MicroCarb exploitation phase contract awarded to Edinburgh Innovations Ltd
Summary
The UK Space Agency has awarded a contract valued at £1,523,991 (including VAT) to Edinburgh Innovations Ltd for the MicroCarb exploitation phase. The contract aims to support the validation, flux estimation, and joint modelling of CO2 data.
What changed
The UK Space Agency has awarded a direct award contract to Edinburgh Innovations Ltd for £1,523,991 (including VAT) to support the exploitation phase of the MicroCarb project. This contract, effective from April 10, 2026, with a potential extension to March 31, 2030, will cover activities such as configuring atmospheric transport models, integrating satellite and ground-based observations, and characterizing CO2 fluxes through inverse modelling.
This award is for engineering services and is a direct award due to technical reasons, with a single supplier identified. Regulated entities involved in similar environmental monitoring or space technology projects should note the procurement process and the specific technical focus of this contract. While this is a procurement notice and not a direct regulatory mandate for most entities, it highlights government investment and activity in climate science and space technology.
Source document (simplified)
Award
MicroCarb - Edinburgh Innovations Ltd
- UK Space Agency UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types
Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-028783
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-067729 (view related notices)
Published 27 March 2026, 9:15pm
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Contents
Scope Contract 1. MicroCarb - Edinburgh Innovations Ltd Other information Procedure Supplier Contracting authority
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Description
The contract supports delivery of the MicroCarb exploitation phase through a structured programme of work packages covering validation, flux estimation, joint modelling, and ongoing project management. Activities include the configuration and application of atmospheric transport models (e.g. GEOS-Chem), integration and assimilation of satellite and ground-based observations, early ingestion and validation of MicroCarb data, and development of multi-satellite consistency assessments.
The work also includes characterisation of CO₂ fluxes and uncertainties through inverse modelling approaches, alongside development of joint CO₂-SIF inversion capability and supporting analytical frameworks. Continuous project management, coordination with UK and international partners (including CNES), and representation in relevant programme forums are maintained throughout the delivery period
Contract 1. MicroCarb - Edinburgh Innovations Ltd
Supplier
Contract value
- £1,269,993 excluding VAT
- £1,523,991 including VAT Above the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
9 April 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 10 April 2026 to 31 March 2027
- Possible extension to 31 March 2030
- 3 years, 11 months, 21 days
Description of possible extension:
extensions are on a 1+1+1 basis extending the Inital contract by £1,015,994 +VAT depending on the requirement for the microcarb programme
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
Engineering services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure type
Direct award
Direct award justification
Single supplier - technical reasons
University of Edinburgh, due to their technical expertise and as a member of the Mission Advisory Group (MAG) for the MicroCarb mission, will continue to support the UK contribution to MicroCarb, carrying out activities through a structured programme of work packages covering validation, flux estimation, joint modelling, and ongoing project management. This work is overseen by CNES, who are the technical authority for the MicroCarb mission. The UKSA's Office for Chief Engineer, following consultation with CNES, advised in December 2025 that a Direct Award is the appropriate course of action:
'During the upcoming exploitation phase, these activities continue in order to exploit scientific data and contribute to ground algorithms within the science ground segment. Considering that this is an international collaboration, and that science exploitation strictly requires part of this work to be provided in order to complete the data processing pipeline (some of them are explicitly mentioned in the Implementation Arrangement as UKSA contribution), and given that the three organisations have distinctive expertise in the relevant application fields (i.e. SIF, CO₂ flux mapping, optical ground calibration), from both a technical and programmatic perspective it is advised that the three existing organisations continue to support the mission during the exploitation phase.
The involvement of new stakeholders, or the hand-over of ongoing activities to new organisations, would require a considerable effort in terms of knowledge transfer and an in-depth assessment of whether the required expertise could be fully covered. This is not feasible at this stage'.
University of Edinburgh's activities include the configuration and application of atmospheric transport models (e.g. GEOS-Chem), integration and assimilation of satellite and ground-based observations, early ingestion and validation of MicroCarb data, and development of multi-satellite consistency assessments. The work also includes characterisation of CO₂ fluxes and uncertainties through inverse modelling approaches, alongside development of joint CO₂-SIF inversion capability and supporting analytical frameworks. Continuous project management, coordination with UK and international partners (including CNES), and representation in relevant programme forums are maintained throughout the delivery period.
These activities form part of the ongoing UK contribution to the MicroCarb mission and are a continuation of the work undertaken by University of Edinburgh under the existing MoU.
Edinburgh Innovations Ltd
- Companies House: SC148048 University Of Edinburgh, Old College
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
United Kingdom
Email: edinburgh.innovations@ed.ac.uk
Region: UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1. MicroCarb - Edinburgh Innovations Ltd
UK Space Agency
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRTY-4245-MTJY Quad Two Building 1st Floor, Rutherford Avenue, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
Didcot
OX11 0DF
United Kingdom
Email: commercial@ukspaceagency.gov.uk
Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
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