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NPL shall not be liable for the costs, expenses or losses howsoever arising (including, without limitation, any loss of profit or other economic loss incurred), regardless of the outcome of the Market Engagement.\nThe next stage in the process will be considered once this exercise has been completed.\nQuestions\nYour Organisation\n1.\tWhat is your organisation's name?\n2.\tWhat is your name and role at the organisation?\n3.\tPlease Provide a brief description of your Organisation \n4.\tPlease provide the location (s) of your organisations operational facilities (eg headquarters, manufacturing site).\nCapabilities\n5.\tDoes your organisation have the capability to deliver a solution in line with the requirements described in the Scope section of this document.\na.\tIf yes, please provide an estimated lead time for delivery from the point of contract award.\nb.\tAre there any current or upcoming commitments, capacity constraints, or resource limitations that may affect your ability to submit an offer or deliver the project.\nScope Delivery & Budget Alignment\n6.\tWould your organisation be able to deliver the full project scope independently?\nIf not, please specify which elements would require sub-contracting and identify any anticipated delivery partners (if known).\n7.\tAre there any risks, issues, or opportunities that you believe NPL should consider in relation to the delivery of this project?\n8.\tNPL's estimated budget for this project is £200,000 excluding VAT. Please confirm if delivery within this budget is feasible. If not please provide an indicative budget for a project of this nature.\nRoute to Market, Contractual Terms & Timescales\n9.\tNPL intends to conduct the Invitation to Tender (ITT) under the Flexible Procedure.\nWould your organisation be interested in participating via this route to market? If not please outline any concerns or barriers\n10.\tAre there any contract terms or commercial conditions that your organisation would consider unacceptable, or any terms that if not included would deter your participation?\nOther Considerations\n11.\tAre there any residual risks / recommendations / issues that you think we should consider when drafting the scope and the procurement strategy for this project?\nIf you have any questions, or would like to provide a response to the above, please email etenders@npl.co.uk\tto request a Preliminary Market Engagement Supplier Questionnaire \"FOR RESPONSES\" excel spreadsheet.\nPlease return all responses by 17.00, Friday 3rd April 2026" } ], "dueDate": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2026-04-03T23:59:59+01:00" } ], "status": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "scheduled" } ] } ], "documents": [ { "id": "024440-2026", "documentType": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "marketEngagementNotice" } ], "noticeType": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "UK2" } ], "description": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender" } ], "url": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024440-2026" } ], "datePublished": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z" } ], "format": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "text/html" } ] } ] }, "tender": { "id": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "ocds-h6vhtk-066d26" } ], "legalBasis": { "id": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2023/54" } ], "scheme": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "UKPGA" } ], "uri": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" } ] }, "title": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Deployment and Translation of a set of hydrophones and test panels into an underwater acoustic facility." } ], "description": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "NPL is seeking a solution for the deployment and translation of a set of hydrophones and test panels into an underwater acoustic facility. \nThe facility is an underwater acoustic calibration tank consisting of a large wooden vessel (5.5m in diameter and 4.7m deep) filled with potted water. The calibration activities will be performed with either 2 or 3 hydrophones and a test panel deployed at the mid-depth point of the vessel. The hydrophones and test panel are mounted at the end of carbon fibre poles. The design of the poles is flexible and may be adjusted to the solution (this will be the responsibility of NPL). \nThe schematic and model of the facility are available upon request by emailing etenders@npl.co.uk depict a desired concept solution including dimensions, room features and required specifications for the carriage system and interlocks.\nThe facility is operated from the first floor and the water tank expands through both the ground and first floor. The size of the room cannot be altered, but modifications to the concrete floor and steel framework are feasible for attachment/fixing of the carriage system solution. \nNPL has conducted initial research into possible solutions such as carriage systems. NPL is open to explore different solutions to meet the requirements below.\nNPL is seeking engagement from suppliers who have capability to provide a solution to the following requirements: \n•\tThe solution must be able to deploy the hydrophones and test panels into the water tank. The solution must be able to mount either existing carbon fibre poles or, with a suitable adaptor, large acoustic test panels. NPL will be responsible for the design and manufacture of the poles and adaptors, but the solution must provide a common mounting flange (to be agreed during the design phase).\n•\tThe solution must be able to translate the mounting flange in X, Y & Z, and rotate about Z.\n•\tThe required accuracy and precision of the solution is as below (these parameters can be relaxed upon agreement):\no\tX, Y & Z precision: ±0.5mm\no\tZ-rotation precision: ±0.1°\no\tMaximum X, Y & Z linearity/orthogonality deviation: 0.5mm\no\tRepeatability of position: 0.1mm\no\tMinimum linear movement (scanning step): 0.5mm\no\tMinimum speed: 0.06m/min\no\tMaximum speed: 30m/min\n•\tThe solution must have a minimum payload capability of 50kg in two of the three carriages, and a minimum payload capability of 300kg in one of the three carriages. \n•\tThe solution must be able to lift the flange out of the water to the loading position at a defined height as shown in the model. \n•\tThe solution must provide the following interlocks:\no\tInterlock door from laboratory space to loading area\no\tInterlock door from loading area to open water space\n•\tThe solution control software should be compatible with LabVIEW (others considered)\n•\tThe supplier must demonstrate that the solution complies with, as a minimum but not limited to, Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC), Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU) and Electrical Safety EN 60204.\n•\tDesign aspects such as the location of the solution control hub and operator, power and structural requirements, and IP rating will be determined during the design phase.\nThis is not an evaluation exercise and nothing in this activity will limit the opportunity to engage in any follow-on ITT." } ], "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "releaseID": "024440-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-03-18T10:36:32Z", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "38000000", "description": "Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. 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