Contract

National Tide Gauge Network Support & Maintenance 2025 - 2030

  • ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-016845

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04c572 (view related notices)

Published 24 April 2025, 4:03pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Contact

Defra Group Commercial

Email

procurement@defra.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3459335577

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Buyer's address

https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Environment


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

National Tide Gauge Network Support & Maintenance 2025 - 2030

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 71351920 - Oceanography and hydrology services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The key requirements of this contract in relation to the UK National Tide Gauge Network are;
- Maintenance of 42 tide gauges to ensure the measuring performance of the gauge is compliant with the standards set in section 3
- Resolution of faults with the tide gauge measuring equipment and telemetry outstation to the standards set out in section 3
- Geodetic survey and levelling at sites to ensure datum control to the standards set out in section 3
- Engagement and communication with EA contract manager and EA Instruments and Systems team, and wider teams as necessary
- Liaison with the contractor responsible for the QA and archiving of the UKTGN data, currently British Oceanographic Data Centre.
- Liaison with landowners where our tide gauges are located to ensure continued access is retained for maintenance and repair works
- Adhering to the relevant Health and Safety and CDM regulations 2015 in the maintenance of the tide gauges.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £1,461,777.52

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 71351920 - Oceanography and hydrology services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Environment Agency owns and maintains 42 ‘Class A’ strategic tide gauges, distributed around the UK coastline on behalf of the UK Coastal Flood Forecasting partnership. These are commonly referred to as the UKCFF tide gauges or UK National Tide Gauge Network (UKTGN). The network currently consists of 21 sites in England, 10 in Scotland, 7 in Wales, 2 in Northern Ireland, 1 in Jersey and 1 in the Isle of Man. The Environment Agency is responsible for and manages all gauges in the network. Use of the data is not restricted to the operating authority boundary in which a gauge is located, for example both the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales (Wales) use the Liverpool tide gauge data in delivering their forecasting services.

These tide gauges are of critical importance in providing flood forecasting, warning, modelling, mapping and operational activities. The primary use of the network is to support the operational flood forecasting activities of the UK Flood Forecasting Authorities. The gauges are used to:
- Provide a strategic overview of real time coastal conditions around the UK.
- Track the progress of coastal surge around the UK waters.
- Develop and calibrate the coastal surge model hosted by the Met Office. 
- Produce high quality tide tables for key strategic locations in the UK for flood forecasting.
- Provide high quality archive data sets for use in coastal flood modelling and mapping applications and modelling of extreme sea levels.

The data are also used by academics and researchers for a variety of scientific uses such as monitoring mean sea level and sea level rise. Gauges at Newlyn, Stornoway and Lerwick form part of the Core GLOSS (Global Sea Level Observing System) network http://www.gloss-sealevel.org/ and are therefore of international significance. A further four gauges at Aberdeen, North Shields, Sheerness and Liverpool have been identified as key long-term trend sites for monitoring mean sea level.

The key requirements of this contract in relation to the UK National Tide Gauge Network are;
- Maintenance of 42 tide gauges to ensure the measuring performance of the gauge is compliant with the standards set in section 3
- Resolution of faults with the tide gauge measuring equipment and telemetry outstation to the standards set out in section 3
- Geodetic survey and levelling at sites to ensure datum control to the standards set out in section 3
- Engagement and communication with EA contract manager and EA Instruments and Systems team, and wider teams as necessary
- Liaison with the contractor responsible for the QA and archiving of the UKTGN data, currently British Oceanographic Data Centre.
- Liaison with landowners where our tide gauges are located to ensure continued access is retained for maintenance and repair works
- Adhering to the relevant Health and Safety and CDM regulations 2015 in the maintenance of the tide gauges.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2024/S 000-039525


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

25 March 2025

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 2

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

National Oceanography Centre Innovations Limited

European Way Southampton SO14 3ZH

Southampton

SO14 3ZH

Telephone

+44 7856281228

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

12250763

Internet address

https://noc.ac.uk/

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,461,777.52

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,461,777.52


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Public Procurement Review Body

N/A

N/A

N/A

Email

publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Public Procurement Review Body

N/A

N/A

N/A

Email

publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Public Procurement Review Body

N/A

N/A

N/A

Email

publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit