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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Tactical Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Managed Service

Home Office · Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 29 Sept 2026, 17:02.

Opportunity overview

The Home Office seeks an experienced commercial provider to supply capable Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) to support the Border Security Command's (BSC) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The RPAS must be capable of detecting, identifying, and tracking vessels and individuals within the defined area of operations, operating as part of a multi layered ISR framework that includes manned aviation, maritime assets, and land based infrastructure. The systems will provide enhanced situational awareness to inform operational decision making and support the effective tasking and coordination of operational assets. The primary operational requirement is for RPAS' that can conduct routine surveillance flights to detect, track, and identify vessels and people to support the primary Search, Rescue and Recovery (SRR) Vessels within the area of operations. The SRR vessels will operate primarily within UK Territorial Waters (TTW) and the wider UK Area of Operations, including the English Channel. RPAS' information will be transmitted in real-time to an existing Command and Control facility to enable real-time coordination of responses to threats. RPAS' will also be required to perform targeted surveillance to record high-quality video footage to support Criminal and Financial Investigation prosecutions. The Home Office have a requirement for one (1) Supplier to provide RPAS' for 5000 on-task sensor coverage hours per year, over three (3) separate task lines, for the purpose of supporting BSC operations. The Home Office requires availability of two (2) task lines to provide year-round coverage including weekends and public holidays. An additional third task line will be required for approximately six-months per year. (A ‘Task Line’ is provision of 8 hours of continuous sensor coverage in any 24 hour period.) The contract will be for three (3) years fixed with the option of extensions up to but not exceeding one (1) year. There is a requirement for the service to be fully operational within four months of the contract being awarded. The timelines will be fully detailed in the UK4 Tender Notice PLEASE NOTE: The Home Office will be using the Government Commercial Agency Space Technology Solutions Dynamic Market (RM6370) for this procurement. See ‘Submission’ section for further information.

Classification

  • CPV32584000 — Data-bearing media
  • CPV34114000 — Specialist vehicles
  • CPV34700000 — Aircraft and spacecraft
  • CPV35512400 — Unmanned underwater vehicles
  • CPV35613000 — Unmanned aerial vehicles
  • CPV38000000 — Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
  • CPV38221000 — Geographic information systems (GIS or equivalent)
  • CPV38290000 — Surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic and hydrological instruments and appliances
  • CPV48000000 — Software package and information systems
  • CPV48613000 — Electronic data management (EDM)
  • CPV48614000 — Data-acquisition system
  • CPV50000000 — Repair and maintenance services
  • CPV60500000 — Space transport services
  • CPV71000000 — Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
  • CPV71351000 — Geological, geophysical and other scientific prospecting services
  • CPV71352120 — Seismic data acquisition services
  • CPV71352130 — Seismic data collection services
  • CPV71354100 — Digital mapping services
  • CPV71354200 — Aerial mapping services
  • CPV72000000 — IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
  • CPV72260000 — Software-related services
  • CPV72300000 — Data services
  • CPV72313000 — Data capture services
  • CPV73000000 — Research and development services and related consultancy services
  • CPV75220000 — Defence services
  • CPV79000000 — Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
  • CPV80500000 — Training services
  • CPV80550000 — Safety training services
  • CPV80600000 — Training services in defence and security materials
  • CPV90700000 — Environmental services
  • CPV98113100 — Nuclear safety services
  • CPV98391000 — Decommissioning services

Lots

  • Lot 1£37.5m

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
17478
Status
planned
Procurement Method
selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
How to submit
This notice is linked to earlier UK1 Pipeline notice 2025/S 000-033544 and UK2 Preliminary market engagement notice(s) 2026/S 000-009787 and 2026/S 000-026044. All suppliers will need to be successfully registered on the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) RM6370 Space Technology Solutions Dynamic Market, under the relevant parts in order to request access to the tender event when the UK4 Tender notice is issued. THIS UK3 NOTICE IS AN ADVANCE REQUEST FOR SUPPLIERS TO CONTACT THE GOVERNMENT COMMERCIAL AGENCY AND COMMENCE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS BY COPYING AND PASTING THE FOLLOWING LINK IN TO YOUR BROWSER: https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dm/RM6370?nav=0 Suppliers who have not attended or participated in the earlier market engagement will need to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement prior to the Home Office releasing the market engagement information, conditions of participation and tender documentation. Please email: bfprocurementmaritimeteam@homeoffice.gov.uk stating the following in the Subject Title: Project_17478 Tactical RPAS and requesting a copy of the Non Disclosure Agreement.
Expression Of Interest Deadline
8 Aug 2026, 13:00

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Procedure

Features
This notice is linked to earlier UK1 Pipeline notice 2025/S 000-033544 and UK2 Preliminary market engagement notice(s) 2026/S 000-009787 and 2026/S 000-026044. The UK4 Tender Notice will invite suppliers to request access to the tender documents. Currently, the following stages of the Competitive Flexible Procedure will be applied, but please note that this may be subject to change when the UK4 Tender Notice is issued: Conditions of Participation and Final Tenders will be requested at the same time and concurrently evaluated. The assessment criteria for Conditions of Participation and Tender response will be set out in the UK4 Tender Notice. Variant Tenders will not be considered.

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Enquiry period

Ends
8 Aug 2026, 13:00

Expected award period

Ends
5 Feb 2027, 23:59

Communication

Future Notice Date
20 Jul 2026, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planned
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
45,000,000
Amount
37,500,000
Currency
GBP

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
economic
Description
Details to be provided in the UK4 Tender Notice
Criterion 2
Type
technical
Description
Details to be provided in the UK4 Tender Notice
Criterion 3
Description
Not applicable
For Reduction
Yes

Suitability

Sme
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Mar 2027, 00:00
Ends
28 Feb 2030, 23:59
Max Extent Date
28 Feb 2031, 23:59

Renewal

Description
Further extension periods up to but not exceeding 12 months / 1 year in total.

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
72300000
Description
Data services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
32584000
Description
Data-bearing media
Entry 3
Scheme
CPV
Id
34114000
Description
Specialist vehicles
Entry 4
Scheme
CPV
Id
34700000
Description
Aircraft and spacecraft
Entry 5
Scheme
CPV
Id
35512400
Description
Unmanned underwater vehicles
Entry 6
Scheme
CPV
Id
35613000
Description
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Entry 7
Scheme
CPV
Id
38000000
Description
Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Entry 8
Scheme
CPV
Id
38221000
Description
Geographic information systems (GIS or equivalent)
Entry 9
Scheme
CPV
Id
38290000
Description
Surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic and hydrological instruments and appliances
Entry 10
Scheme
CPV
Id
48000000
Description
Software package and information systems
Entry 11
Scheme
CPV
Id
48613000
Description
Electronic data management (EDM)
Entry 12
Scheme
CPV
Id
48614000
Description
Data-acquisition system
Entry 13
Scheme
CPV
Id
50000000
Description
Repair and maintenance services
Entry 14
Scheme
CPV
Id
60500000
Description
Space transport services
Entry 15
Scheme
CPV
Id
71000000
Description
Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
Entry 16
Scheme
CPV
Id
71351000
Description
Geological, geophysical and other scientific prospecting services
Entry 17
Scheme
CPV
Id
71352120
Description
Seismic data acquisition services
Entry 18
Scheme
CPV
Id
71352130
Description
Seismic data collection services
Entry 19
Scheme
CPV
Id
71354100
Description
Digital mapping services
Entry 20
Scheme
CPV
Id
71354200
Description
Aerial mapping services
Entry 21
Scheme
CPV
Id
72000000
Description
IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Entry 22
Scheme
CPV
Id
72260000
Description
Software-related services
Entry 23
Scheme
CPV
Id
72313000
Description
Data capture services
Entry 24
Scheme
CPV
Id
73000000
Description
Research and development services and related consultancy services
Entry 25
Scheme
CPV
Id
75220000
Description
Defence services
Entry 26
Scheme
CPV
Id
79000000
Description
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Entry 27
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services
Entry 28
Scheme
CPV
Id
80550000
Description
Safety training services
Entry 29
Scheme
CPV
Id
80600000
Description
Training services in defence and security materials
Entry 30
Scheme
CPV
Id
90700000
Description
Environmental services
Entry 31
Scheme
CPV
Id
98113100
Description
Nuclear safety services
Entry 32
Scheme
CPV
Id
98391000
Description
Decommissioning services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UK
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
CZ06
Country
CZ
Country Name
Czechia

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
future
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Access Details
Suppliers will need to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement (if one has not been signed as part of market engagament) prior to the contracting authority releasing information released as part of the market engagament. Conditions of Participation and Tender documentation released following the publication of a UK4 Tender Notice will also require signed agreement to a Non Dosclosure Agreement. See 'Submission' section for further details.

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
057047-2026
Document Type
plannedProcurementNotice
Notice Type
UK3
Description
Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
Published
17 Jun 2026, 11:51
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Home Office
Id
GB-PPON-PWGC-6513-PQLZ

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PWGC-6513-PQLZ

Address

Street Address
2 Marsham Street
Locality
London
Postal Code
SW1P 4DF
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKI32

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - central government

Related procurements

Entry 1
Id
framework
Scheme
ocid
Identifier
ocds-h6vhtk-0510f8

Relationship

framework

Related lots

209
224
227
302
315
412
415

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · London · UKI32 · SW1P 4DF · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · CZ06 · Czechia
  • Delivery location · UK · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

4 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

4 VERSIONS
  1. 009787-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 026044-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
  3. 056301-2026Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender ·
  4. 057047-2026Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender ·