Find a TenderAwardedContract award notice
Published 6 Oct 2026, 11:19 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Subsea Cable Health/security Utilising Backscatter and Established Repeater Technologies (SCHUBERT)Subsea Cable Health/security Utilising Backscatter and Established Repeater Technologies (SCHUBERT)

Official notice

Authority: NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC (Public body)

Award under frameworkUtilities
Sectors: Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: UK
Awarded value£1,343,500published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 3 Aug 2026
Awarded to UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

What is being bought

Published requirement description

With the transition away from fossil fuels and towards greater electrification of transport and heating (net zero 2050) a significant increase in electrical demand is expected over the coming decades. As a result, growth in offshore renewable power generation, "bootstrap" cables to reinforce national power grids, and international interconnects to support energy trading, are all now driving considerable investment in submarine power cable infrastructure. As cable technology and installation techniques develop, it becomes feasible to deploy ever longer subsea cables, creating new opportunities for cable construction projects. When cable spans exceed 50-100km the cost of building HVDC converter stations can be outweighed by savings due to lower transmission losses, the current trend is therefore towards construction of very long subsea HVDC cables.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Award under framework
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Utilities
Commercial structure
Call-off under a framework
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
6 Oct 2026, 11:19 BST
Last source update
6 Oct 2026, 11:19 BST
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-094166
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078179 Find a Tender
Related procedures1

Notice history

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 6 Oct 2026
  1. Contract award notice published
    6 Oct 2026, 11:19 BST
    UK6
  2. Contract signature expected
    6 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £1,343,5001 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTONSubsea Cable Health/security Utilising Backscatter and Established Repeater Technologies (SCHUBERT)6 Oct 2026 – 31 May 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: Project extensions can be on a time or funds based via an approved variation, if required.£1,343,5003 Aug 2026Awarded

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC

Contracting authorityPrivate utility GB-COH: 02366977 · GB-PPON: PHHJ-6513-BWZT 1 - 3 Strand, London, London, WC2N 5EHContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Southampton UniversityAwarded supplierGB-CHC: rc000688GB-COH: RC000668 University Road, Highfield, Southampton, South East, SO17 1BJContact email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender