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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract performance notice
Published 22 Dec 2025, 12:20 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

FMDG Persistent Oceanographic Data Collect

Official notice

Authority: Ministry of Defence (Central government)

Direct awardDefence & security
Sectors: Transport Equipment & Vehicles (34) Delivery: UK
Awarded value£10,000,000published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 3 Feb 2026no call for competition
Awarded to Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Royal Navy intends to award a 2-year contract to Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research for up to 15 gliders and supporting systems.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: UK
34721000 Gliders

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Defence & security
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
22 Dec 2025, 12:20 GMT
Last source update
1 Sept 2026, 13:56 BST
Authority reference
715738451
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-082671
Latest notice
Contract performance notice (UK9)
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05fb72 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

The Royal Navy intends to award a 2-year contract to Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research for up to 15 gliders and supporting systems. This approach is lawful under Schedule 5, paragraphs 6 and 7 of the Procurement Act 2023, as competition is absent for technical reasons and a change in supplier would result in incompatibility and disproportionate technical difficulties.

Compatibility Context: Teledyne is the original equipment manufacturer and sole holder of proprietary design and integration protocols for the Royal Navy’s existing glider fleet (nine Teledyne Slocum Gliders). These gliders are integrated into MOD’s underwater battlespace architecture, including command-and-control systems and secure data exchange with strategic partners.

Disproportionate Technical Difficulties:

  • Interoperability: Alternative gliders may fail to meet NATO-standard interoperability and encryption requirements, creating vulnerabilities in classified mission data exchange.
  • Safety Risks. Currently only Teledyne Gliders have a safety Case for Royal Navy Operations. New gliders will require new safety policy and permissions.
  • Operational Delays: Integration with existing systems would require extensive re-engineering and validation, delaying capability potentially up to 12–18 months.
  • Cost Impact: Additional costs for bespoke middleware, retraining, support, and duplicating spares inventory would exceed the contract value. Note: RN has a funded two year sole Teledyne Glider Support Contract. A different glider contract will require additional funds for support and interoperability provision. Not scoped currently.
  • Mission Continuity: Introducing a second platform would double logistic complexity and increase failure points during deployments.

These difficulties are disproportionate because they would compromise safety, delay delivery, and impose costs far beyond the contract value, with no operational benefit. Teledyne remains the only supplier able to guarantee seamless interoperability, security compliance, and mission readiness into the Current RN Glider Fleet.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

12 Feb 2026 → 1 Sept 2026 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends249 days ago
    12 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  2. Notice published49 days ago
    1 Sept 2026, 13:56 BST

Notice history

7 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 Dec 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    22 Dec 2025, 12:20 GMT
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    3 Feb 2026, 23:45 GMT
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    28 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  4. Contract details notice published
    29 Mar 2026, 19:20 BST
    UK7
  5. Contract details notice published
    16 Apr 2026, 22:11 BST
    UK7
  6. Contract performance notice published
    22 Jun 2026, 20:28 BST
    UK9
  7. Contract performance notice published
    1 Sept 2026, 13:56 BST
    UK9
Routine re-releases (6)
  • 2026-03: 1 release · 29 Mar 2026
  • 2026-02: 1 release · 3 Feb 2026
  • 2025-12: 1 release · 22 Dec 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £10,000,0001 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 16 Mar 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research1 Mar 2026 – 31 Mar 2028 · up to 31 Mar 2030Extensions: Contract can be extended if additional items and/or support is purchased prior to 31/03/28 and requires and warranty period. · Options: Contract is for an initial value of £6,666,666 (excluding VAT)/£8,000,000 (including VAT) with option to increaase value to £10,000,000 (excluding VAT)/£12,000,000 (including VAT) to purchase additional equipment and/or support.£10,000,0003 Feb 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • FMDG Persistent Oceanographic Data Collect · Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research

    Signed
    16 Mar 2026
    Value
    £10,000,000
    Period
    16 Mar 2026 – 31 Mar 2028
    Status
    active
    Options
    Contract is for an initial value of £6,666,666 (excluding VAT)/£8,000,000 (including VAT) with option to increaase value to £10,000,000 (excluding VAT)/£12,000,000 (including VAT) to purchase additional equipment and/or support.
    • Change Correction to maximum contract value which had an incorrect entry on original version of the notice.
    3 agreed KPIs: Delivery of equipment within agreed timescales · Equipment functional on delivery · Support provided when required
    • Delivery of equipment within agreed timescales, Number of days delivered after agreed date
    • Equipment functional on delivery, Number of items which are not fully functional on delivery
    • Support provided when required, Number of instances of required support not being provided
    • Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Delivery of equipment within agreed timescales · to 30 Jun 2026
    • Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Equipment functional on delivery · to 30 Jun 2026
    • Good - performance is meeting or exceeding the KPI Support provided when required · to 30 Jun 2026
    • Other - performance cannot be rated good, approaching target, requires improvement or inadequate Delivery of equipment within agreed timescales · to 31 Mar 2026
    • Other - performance cannot be rated good, approaching target, requires improvement or inadequate Equipment functional on delivery · to 31 Mar 2026
    • Other - performance cannot be rated good, approaching target, requires improvement or inadequate Support provided when required · to 31 Mar 2026

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Ministry of Defence

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ Navy Commercial, NCHQ, Whale Island, Portsmouth, South East, PO2 8BYContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (7)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure