Met Office awards Space Weather R2O Maintenance contract to Lancaster University

Tender information last checkedLast checked 21 Oct 2026, 16:08.

Opportunity overview

Observations from riometers can be assimilated into the Optimised D-Region Absorption Model (ODRAM). However, the riometer observations are of variable quality and, even where guidance on the quality is available from the instrument owners, this guidance can be of limited use. The objectives of this project are to create: • An assessment of the quality of the riometer data, which would automatically put quality flags on these data. As the intention is to feed the riometer observations into an operational system, the quality flags could be as simple as 'use' and 'do not use'. • An assessment of the suitability of using riometer observations within ODRAM in an operational setting.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Lancaster University

Match pending…

Contract value: £48.4k
Awarded: Not supplied
Contract signed: 20 Oct 2026
Including VAT: £58k
Award ID: 1
Status: active
Identifier: GB-PPON PHYT-3516-XDZY
Location: Lancaster, UKD44, LA14YW, United Kingdom

Classification

No classification was supplied.

Lots

Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Contract details notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id: FASTER
Status: complete
Procurement Method: selective
Procurement Method Details: Below threshold - award under framework
Competitive: No

Legal basis

Id: 2023/54
Scheme: UKPGA
Uri: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ↗

Lots and requirements

Entry 1

Id: 1
Status: complete

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1

Name: Met Office
Id: GB-PPON-PVZW-3234-DTLY

Identifier

Scheme: GB-PPON
Id: PVZW-3234-DTLY

Address

Street Address: Met Office
Locality: Exeter
Postal Code: EX1 3PB
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKK43

Contact

Email: procurement.enquiries@metoffice.gov.uk

Roles

buyer

Details

Url: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ ↗

Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: UK_CA_TYPE
Id: publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Description: Public authority - central government

Organisation 2

Name: Lancaster University
Id: GB-PPON-PHYT-3516-XDZY

Identifier

Scheme: GB-PPON
Id: PHYT-3516-XDZY

Address

Street Address: Bailrigg
Locality: Lancaster
Postal Code: LA14YW
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom
Region: UKD44

Contact

Email: m.s.reynolds@lancaster.ac.uk

Roles

supplier

Details

Scale: large
Vcse: No

Award information

Award 1

Id: 1
Status: active
Main Procurement Category: services

Items

Item 1

Id: 1
Related Lot: 1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1

Scheme: CPV
Id: 73100000
Description: Research and experimental development services

Delivery locations

Entry 1

Region: UKC
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 2

Region: UKD
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 3

Region: UKE
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 4

Region: UKF
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 5

Region: UKG
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 6

Region: UKH
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 7

Region: UKI
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 8

Region: UKJ
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Entry 9

Region: UKK
Country: GB
Country Name: United Kingdom

Suppliers

Supplier 1

Id: GB-PPON-PHYT-3516-XDZY
Name: Lancaster University

Related lots

Contracts and changes

Entry 1

Id: 1
Award ID: 1
Status: active
Above Threshold: No
Date Signed: 21 Oct 2026, 00:00

Period

Starts: 22 Oct 2026, 00:00
Ends: 31 Jul 2027, 23:59

Value

Including VAT: 58,027.2
Amount: 48,356
Currency: GBP

Documents

Entry 1

Id: 099525-2026
Document Type: contractNotice
Notice Type: UK7
Description: Contract details notice on Find a Tender
Url: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099525-2026 ↗
Published: 21 Oct 2026, 14:14
Format: text/html

Related procurements

Entry 1

Id: framework
Scheme: ocid
Identifier: ocds-h6vhtk-050b18
Uri: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h6vhtk-050b18 ↗

Relationship

framework

Recorded locations

Buyer location · Exeter · UKK43 · EX1 3PB · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION

099525-2026Contract details notice on Find a Tender · 21 Oct 2026, 14:14

PROCURAAXIS AWARD ANALYSIS

Award outcome intelligence

Evidence-bound analysis of the published award appears below the official tender and award information.

ANALYSIS PREVIEW

Award intelligence at a glance

The Met Office has awarded and signed a below-threshold framework call-off with Lancaster University for research and development services supporting operational use of riometer observations in the Optimised D-Region Absorption Model (ODRAM).

Published outcome signals

Notice publication21 October 2026Evidence: Contract details notice published at 2026-10-21T14:14:58+01:00.
Award statusActiveEvidence: Award 1 status is "active".
Contract signature21 October 2026Evidence: Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-21T00:00:00+01:00.

98% approved-analysis confidence1 supplier record analysed4 source limitations

SOURCE AND FRESHNESS

Traceable procurement data

Source: Find a Tender
Notice reference: 099525-2026
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078cf3
First published: 21 Oct 2026
Last checked: 21 Oct 2026, 16:08
Notice versions reviewed: 1

View Find a Tender notice ↗

HOW THIS WAS PREPARED

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.

Analysis status: Approved for publication
Analysed: 21 Oct 2026

Read the analysis methodology →

AWARD OUTCOME

What happened

Published outcome

Award 1 is active. Contract 1 was signed on 21 October 2026, starts on 22 October 2026 and ends on 31 July 2027.

Market significance

A £48,356 net (£58,027.20 gross) specialist space-weather research services contract awarded under a framework.

AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS

1 supplier record analysed

Lancaster University

99% confidence

Award 1 · Lots 1 · £48,356 net; £58,027.20 gross GBP · Active award; contract signed

View supporting evidence

Award 1 names Lancaster University as supplier and relates to lot 1. Contract 1, linked to award 1, records these contract values and a signature date of 21 October 2026.

LIFECYCLE

Award or contract stage

Notice publication

99% confidence

21 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract details notice published at 2026-10-21T14:14:58+01:00.

Award status

99% confidence

Active

View supporting evidence

Award 1 status is "active".

Contract signature

99% confidence

21 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-21T00:00:00+01:00.

Contract status

99% confidence

Active

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 status is "active".

VALUES

Published values explained

Contract value excluding VAT

99% confidence

£48,356

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 value.amount is 48356 GBP.

Contract value including VAT

99% confidence

£58,027.20

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 value.amountGross is 58027.2 GBP.

Value allocation

98% confidence

Contract-level value linked to award 1 and lot 1

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 is linked to awardID 1; award 1 relates to lot 1.

TIMELINE

Procurement timeline

Signed

99% confidence

21 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-21.

Start date

99% confidence

22 October 2026

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period.startDate is 2026-10-22T00:00:00+01:00.

End date

99% confidence

31 July 2027

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period.endDate is 2027-07-31T23:59:59+01:00.

Stated term

96% confidence

Approximately 9 months and 10 days

View supporting evidence

Calculated from the explicit start date of 22 October 2026 and end date of 31 July 2027.

SCOPE

What was awarded

Service category

99% confidence

Research and experimental development services

View supporting evidence

Award item classification is CPV 73100000.

Technical objective

99% confidence

Assess riometer-data quality and automatically apply quality flags for operational use.

View supporting evidence

The published description calls for an assessment of riometer data quality and automatic flags, potentially "use" and "do not use".

Operational objective

99% confidence

Assess suitability of riometer observations for use within ODRAM in an operational setting.

View supporting evidence

The published description explicitly identifies this assessment as a project objective.

Delivery coverage

98% confidence

UK regions UKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKI, UKJ and UKK

View supporting evidence

Award item deliveryAddresses lists these regions.

PROCEDURE

Procedure and competition

Procurement method

99% confidence

Selective

View supporting evidence

Tender procurementMethod is "selective".

Award route

99% confidence

Below-threshold award under framework

View supporting evidence

Tender procurementMethodDetails states "Below threshold - award under framework".

Competition flag

99% confidence

Not competitive

View supporting evidence

Tender competitive is false.

Framework reference

99% confidence

ocds-h6vhtk-050b18

View supporting evidence

The related process with relationship "framework" identifies ocds-h6vhtk-050b18.

CONTRACT TERMS

Published contract terms

Contract status

99% confidence

Active

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 status is "active".

Contract period

99% confidence

22 October 2026 to 31 July 2027

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 period supplies these dates.

Above threshold

99% confidence

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false.

Extension options

99% confidence

Unknown

View supporting evidence

Information not supplied in the published notice.

COMMERCIAL VIEW

Commercial observations

Market route

99% confidence

Framework call-off rather than an open competition

View supporting evidence

The notice states a below-threshold award under framework and marks the procurement as not competitive.

Commercial focus

98% confidence

Specialist research supporting operational space-weather data quality and model integration decisions

View supporting evidence

The scope concerns riometer quality assessment, automatic quality flags and operational suitability within ODRAM.

ANALYSIS QUALITY

98%overall confidence

Confidence reflects the completeness and consistency of the published award data.

Reference: ocds-h6vhtk-078cf3
Analysed: 21 Oct 2026

APPROVED AWARD ANALYSIS

BUYER CONTEXT

Buyer context

Buyer

99% confidence

Met Office

View supporting evidence

The buyer party is named Met Office.

Buyer type

99% confidence

Central government public authority

View supporting evidence

Buyer classification is "Public authority - central government".

Buyer location

99% confidence

Exeter, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Buyer address lists Exeter, EX1 3PB, United Kingdom.

SUPPLIER CONTEXT

Supplier context

Supplier

99% confidence

Lancaster University

View supporting evidence

The supplier party and award 1 name Lancaster University.

Supplier location

99% confidence

Lancaster, United Kingdom

View supporting evidence

Supplier address lists Lancaster, LA14YW, United Kingdom.

Supplier scale

99% confidence

Large

View supporting evidence

Supplier details state scale "large".

VCSE status

99% confidence

Not a VCSE

View supporting evidence

Supplier details state vcse false.

RENEWAL OUTLOOK

Renewal outlook

Estimated contract end point

99% confidence

31 July 2027

View supporting evidence

This is the explicit contract end date. It is an end-date estimate for monitoring only, not a procurement forecast.

Renewal or recompetition terms

99% confidence

Unknown

View supporting evidence

Information not supplied in the published notice.

DATA QUALITY

Gaps and source limitations

Award and contract linkage

99% confidence

Clear

View supporting evidence

Contract 1 links directly to award 1, which identifies Lancaster University and lot 1.

Supplier identity

98% confidence

Not subject to company verification

View supporting evidence

Supplier verification status is "not_applicable"; the notice identifies the supplier through a GB-PPON identifier.

Lot detail

99% confidence

Lot 1 has no published title or description

View supporting evidence

Lot 1 title and description are null. Information not supplied in the published notice.

Competition detail

99% confidence

Bid count and evaluation detail not published

View supporting evidence

The notice states the route and competitive flag but provides no bid count, scoring or evaluation narrative. Information not supplied in the published notice.

SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS

Information not supplied in the published notice

No lot title or lot-specific description was published for lot 1.
Bid count, bidder identities, evaluation scores, award rationale and pricing breakdown were not supplied in the published notice.
No extension, renewal or option terms were supplied in the published notice.
Supplier verification is marked not applicable; no verified Companies House legal name was supplied.

MARKET THEMES

Relevant award themes

COMMON QUESTIONS

About this award

Who won the Met Office Space Weather R2O Maintenance contract?

Lancaster University was named as the supplier for award 1.

What is the contract value?

The contract value is £48,356 excluding VAT and £58,027.20 including VAT.

When does the contract run?

It was signed on 21 October 2026 and runs from 22 October 2026 to 31 July 2027.

How was the contract awarded?

The notice describes a below-threshold award under a framework, with the procurement marked not competitive.

ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.

Space Weather R2O Maintenance - Lancaster University

Opportunity overview

Awarded to

Lancaster University

Classification

Lots

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Scope, procedure and submissions

Legal basis

Lots and requirements

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Classifications

Identifier

Address

Contact

Roles

Details

Award information

Items

Additional Classifications

Delivery locations

Suppliers

Related lots

Contracts and changes

Period

Value

Documents

Related procurements

Relationship

Recorded locations

Notice and amendment history

Award intelligence at a glance

Published outcome signals

Traceable procurement data

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

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