Inter-Agency Debris Co-ordination Committee (IADC) Research Studies - 2026/27
A Tender Notice
by DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
- Source
- Find a Tender
- Type
- Contract (Services)
- Duration
- 5.5 month
- Value
- £280K
- Sector
- PROFESSIONAL
- Published
- 22 May 2026
- Delivery
- 14 Sep 2026 to 26 Feb 2027
- Deadline
- 31 Jul 2026 10:00
Related Terms
Location
United Kingdom:
1 buyer
Description
The Office of the Chief Engineer within the UK Space Agency (UKSA) is intending to identify delivery partners to support a set of studies that will support ongoing research being performed as part of its role in the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). The Inter Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has 13 member states that conduct technical research to inform their publications on how to measure, model, protect from and mitigate space debris. The primary purpose is to exchange information on space debris research activities between members, to facilitate opportunities for cooperation in space debris research, to review the progress of ongoing cooperative activities and to identify debris mitigation options. The UK has been a member for nearly 30 years and has been helping to guide the international policy over this time. The IADC consists of a steering group and four working groups – Measurements, Environment and Database, Protection and Mitigation. The studies that have been identified will seek to support on-going research being performed in each of these working groups.
Lot Division
| 1 | Working Group 2: Environment and Database
The scope of Working Group 2 is the characterisation and modelling of meteroid and debris around the Earth and storage and access of the data by electronic means, including meteoroid and debris models, short and long-term evolution, collision prediction and risk assessment. |
| 2 | Working Group 3: Protection
The scope of Working Group 3 comprises the design and technology of shielding against meteoroids and space debris and the associated test methods which include test facility and procedure, hypervelocity impact data and simulation software. |
| 3 | Working Group 4: Mitigation
The scope of Working Group 4 comprises the study of all measures to reduce or avoid the creation of space debris or reduce the hazards created by space debris. This includes identification of space debris sources, design and operation of space systems |
Award Criteria
| Price | Pricing will be on a capped time and materials basis. Bidders will be asked to submit day rates for relevant staff attached to each work package and rates for hardware/software tools and any other associated costs. |
| Technical Solution | This criterion will ask bidders to provide detail of their proposed technical solution. |
| Team Composition, Skills and Experience | This criterion will ask bidders to outline the knowledge and expertise of the proposed team (including proposed subcontractors where known) and for details of any previous similar projects undertaken. |
| Proposed Project Plan | This criterion will ask bidders to outline their proposed project management approach with reference to the objectives and deliverables highlighted in the specification. |
| Social Value | This question will focus on social value (specifically linked to the objective relating to high quality skills growth). |
CPV Codes
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
Indicators
- This is a recurring contract.
Other Information
UKSA is seeking suppliers to perform technical studies of relevance to three of the four IADC working groups. We will require the supplier to fulfil the specification, including defining framework/model where needed and putting theoretical metrics into practice. We anticipate splitting this competition into multiple lots linked to three of the four IADC working groups. Prospective bidders should note this requirement is not seeking any studies this year in support of IADC Working Group 1. Please note these requirements are indicative and may not all be issued or awarded. Equally, where sufficient high-quality proposals are received, UKSA may choose to award multiple contracts to different bidders per lot. UKSA reserves the right to not award individual lots where insufficient high quality proposals are received. ** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **
Reference
- ocds-h6vhtk-06a07f
- FTS 047636-2026