Award

Support and Maintenance of GOTHIC APS and MCPS-UK5

  • Ministry of Defence

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-009850

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-060288 (view related notices)

Published 4 February 2026, 10:58am



Scope

Reference

715742453

Description

The requirement is for provision of ongoing software licencing, software maintenance and repair services, and will provide support and maintenance for the bespoke software and applications that make up the GOTHIC Aeronautical Production and Mercator Cartographic Productions System (MCPS).

1Spatial will provide a support service billed on a quarterly basis, performing maintenance of the respective systems and its code base. The contractor will be required to undertake ongoing modifications and upgrades to the Gothic APS and MCPS code.

On site engineering support may be required on a call-off basis against appropriate day rates, and will include training (development and delivery) and software enhancements if required.

The procurement covers a support desk service for logging and managing service requests for assistance with the licensed software and to resolve faults, and is to include support in resolving suspected defects and application support.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £2,611,397 excluding VAT
  • £3,133,676.40 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

4 March 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 April 2026 to 19 September 2028
  • Possible extension to 19 September 2030
  • 4 years, 5 months, 19 days

Description of possible extension:

Optional extensions for a total of 2 additional years, which can be invoked 3 months prior to the expiry date of the respective contract year.

Main procurement category

Services

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Optional extensions for a total of 2 additional years, which can be invoked 3 months prior to the expiry date of the respective contract year.

CPV classifications

  • 72261000 - Software support services
  • 72250000 - System and support services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Participation

Particular suitability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)


Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement

The GOTHIC Aeronautical Production System (GOTHIC APS) provides No1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit (No 1 AIDU), a unit within the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence with its primary aeronautical information (AI) maintenance and production software capability. In addition, further support is provided through Mercator Cartographic Production System (MCPS). Both capabilities are currently provided under software support and maintenance contracts with 1 Spatial Group Ltd. No1 AIDU is mandated by the Secretary of State for Defence to provide AI, data and publications to Defence and is critical in providing flight management systems data for all its aircraft platforms and mission planning systems on a legally mandated, worldwide 28-day Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control (AIRAC cycle).

In accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5 paragraph 7: the contract concerns the supply of services by 1 Spatial Group Ltd which are intended as an extension to existing services.

In the circumstances, (a) a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and (b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. A supplier other than 1 Spatial Group Ltd would not be able to supply software licencing, software maintenance and repair services and support in respect of GOTHIC APS and MCPS. This is due to 1 Spatial Group Ltd’s (i) ownership of intellectual property rights in the source code underpinning GOTHIC APS and MCPS, and (ii) unique experience of GOTHIC APS and MCPS . GOTHIC APS and MCPS comprise bespoke software developed for ongoing compatibility with No 1 AIDU systems to support the AIRAC cycle. A change in supplier would necessitate the development by the new supplier of different bespoke software of a kind which does not currently exist in the market. The transition away from GOTHIC APS and MCPS would result in disproportionate integration and technical difficulties for No 1 AIDU.


Supplier

1Spatial Group Limited

  • Companies House: 04785688

Unit F7, Stirling House, Cambridge Innovation Park, Denny End Road

Waterbeach

CB25 9PB

United Kingdom

Region: UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

Ministry of Defence

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC), Defence Intelligence, Greenhill House, Room 13, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Faringdon Road

Shrivenham

SN6 8LA

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire

Organisation type: Public authority - central government