub\u2011assemblies are subject to market volatility.\nThere is a risk that delays arising from export controls, customs processes, shipping constraints, or bonded warehouse arrangements could result in additional costs related to storage, logistics, insurance, or revised delivery arrangements.\nThere is a risk that issues identified during testing and acceptance may require remedial work, reconfiguration, or replacement of components, which could lead to variations in scope and associated changes to contract value.\nThere is a risk that changes in operational or research requirements during the delivery period could necessitate agreed modifications to the configuration, delivery sequencing, or acceptance arrangements, potentially impacting the overall contract price.\nThere is a risk that fluctuations in exchange rates between contract signature and payment milestones could affect the total contract cost where pricing is denominated in a foreign currency.",
    "status": "complete",
    "title": "Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms"
  }
}