Provision of Ocean Bottom Seismometers

Published facts

What the notice says

Buyer

National Oceanography Centre

Published status

complete

Latest release reference

070335-2025

CPV codes

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) codes: 38290000

Published tags

award, contract

Latest record Bidwake loaded from this source

27 Aug 2026

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has entered into a contract following an open procedure conducted under section 20(2)(a) of the Procurement Act 2023. The competition allowed any interested and qualified supplier to submit a tender, and the process was carried out in full compliance with the Act and associated Regulations. All tender documentation, including the specification, was made available through the MyTenders portal. Evaluation was undertaken in accordance with the published Invitation to Tender methodology. This included compliance checks against mandatory requirements and pass/fail criteria, scoring of qualitative and technical responses against weighted criteria, pricing evaluation using the stated formula, and overall ranking based on combined quality and price scores to identify the most economically advantageous tender. Due diligence checks were completed prior to award, and a mandatory standstill period was observed before contract signature. Under this contract, the supplier will provide a pool of broadband ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) systems for deep-ocean research, together with one complete deck communications and seabed-ranging system, plus commissioning support, documentation and warranties. These systems will support geohazard monitoring, seismic and acoustic studies, and wider marine science. Delivery is required by 31 March 2026 to enable mobilisation for Spring 2026 expeditions. The OBS pool will be deployed worldwide, including depths of at least 6,000 m, across a broad temperature range, and must support long-duration deployments on varied seabed conditions for both passive and active seismic studies. The contract includes: - Fully delivered pricing for three options detailed in Schedule 6, each including the deck communications system. - Deployment consumables for each instrument (anchors, burn wire where applicable, batteries for extended deployments). - Complete documentation covering assembly, deployment, recovery, data workflows and safety considerations. - Commissioning support to bring the pool into service. Warranties and servicing: The supplier will warrant electronic and datalogger components, sensors and mechanical elements for at least 12 months and provide any manufacturer-advised servicing or calibrations for the seismometer within the first five years of ownership. Future compatible firmware, software and data processing updates are also included. Logistics and timetable: All equipment, consumables and documentation will be delivered no later than 31 March 2026 to enable pre-cruise testing, training and mobilisation for the Spring 2026 expedition window. Delivery includes all logistics necessary to place the equipment into NOC's custody, ready for commissioning activities.

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Observed notice trail

How the published record developed

Events follow the publisher date where one is available. “Seen by Bidwake” is the date this service first found the record.

1. Tender notice observed

   5 Sept 2025

   Latest variant observed by Bidwake on 16 Jul 2026.

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   Record references

   Release reference

   054444-2025

   Published tags

   tender

2. Tender record updated

   5 Sept 2025

   Latest variant observed by Bidwake on 16 Jul 2026.

   Open this official Find a Tender notice

   Record references

   Release reference

   054447-2025

   Published tags

   tenderUpdate

3. Award notice observed

   9 Oct 2025

   Latest variant observed by Bidwake on 16 Jul 2026.

   Open this official Find a Tender notice

   Record references

   Release reference

   063660-2025

   Published tags

   award, contract

4. Award notice observed

   3 Nov 2025

   Latest variant observed by Bidwake on 16 Jul 2026.

   Open this official Find a Tender notice

Awards and suppliers

Published award and contract facts

• Provision of Ocean Bottom Seismometers

  Buyer: National Oceanography CentreSupplier: Guralp Systems Limited

  End date in notice

  31 Mar 2027Date from the linked contract

  Value shown in notice

  £370,833Value from the linked contract

  Official source

  Open the official Find a Tender notice for Provision of Ocean Bottom Seismometers

  About this figure

  • This figure comes from the linked contract record. Overall totals continue to use the separately published award value.
  • The values published for the award and the linked contract do not agree, so Bidwake keeps them separate.
  • The dates published for the award and the linked contract do not agree. A contract end date is shown only when the linked records agree.

  View record references

  Source

  Find a Tender

  Award or lot reference

  1

Related evidence

Published terms and linked processes

• Options are statedLot 1

  Single‑unit purchase Informational pricing is requested for the purchase of one additional OBS unit. This option provides flexibility for incremental expansion if additional funding becomes available after contract award. It also serves as a contingency measure if an instrument is lost or damaged and needs to be replaced to maintain operational continuity. Single‑unit rental Informational pricing is requested for the rental of one OBS unit. This option offers a short‑term solution if manufacturing lead times or logistics threaten the Spring 2026 deployment schedule. It can also be used to temporarily increase the instrument pool for specific campaigns without committing to a full capital purchase. Extended warranty A year‑on‑year renewable warranty is available for up to four additional years beyond the initial 12‑month warranty period. This extension ensures long‑term support, predictable maintenance costs and continued access to servicing and updates. Each extension can be exercised annually at the buyer's discretion, providing flexibility to align with budget cycles and asset management plans. The Authority reserves the right to consider refurbished OBS units as part of future capability requirements. Should the market demonstrate that refurbished units offer a viable value-for-money solution, the Authority may initiate a separate procurement process or modify the awarded contract, subject to regulatory compliance. The Authority may consider contract modification under Section 74(1)(a) and Schedule 8(1) & (5) of the Procurement Act 2023 to include additional or refurbished OBS units, should the successful supplier be capable of supplying them and should such a need arise post-award.

  Repeated in 2 notices; the most recent statement is shown.Published 5 Sept 2025.Open supporting notice 054447-2025
• Renewal information is statedLot 1

  Extended warranty A year‑on‑year renewable warranty is available for up to four additional years beyond the initial 12‑month warranty period. This extension ensures long‑term support, predictable maintenance costs and continued access to servicing and updates. Each extension can be exercised annually at the buyer's discretion, providing flexibility to align with budget cycles and asset management plans. These extensions also cover the optional uptakes covered within the ITT.

  Repeated in 2 notices; the most recent statement is shown.Published 5 Sept 2025.Open supporting notice 054447-2025
• Recurrence is stated