Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

Competitive Contract Notice

1. Title: GB-Salisbury: Could you or somebody you know win the Data Science Challenge
2. Awarding Authority:
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
Bldg 5 Rm G02-D, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1980 952684, Email: jmvleuven@dstl.gov.uk, URL:
Attn: CIS Commercial Officer
3. Contract Type: Services
Sub Type: Research and development services.

4. Description: Research and development services and related consultancy services. As an influential person in the data science community I thought that you, or one of your followers, would be interested in getting involved with the UK Government?s sponsored Data Science challenges.
The Data Science Challenges will launch on 3rd April 2017 and are sponsored by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) as well as a number of other UK government departments. The challenges are designed to encourage the brightest minds in data science to help solve real-world problems. Entrants will also be able to track their progress using live leader boards. The top three entrants in each challenge will share a #40,000 prize fund.
The Data Science Challenge begins with two separate competitions that will test the participants? ability to mine large unstructured datasets to extract useful information:
? SAFE PASSAGE: DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING VEHICLES IN AERIAL IMAGERY
Being able to automatically detect and categorise vehicles in aerial imagery will dramatically improve how quickly we can assess and identify them. This challenge asks participants to detect and classify vehicles such as buses, cars and motorbikes, from a set of aerial images.
? GROWING INSTABILITY: CLASSIFYING CRISIS REPORTS
Analysing data in documents such as media reports can provide a better understanding of a potential crisis situation, growing instability in a particular region or, specific theme such as terrorism. Using news material, this challenge asks participants to predict topic tags for classifying unseen reports so that they can be used to improve awareness and understanding.

The challenges are open to all data scientists (unless working for a challenge sponsor or supporting organisation). We would be very grateful if could please promote details of the Data Science Challenge within your network and community. Please let your network know about this great opportunity. To register or share, the link is Solutions can be submitted between the 3rd April and 17th May.
5. CPV Codes:
73000000 – Research and development services and related consultancy services.

6. NUTS Codes :
UKI – LONDON

7. Main Site or Location of Works, Main Place of Delivery or Main Place of Performance: LONDON,
8. Reference Attributed by the Awarding Authority:
9. Estimated Value of Requirement: Category H1b: 10K – 113K GBP
Currency: GBP
10. Deadline for Expression of Interest: 05/04/2017 12:00:00
11. Address to which they must be sent:
Not Provided

12. Other Information:
Other Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
Suppliers must read through this set of instructions and follow the process to respond to this opportunity.
The information and/or documents for this opportunity are available on
You must register on this site to respond, if you are already registered you will not need to register again, simply use your existing username and password. Please note there is a password reminder link on the homepage.
Suppliers must log in, go to your Response Manager and add the following Access Code: 37ZC69AVFD.

Please ensure you follow any instruction provided to you here.
The deadline for submitting your response(s) is detailed within this contract notice, you will also have visibility of the deadline date, once you have added the Access code via DCO as the opening and closing date is visible within the opportunity.
Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time when responding to this opportunity prior to the closing date and time, especially if you have been asked to upload documents.
If you experience any difficulties please refer to the online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ?s) or the User Guides or contact the MOD DCO Helpdesk by emailing support@contracts.mod.uk or Telephone 0800 282 324.

Suitable for VCO: Yes
Procedure Type:OPEN
Period of Work Start date: 06/04/2017
Period of Work End date: 17/05/2017
Is this a Framework Agreement?: no

Post written by: Andrew Perry