Tender

NOC Research Vessel Dry-Dock Refit and Maintenance Contract 2026

National Oceanography Centre

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-076460

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05e760

Published 24 November 2025, 1:09pm

Scope

Reference

2025PRNOC-1028

Description

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is conducting this procurement with a state of urgency under an accelerated open procedure in accordance with Section 54 of the Procurement Act 2023, which governs time limits for competitive tendering procedures. Section 54(3) and (4) permit the reduction of minimum time periods where there is a state of urgency that makes compliance with standard time limits impracticable. The procedure is being run as an open process under Section 20(2)(a) of the Act, allowing any interested and qualified supplier to submit a tender within the shortened timescale. All tender documentation, including the specification and supporting schedules, is available via the MyTenders portal.

Tenders will be evaluated according to the methodology set out in the Invitation to Tender. This includes compliance checks to ensure all mandatory requirements and pass/fail criteria are met, with non-compliant bids excluded. Qualitative and technical responses will be scored against published weighted criteria, with minimum pass marks applied where specified. Pricing will be evaluated using the stated formula, and overall ranking will be based on the combined quality and price scores to identify the most economically advantageous tender. The preferred bidder will be subject to due diligence checks, including insurance and financial verification, prior to contract award. A mandatory standstill period will apply before contract conclusion to ensure fairness and compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.

NOC seeks the provision of scheduled dry-dock refit, maintenance, and upgrade services for the research vessels RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook. The contract covers annual refit works, intermediate docking surveys, class certification renewal, equipment inspection and servicing, and minor upgrades to vessel systems including propulsion, electrical, laboratory, and deck handling equipment. All works must comply with UK health and safety legislation, marine industry best practice, and relevant classification standards. The supplier is required to provide suitable dock space and infrastructure, office accommodation for the Marine Superintendent, and facilities to support mobilisation and demobilisation. Robust management of UK-based suppliers and subcontractors is expected, with a commitment to sustainable procurement and social value. The contract allows for flexibility to address emergent works and contingency repairs as required, ensuring both vessels remain fully operational, compliant, and ready to support world-class scientific research.

Pricing must be provided on a fully delivered basis, in accordance with the requirements set out in the pricing schedule. All costs must be stated in pounds sterling and exclusive of VAT. The price submitted must remain fixed for the initial term of the contract, with provisions for indexation as detailed in the tender documents. Suppliers must ensure consistency across all pricing sections and provide commentary where required. The contract will operate on a combination of fixed-price and time-and-materials arrangements, with milestone payments structured around key project deliverables.

All documentation, including completed questionnaires, pricing schedules, and supporting evidence, must be submitted electronically via the portal by the stated deadline. Submissions must comply with all word and page limits, and any additional information must be clearly referenced to the relevant question. The successful supplier will be required to deliver the contracted services in accordance with the specification and all applicable standards, ensuring the vessels are ready for service within the defined mobilisation windows.

This UK4 notice will appear as though it has had no prior notices. This is solely due to a technical limitation of our e-tendering platform, which does not allow previous notices to be linked or referenced in the publication workflow for UK4. For transparency, the prior notices relevant to this procurement are as follows:

UK3: Planned Procurement Notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-074178

Published: 14 November 2025, 5:39pm

UK2: Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-055122

Published: 9 September 2025, 3:49pm

Please note that goods may also be purchased through this contract and due again to limitations of the etendering portal this could not be selected.

These notices remain applicable and form part of the procurement record for this process. Despite the terminology used within the terms, this procurement is for a single contract award covering two distinct vessel refit projects (RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook). While the contract terms allow for flexibility in scoping and delivery of work packages, all requirements are specified and awarded under one contract through this tender process. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a framework agreement in the sense defined by the Procurement Act 2023; there is no umbrella arrangement for future call-offs or multiple suppliers beyond the scope provided for. All works instructed under this contract are binding and form part of the awarded contract, ensuring compliance with standard contract procedures.

Total value (estimated)

£2,500,000 excluding VAT
£3,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

19 December 2025 to 18 December 2026
Possible extension to 18 December 2027
2 years

Description of possible extension:

The contract allows for a single extension of up to twelve months. This extension will only be considered under exceptional circumstances, specifically if the planned retendering of the full requirement in early 2026 is unsuccessful. It is anticipated that the extension will not be required and the contract will conclude as scheduled following a successful retendering process.

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

The contract includes an option for the supplier to provide global support services for the RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook. While the scope of the contract allows for urgent and non-planned works to be carried out worldwide, this is not a mandatory requirement and will not be evaluated as part of the tender process. The intention is to secure comprehensive global support in the full refit contract that will follow this interim arrangement. If urgent or unplanned work arises before the new contract is in place, the successful supplier under this contract may be approached to deliver these services prior to any further tendering. This ensures continuity and responsiveness for the vessels, but suppliers are not required to offer global support as part of their bid for this contract.

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

50241100 - Vessel repair services
50246100 - Dry-docking services
50245000 - Upgrading services of ships

Contract locations

UK - United Kingdom

Participation

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation

Suppliers must demonstrate sufficient legal and financial capacity to perform the contract. These can be found in full in the PSQ.

Insurance is not required to be in place before contract award. Suppliers must confirm either that they already have, or can commit to obtain prior to contract award, the following insurance cover:

Employer's Liability Insurance: £10,000,000

Public Liability Insurance: £5,000,000

Professional Indemnity Insurance: £2,000,000

Product Liability Insurance: £5,000,000

Shipyard repair liability for loss, damage or destruction of any NOC/UKRI property under the custody & control of the Supplier: £10,000,000

Audited accounts are not required for participation. Suppliers may provide summary financial information from their most recent accounts or up-to-date financial statements if audited accounts are not available.

Suppliers must confirm that their average annual turnover over the last two financial years is at least 1.5 times the estimated annual contract value.

These requirements are designed to ensure fair access for a range of

suppliers, including SMEs, while maintaining appropriate safeguards for contract delivery.

Technical ability conditions of participation

Suppliers must address all mandatory requirements set out in the Qualitative Response Questionnaire (Schedule 8) and the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), including:

From Schedule 8 (Qualitative Response Questionnaire):

1.Confirm compliance with the specification and provide an executive summary of the response.

2.Demonstrate that dry-dock and wet-dock facilities can accommodate both NOC vessels, including details of dimensions and any restrictions.

3.Confirm compliance with the Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS), with supporting certification and a description of facilities.

From the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ):

1.Provide details of up to three contracts from the past three years to demonstrate technical ability, including customer organisation, supplier name, point of contact, contract description, start and completion dates, and estimated contract value. If unable to provide contract examples, suppliers may submit an explanation and evidence of technical capacity.

2.Confirm compliance with minimum standards, including ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems), and ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code), or provide evidence of equivalent qualifications and standards.

3.Confirm the ability to accommodate the vessels within the specified project windows and provide details of dockyard availability and control over bookings.

Equivalent qualifications and standards will be accepted where appropriate, ensuring suppliers with alternative but comparable credentials are eligible to participate. All mandatory requirements must be addressed in the submission.

Particular suitability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Submission

Enquiry deadline

27 November 2025, 12:00pm

Tender submission deadline

4 December 2025, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

All tenders must be submitted electronically via www.mytenders.co.uk. Submissions by email or post will not be accepted.

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

9 December 2025

Recurring procurement

Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 31 January 2026

Award criteria

This table contains award criteria for this lot
Name	Description	Type	Weighting
Price Schedule 6 Section 2 Rate Card		Price	35.00%
Price Schedule 6 Section 1 Example Refit Scope Activities		Price	15.00%
Q8.0 Quality Management		Quality	10.00%
Q9.0 Project Management (Programme & Commentary)		Quality	10.00%
Price Schedule 6 Section 3 Goods Mark-up	Percentage Markup	Price	5.00%
Price Schedule 6 Section 4 Services Mark-up	Percentage Markup	Price	5.00%
Q5.0 Key Personnel		Quality	5.00%
Q6.0 Subcontractor Management		Quality	5.00%
Q7.0 Design Capabilities		Quality	5.00%
Q10.0 Sustainability and Social Value		Quality	5.00%

Other information

Payment terms

Please see the ITT - SCHEDULE 6 - PRICING SCHEDULE

Description of risks to contract performance

Please see Schedule 11

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure

Reduced tendering period

Yes

State of urgency - minimum 10 days

Documents

Contracting authority

National Oceanography Centre

Companies House: 11444362

European Way

Southampton

SO14 3ZH

United Kingdom

Contact name: George-Oliver Matthews

Email: tenders@noc.ac.uk

Website: http://www.noc.ac.uk

Region: UKJ32 - Southampton

Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)