Award

Contracts for Innovation: NSpOC BOREALIS Algorithm Development

  • UK Space Agency

UK6: Contract award notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-003789

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05eae9 (view related notices)

Published 16 January 2026, 10:51am



Scope

Reference

UKSAC25_0107

Description

***** THIS IS AN AWARD NOTICE, NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION *****

Eligible organisations can apply for up to £100,000, excluding VAT, to research and develop initial proof of concepts for algorithms and similar solutions that directly improve the quality of data processing being undertaken within the BOREALIS system, contributing to enhanced analysis capabilities within NSpOC.

UKSA is likely to award multiple Contracts that meet its requirements within this competition, and further competitions may be opened subsequently to those who are successful within this competition for further development work on identified solutions.

This funding is from the UK Space Agency only and applicants should note this competition is wholly run and administered by the UK Space Agency.

Applicants should note that as BOREALIS is a sovereign UK capability and this work is to develop solutions that eventually can be deployed into use, this competition is restricted to UK registered companies on grounds of national security. For the avoidance of doubt, this can include UK-registered universities.

Full details are provided in the attached Competition Brief.

This notice relates to the intended procurement for a contract which is an exempted contract under s 3(6) and Schedule 2, Part 2 (Subject-matter exempted contracts), paragraph 22 (Research and Development Services) of the Procurement Act 2023 (the 'Act'). Exempted contracts are not a public contract as defined in s3 of the Act and therefore are not required to be procured in accordance with the provisions of the Act that relate to a covered procurement.


Contract 1. UKSAC25_0107-1 NSpOC BOREALIS UCL Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £59,700 excluding VAT
  • £71,640 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 2. UKSAC25_0107-2 NSpOC BOREALIS 4Colors Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £49,500 excluding VAT
  • £59,400 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 3. UKSAC25_0107-3 NSpOC BOREALIS ICL Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £63,695.54 excluding VAT
  • £76,434.65 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 4. UKSAC25_0107-4 NSpOC BOREALIS Fira Software Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £49,500 excluding VAT
  • £49,500 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 5. UKSAC25_0107-5 NSpOC BOREALIS GMV Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £78,872.40 excluding VAT
  • £94,646.88 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 6. UKSAC25_0107-6 NSpOC BOREALIS ThinkTank Maths Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £35,484.80 excluding VAT
  • £42,581.76 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 7. UKSAC25_0107-7 NSpOC BOREALIS University of Birmingham Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £40,508.59 excluding VAT
  • £48,610.31 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract 8. UKSAC25_0107-8 NSpOC BOREALIS Aeris UK Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £85,035.12 excluding VAT
  • £102,042.14 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

2 January 2026

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

2 January 2026

Earliest date the contract will be signed

16 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • 2 months, 13 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 72212100 - Industry specific software development services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Information about tenders

  • 17 tenders received
  • 17 tenders assessed in the final stage:
    • 12 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
    • 0 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
  • 8 suppliers awarded contracts
  • 9 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)

Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure


Suppliers

4COLORS LTD

  • Companies House: 10139486
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMRH-4782-PLWT

71-75 Shelton Street

London

WC2H 9JQ

United Kingdom

Region: UKI31 - Camden and City of London

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 2. UKSAC25_0107-2 NSpOC BOREALIS 4Colors Contract

AERIS-UK LIMITED

  • Companies House: 14404427
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXMR-7876-ZMCH

107 Hartswood Road

London

W12 9NG

United Kingdom

Region: UKI33 - Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 8. UKSAC25_0107-8 NSpOC BOREALIS Aeris UK Contract

Fira Software Ltd

49 Station Road

Polegate

BN26 6EA

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ22 - East Sussex CC

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 4. UKSAC25_0107-4 NSpOC BOREALIS Fira Software Contract

GMV NSL LIMITED

  • Companies House: 03645072
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXNR-8481-XBVZ

Enterprise Centre Innovation Park

Nottingham

NG7 2TU

United Kingdom

Region: UKF14 - Nottingham

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 5. UKSAC25_0107-5 NSpOC BOREALIS GMV Contract

IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE

  • Companies House: RC000231
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHRL-7217-LGHH

The faculty Building, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road

London

SW7 2AZ

United Kingdom

Region: UKI32 - Westminster

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 3. UKSAC25_0107-3 NSpOC BOREALIS ICL Contract

ThinkTank Maths Limited

Hopetoun Gate, 8b Mcdonald Road

Edinburgh

EH7 4LZ

United Kingdom

Region: UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 6. UKSAC25_0107-6 NSpOC BOREALIS ThinkTank Maths Contract

UCL CONSULTANTS LIMITED

  • Companies House: 03332258
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCHQ-1231-DMXG

90 Tottenham Court Road

London

W1T 4TJ

United Kingdom

Region: UKI31 - Camden and City of London

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1. UKSAC25_0107-1 NSpOC BOREALIS UCL Contract

University of Birmingham

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXZT-7379-DVDJ

Edgbaston

BIRMINGHAM

B15 2TT

United Kingdom

Region: UKG31 - Birmingham

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 7. UKSAC25_0107-7 NSpOC BOREALIS University of Birmingham Contract


Contracting authority

UK Space Agency

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRTY-4245-MTJY

Quad Two Building 1st Floor, Rutherford Avenue, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus

Didcot

OX11 0DF

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire

Organisation type: Public authority - central government