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plannedFind a Tender · planning

Marine Research Vessel Refit, Maintenance, Equipment and Support Services Framework

Buyer: National Oceanography Centre →

BuyerNational Oceanography Centre
Statusplanned
DeadlineNot published
Value£100,000,000
Published18 Aug 2026

What is being bought

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is looking to establish an open framework for the refit, maintenance, equipping and sustainment of its operational research vessels, including RRS James Cook and RRS Discovery, together with associated marine assets and scientific systems, across their working life. The support sought is expected to include the following broad areas, which are indicative and not exhaustive. Refit and docking support across the classification cycle, including the intermediate and special survey work falling due within it, broadly covering hull, structural and coating work, propulsion and steering intervention, tailshaft and rudder work, and the repair and renewal identified through survey. Both wet berth and dry dock coverage will be needed over the life of the framework, and the structure will be designed to accommodate suppliers offering either or both. General marine engineering and support capability, required both during refit periods and on an ongoing basis outside them, in the United Kingdom and overseas, broadly covering marine mechanical and electrical engineering, fabrication, pipework and hydraulics, HVAC, cabling and systems installation, interior works, running maintenance, defect rectification, modification, and commissioning and mobilisation to port. Support for critical vessel systems, from original equipment manufacturers and their approved partners, broadly covering propulsion, engines and gearboxes, navigation and bridge systems, communications and information and operational technology, electrical distribution and generation, safety and lifesaving systems, and control, automation and energy management, together with the inspection, overhaul, upgrade and certification these systems require. Support for marine research and survey systems, including supply, installation, integration, calibration, servicing and upgrade, broadly covering multibeam and singlebeam echo sounders, sub bottom profilers and acoustic positioning, oceanographic and environmental sensors and sensor packages, water column and seabed sampling systems, deck handling and over the side deployment equipment, and the associated data acquisition, processing and control infrastructure. Technical and professional marine services, independent of the yards, broadly covering naval architecture, marine surveying, superintendency, class liaison, project and programme management and specialist engineering consultancy. Supply of maritime hardware on a supply only basis, broadly covering equipment, spares, components and consumables, including original equipment manufacturer and approved equivalent parts. Capability for decarbonisation and environmental retrofit is of interest across all of the above. The framework is expected to be divided into lots. The lot structure, the number of suppliers appointed to each lot and the call off mechanisms will be confirmed following preliminary market engagement. Suppliers will be able to apply for one or more lots, and geographic capability, together with dry dock or wet berth capability, will be recorded at framework stage. NOC will be the sole contracting authority. The framework is expected to be established as an open framework under the Procurement Act 2023, with a duration of up to eight years, and will be reopened to new suppliers at points set out in the framework documents. Work will be ordered by call off contract on a task by task basis, covering both programmed and unplanned requirements, at yards, ports and NOC sites in the United Kingdom and overseas. Call off routes are expected to include direct award and further competition among the suppliers appointed to the relevant lot, with the applicable route set out in the framework at the outset. The estimated total value of the framework is estimated to be worth between £65,000,000 & £100,000,000 excluding VAT over its full duration. No guarantee of volume or value is given to any supplier appointed to the framework. Please note NOC intends to conduct preliminary market engagement before publishing the tender notice. Suppliers interested in taking part will be able to register through the details published with the preliminary market engagement notice.

Delivery location

UK, GB

Categories

Generators 31120000Ships and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods 34512000Fishing, emergency and other special vessels 34513000Marine equipment 34930000Surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic and hydrological instruments and appliances 38290000Repair, maintenance and associated services related to marine and other equipment 50240000Repair and maintenance services for pumps, valves, taps and metal containers and machinery 50500000Installation services of marine engines 51145000Installation services of equipment for measuring, checking, testing and navigating 51200000Engineering services 71300000Marine services 98360000

Lot details

Lot 1

No lot description published.

Statusplanned
Contract periodFrom 1 Aug 2027 to 31 Jul 2035
SME suitabilitySuitable for SMEs

What is included

ItemCategoryQuantity
1Generators, Ships and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods, Fishing, emergency and other special vessels, Marine equipment, Surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic and hydrological instruments and appliances, Repair, maintenance and associated services related to marine and other equipment, Repair and maintenance services for pumps, valves, taps and metal containers and machinery, Installation services of marine engines, Installation services of equipment for measuring, checking, testing and navigating, Engineering services, Marine servicesNot published

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 31. The category anchor is Generators (31120000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison setProceduresReported bids per procedureNamed award suppliersPrice evidence
Market: CPV division 311,1785 median · 73.8 average (291 of 1,178 with a bid count)6.3 average (341 of 1,178 with named award suppliers)Not published
Same buyer0Not publishedNot publishedNot published
Delivery region: UK31125 median · 249.5 average (75 of 311 with a bid count)16 average (88 of 311 with named award suppliers)Not published
Similar published value (0.5×–2×)612.5 median · 2.5 average (2 of 61 with a bid count)1 average (2 of 61 with named award suppliers)Not published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementYes
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleNot published
Rationale classificationsNot published
Special regimeNot published
Covered byNot published
Submission policyNot published
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetValue not published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents1
Planning milestones0

No planning milestones published.

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Documents & submission route

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-06e6ac
Latest release ID078599-2026
Latest release timestampTue Aug 18 2026 13:56:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLNot published
Tender statusplanned
Procurement methodNot published
Procurement method detailsCompetitive flexible procedure
Main procurement categoryservices
Above thresholdYes
Legal basis2023/54
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: endNot published
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadlineNot published
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender value£100,000,000
Tender lots in source1
Tender items in source1
Tender documents in source0
Awards in latest release0
Contracts in latest release0
Parties in latest release1

Notice history

DateEventReference
18 Aug 2026planning078599-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
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Complete JSON history (1 releases)
18 Aug 2026 · 078599-2026 · planning
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