Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice

Published 22 Sept 2025, 16:08 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Profiling Floats for Ocean Data Collection

Official notice

Authority: Met Office (Central government)

Open framework scheme2 lotsGoodsOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable

Sectors: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38) Delivery: South West (UKK4)

Framework ceiling (notional)£1,900,000total for 2 lots · framework ceiling, not attributable revenue

Submissions closed 22 Oct 2025awarded 18 Dec 2025

Awarded to NKE Instrumentation, Swale Technologies Ltd2 awards

Framework period 3 yrsends 26 Jan 2029 · up to 26 Jan 2030 with extensions · starts 27 Jan 2026

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

The Met Office awarded a framework agreement for the following Lots:

Lot 1 - Standard floats with Iridium communications

Lot 2 - Iridium floats with bio-geochemical sensors

CPV: Meteorological instruments

How this framework works

From the published notice

Type: Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
Call-offs: call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
Bids received: 2 bids on the busiest of 2 lots · 2 suppliers appointed
Framework period: 3 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 27 Jan 2026

Published description of the framework

The most advantageous call-off contracts.

Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure

2 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lot

Lot #1Standard floats with Iridium communicationsAwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£1,890,000

Standard floats with Iridium communications (temperature, salinity and depth only).

Contract period: 27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 26 Jan 2030 with extensionsValue: £1,890,000 exc. VAT · £2,268,000 inc. VAT

Delivery: South WestEligibility: SME eligible

Extensions: Available option to extend for a further 12 month period up to a total framework duration of four (4) years.

38120000 Meteorological instruments

Lot #2Iridium floats with bio-geochemical sensorsAwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£10,000

Bio-geochemical-Argo is the extension of the Argo array of profiling floats to include floats that are equipped with additional sensors for pH, oxygen, nitrate, chlorophyll fluorescence, suspended particles and down-welling irradiance. With respect to Lot 2, it is likely that purchases of such floats may range from those with a single additional sensor (most likely dissolved oxygen) through to the full sensor suite.

Contract period: 27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 26 Jan 2030 with extensionsValue: £10,000 exc. VAT · £12,000 inc. VAT

Delivery: South WestEligibility: SME eligible

Extensions: Available option to extend for a further 12 month period up to a total framework duration of four (4) years.

38120000 Meteorological instruments

What it takes to win
i
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more

How bids were scored · same split on all 2 lots

Quality: 55%Price: 35%Social value: 10%

Published sub-criteria (3)

Specification Question Responses: 55%
Price: 35%
Social Value: 10%

Published award criteria (3)

Specification Question Responses
Social Value
Price

What this means for your bid

Price carries 35 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
“Profiling Floats for Ocean Data Collection” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Open procedure
Legal basis: UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category: Goods
Notice status: Awarded
Procurement threshold: Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Open framework scheme
Who may use this agreement: Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type: Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 22 Sept 2025, 16:08 BST
Last source update: 20 Jan 2026, 16:48 GMT
Award evaluation window: Submission end – 28 Nov 2025
Authority reference: DN783668
FTS notice number: 2025/S 000-058638
Latest notice: Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV): Meteorological instruments
Delivery area: South West (UKK4)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-059f75 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice

Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract

Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN

Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list

Appointment period ends: 22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
Submission channel: Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission: Allowed
Accepted languages: en

Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

The procurement opportunity is advertised on the ProContract portal. Suppliers who are interested in participating in this tender exercise must register their company free of charge on the ProContract eTendering portal by following this link: procontract.due-north.com/Register ↗ and search for project reference DN783668 for more information.

The deadline for tender submission is 12 noon on 22 October 2025 via the ProContract portal.

Timeline

22 Sept 2025 → 27 Jan 2026 · 7 dates

Tender notice published395 days ago
22 Sept 2025, 16:08 BST
Admission / appointment period ends365 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
22 Oct 2025, 12:00 BST
Award decision expected by327 days ago
28 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Assessment summaries sent308 days ago
18 Dec 2025
Standstill ends294 days ago
31 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Latest notice published275 days ago
20 Jan 2026, 16:48 GMT
Contract starts268 days ago
27 Jan 2026

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 Sept 2025

Tender notice published
22 Sept 2025, 16:08 BST
UK4
Contract award notice published
18 Dec 2025, 16:49 GMT
UK6
Status changed to complete
18 Dec 2025, 16:49 GMT
Contract signature expected
9 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
scheduled
Contract details notice published
20 Jan 2026, 16:48 GMT
UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Suppliers appointed 22 awards · see the list ↓

Bids received 22 from SMEs · busiest of 2 lots

Contracts signed 2latest 19 Jan 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Lot 1 · Standard floats with Iridium communications1 award
NKE InstrumentationSME, Swale Technologies LtdSME27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 · up to 26 Jan 2030Extensions: Extension option available for 12 months.	£2,152,748	18 Dec 2025	Awarded
Lot 2 · Iridium floats with bio-geochemical sensors1 award
NKE InstrumentationSME, Swale Technologies LtdSME27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 · up to 26 Jan 2030Extensions: Extension option available for 12 months.	£179,091	18 Dec 2025	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 1 · NKE InstrumentationSME, Swale Technologies LtdSME
Signed
19 Jan 2026
Value
£2,152,748
Period
27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 · up to 26 Jan 2030 with extensions
Status
active
Extensions
The Framework Agreement may be renewed at the end of the Initial Period for a further period of one (1) year ("Further Period") by the Met Office giving written notice of renewal to the Suppliers no later than 1 months prior to the expiry of the Initial Period.
Options
In order to benefit from technological developments within the product range, the Met Office reserves the right to expand the catalogue of related products incorporated into this agreement over the duration of the Framework.
3 agreed KPIs: Receipt of an Order · Delivery Dates · Accurate and timely billing of invoices
- Receipt of an Order
- Delivery Dates
- Accurate and timely billing of invoices
Contract 2 · NKE InstrumentationSME, Swale Technologies LtdSME
Signed
19 Jan 2026
Value
£179,091
Period
27 Jan 2026 – 26 Jan 2029 · up to 26 Jan 2030 with extensions
Status
active
Extensions
The Framework Agreement may be renewed at the end of the Initial Period for a further period of one (1) year ("Further Period") by the Met Office giving written notice of renewal to the Supplier no later than 1 months prior to the expiry of the Initial Period.
Options
In order to benefit from technological developments within the product range, the Met Office reserves the right to expand the catalogue of related products incorporated into this agreement over the duration of the Framework.
3 agreed KPIs: Receipt of an Order · Delivery Dates · Accurate and timely billing of invoices
- Receipt of an Order
- Delivery Dates
- Accurate and timely billing of invoices

Bid statistics published by the authority

Lot	Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
1 · Standard floats with Iridium communications	2final-stage tenders	2	0	—
2 · Iridium floats with bio-geochemical sensors	2final-stage tenders	2	0	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Met Office

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PVZW-3234-DTLY Met Office, Exeter, South West, EX1 3PBContact email

Framework contractors & participating bidders

2 commercial parties on the notice

SWALE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDFramework contractorGB-COH: 02500466GB-PPON: PBJQ-5821-HXXW 6 Greenacres Warpsgrove Lane, Chalgrove, South East, OX44 7RWContact email
nke InstrumentationFramework contractorGB-PPON: PPXP-5436-VCHN 6 Rue Gutenberg, Hennebont, FR, 56700, FRContact email

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender20 Jan 2026, 16:48 GMT
Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender20 Jan 2026, 16:48 GMT
Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender18 Dec 2025, 16:49 GMT
Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender18 Dec 2025, 16:49 GMT
Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender22 Sept 2025, 16:08 BST