Supply of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) to a National Oceanography Centre research vessel. Delivery D-01: RRS Discovery (IMO No. 9588029), Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Estimated quantity 230 metric tonnes. Required on the estimated delivery date 04.08.206. All quantities are estimates. The final invoiced quantity will be confirmed by the Bunker Delivery Note for the delivery and by the actual density recorded on the Certificate of Analysis at 15 degrees Celsius. Delivery is by bunker barge or road tank wagon to the vessel at its stated berth. Fuel must comply with ISO 8217:2024/2017 grade DMA. Sulphur content must not exceed 0.10 per cent by mass, as required within the North American Emission Control Area under MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14. Flash point must be not less than 60 degrees Celsius, in line with SOLAS. Cold flow properties must be suitable for the vessel's operating area and season. Water content, ash, and total sediment must be within the limits set by ISO 8217 for the grade supplied. The supplier must be registered on the local fuel oil suppliers register maintained by the relevant authority for the port of delivery, in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 18.9. At the time of bunkering the supplier must provide the fuel specification, representative fuel samples drawn in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 18.8.1 and the sampling guidelines at MEPC.182(59), a Technical Data Sheet with Certificate of Analysis, and a Safety Data Sheet to the Chief Engineer. A Bunker Delivery Note must be provided in the MARPOL Annex VI Appendix V format, stating quantity in metric tonnes, carrying the supplier's signed declaration that the fuel meets the fuel quality requirements of MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 18, together with the sulphur content statement and the flash point statement.

Procurement Act 2023

Direct award MGO is a commodity. It is traded on international commodity markets and priced by reference to published market indices for the grade at the relevant port, with bunker suppliers quoting on a short term basis reflecting the market at the point of enquiry. Price and availability are driven by market conditions rather than by the terms of any tender, which means requiring suppliers to tender in the usual manner is unnecessary, not appropriate, and would not drive the best outcome for the contracting authority. MGO is a standardised product defined by ISO 8217/2024/2017, a published international technical standard for marine distillate fuels. The specification for this requirement is set entirely by that market standard and by regulatory compliance obligations, being MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 for sulphur content within the North American Emission Control Area and SOLAS flash point requirements, rather than by any buyer preference or bespoke requirement. Any supplier able to deliver ISO 8217 grade DMA fuel to the vessel at the port of delivery is capable of fulfilling the contract, and the product itself is not meaningfully differentiable between compliant suppliers. The requirement was competed through a competitive quotation exercise among suppliers able to deliver to the vessel at the port and on the date required, priced on a common specification and quantity on a best and final basis. Award was made on the basis of the Most Advantageous Tender. A firm fixed price has been secured at the point of quotation and the supplier's offer is irrevocable until the last day of the delivery window. The fuel is required for the operational bunkering of RRS Discovery at the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia on 4 October 2026, ahead of a scheduled departure, making this a time-critical requirement against a fixed delivery date. The port of delivery is outside the United Kingdom and the pool of suppliers capable of delivering to the vessel is limited to those holding stock and delivery capacity at that port within the required window. For these reasons the procurement qualifies for direct award under the commodities justification at paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023: the goods are purchased on a commodity market, the specification is determined by an established market standard, and the authority has nonetheless conducted a competitive process to secure best value.