Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract award notice
Published 17 Mar 2026, 15:25 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Purchase of Cable Aviodance Tools

Official notice

Authority: NORTHERN GAS NETWORKS LIMITED (Public body)

Direct awardUtilities
Sectors: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Awarded value£724,747published award · inc. VAT
Awarded 17 Mar 2026no call for competition
Awarded to Radiodetection Ltd

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Scope of this Contract/Procurement relates solely to the purchase of Cable Aviodance Tools (CAT & Genny units).

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has consistently deployed Radiodetection equipment for several years, with all operatives trained on this standardised kit. Maintaining a single, familiar equipment type is central to minimising user error and ensuring consistent operational safety. NGN's workshop depots provide majority of in-house servicing, repair, and eCert-level calibration, enabling efficient turnaround and continuity of operations. Replacement units are issued during servicing to avoid downtime, supporting uninterrupted field activity.

The main deliverable of this procurement is the continued supply of approved CAT and Genny units, with future purchases made on an ad-hoc basis to replace equipment that is beyond economic repair due to wear or damage. Retaining the existing supplier avoids the need for retraining, prevents inconsistencies between differing equipment types, and mitigates the increased risk of cable strikes associated with unfamiliar tools.

The purpose of this procurement is to maintain a reliable, standardised, and safety-focused equipment base across the full NGN geography, ensuring continuity of service, operational efficiency, and effective cable-strike prevention.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

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
Utilities
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
17 Mar 2026, 15:25 GMT
Last source update
2 Apr 2026, 15:19 BST
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-031032
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-066c87 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement
Published justification

Changing supplier would cause incompatibility or disproportionate technical difficulty:

1 - Operatives are fully trained on this equipment - therefore removing the cost and down time for new training.

2 - Compatiblity is required as NGN's workshop depots provide majority of in-house servicing, repair, and eCert-level calibration, enabling efficient turnaround and continuity of operations.

3 - Disproportionate technical difficulty of switching supplier

Retaining the existing supplier avoids the need for retraining, prevents inconsistencies between differing equipment types, and mitigates the increased risk of cable strikes associated with unfamiliar tools.

The purpose of this procurement is to maintain a reliable, standardised, and safety-focused equipment base across the full NGN geography, ensuring continuity of service, operational efficiency, and effective cable-strike prevention.

Notice history

3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Mar 2026
  1. Transparency notice published
    17 Mar 2026, 15:25 GMT
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    2 Apr 2026, 15:19 BST
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    1 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value (inc. VAT) £724,7471 award inc. VAT; no net value published
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Radiodetection LtdSMEPurchase of Cable Avoidance Tools1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2029 · up to 30 Jun 2031Extensions: The contract has the option to extend for 2 x 1 years£724,747 inc. VAT17 Mar 2026Awarded

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NORTHERN GAS NETWORKS LIMITED

Contracting authorityPrivate utility GB-COH: 05167070 · GB-PPON: PRNB-9357-PVLR 1100 Century Way, Colton Leeds, Yorkshire & Humber, LS15 8TUContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • RADIODETECTION LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 01334448GB-PPON: PLGM-1764-MYCP Western Drive, Bristol, South West, BS14 0AFContact email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender