Provision of Autonomous Underwater Glider Platforms

Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement

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.

The 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.

The 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.

The direct award is therefore necessary to ensure continuity of operations, compatibility with existing systems, and the effective delivery of NOC's research and operational objectives, in accordance with the conditions set out in Schedule 5, paragraph 7.