Provision of Ocean Bottom Seismometers

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has entered into a contract following an open procedure conducted under section 20(2)(a) of the Procurement Act 2023. The competition allowed any interested and qualified supplier to submit a tender, and the process was carried out in full compliance with the Act and associated Regulations. All tender documentation, including the specification, was made available through the MyTenders portal.

Evaluation was undertaken in accordance with the published Invitation to Tender methodology. This included compliance checks against mandatory requirements and pass/fail criteria, scoring of qualitative and technical responses against weighted criteria, pricing evaluation using the stated formula, and overall ranking based on combined quality and price scores to identify the most economically advantageous tender. Due diligence checks were completed prior to award, and a mandatory standstill period was observed before contract signature.

Under this contract, the supplier will provide a pool of broadband ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) systems for deep-ocean research, together with one complete deck communications and seabed-ranging system, plus commissioning support, documentation and warranties. These systems will support geohazard monitoring, seismic and acoustic studies, and wider marine science. Delivery is required by 31 March 2026 to enable mobilisation for Spring 2026 expeditions. The OBS pool will be deployed worldwide, including depths of at least 6,000 m, across a broad temperature range, and must support long-duration deployments on varied seabed conditions for both passive and active seismic studies.

The contract includes:

• Fully delivered pricing for three options detailed in Schedule 6, each including the deck communications system.
• Deployment consumables for each instrument (anchors, burn wire where applicable, batteries for extended deployments).
• Complete documentation covering assembly, deployment, recovery, data workflows and safety considerations.
• Commissioning support to bring the pool into service.

Warranties and servicing:

The supplier will warrant electronic and datalogger components, sensors and mechanical elements for at least 12 months and provide any manufacturer-advised servicing or calibrations for the seismometer within the first five years of ownership. Future compatible firmware, software and data processing updates are also included.

Logistics and timetable:

All equipment, consumables and documentation will be delivered no later than 31 March 2026 to enable pre-cruise testing, training and mobilisation for the Spring 2026 expedition window. Delivery includes all logistics necessary to place the equipment into NOC's custody, ready for commissioning activities.