Tenders/Contracts for Innovation: UK Space Agency Unlocking Space for Defence (USD) and National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) BOREALIS Resident Space Object (RSO) Characterisation Development

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Contracts for Innovation: UK Space Agency Unlocking Space for Defence (USD) and National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) BOREALIS Resident Space Object (RSO) Characterisation Development

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Published: Aug 7, 2026

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a grants contract in the information and communication technology, Research and architecture and engineering sectors, with a focus on Innovation. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 625,000. Proposals must be submitted before September 4, 2026.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for grants in the information and communication technology sector. Grant applications generally require a detailed project proposal, a clear results framework, and evidence of the applicant's capacity to deliver the proposed activities. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.

Description

UK Space Agency’s Unlocking Space for Defence (USD) and the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) are offering funding to eligible organisations. It is anticipated that between three and five contracts will be awarded, each valued between £120,000 and £250,000 (inclusive of VAT), to eligible organisations to apply, to research and develop initial proof of concepts for characterisation of resident space objects and similar solutions that directly improve the quality of data being ingested within the BOREALIS system, contributing to enhanced characterisation analysis capabilities within NSpOC. This funding is from the UK Space Agency only and applicants should note this competition is wholly run and administered by the UK Space Agency. Applicants should note that as BOREALIS is a sovereign UK capability and this work is to develop solutions that eventually can be deployed into use, this competition is restricted to UK registered companies on grounds of national security. For the avoidance of doubt, this can include UK-registered universities. Full details are provided in the attached Competition Brief. This notice relates to the intended procurement for a contract which is an exempted contract under s 3(6) and Schedule 2, Part 2 (Subject-matter exempted contracts), paragraph 22 (Research and Development Services) of the Procurement Act 2023 (the 'Act'). Exempted contracts are not a public contract as defined in s3 of the Act and therefore are not required to be procured in accordance with the provisions of the Act that relate to a covered procurement.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on August 7, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 075408-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology has issued 148 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 13 currently open and 90 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Governance & Public Administration, Information & Communication Technology, and Research & Innovation. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: August 7, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Department for Science, Innovation & Technology in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Grants contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £625,000 - £625,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 075408-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is September 4, 2026. You have 28 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.