Scope
Description
Procurement of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles, associated equipment and support.
Total value (estimated)
- £125,000,000 excluding VAT
- £150,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 29 June 2026 to 31 May 2029
- Possible extension to 31 May 2032
- 5 years, 11 months, 2 days
Description of possible extension:
Contract is anticipated to include 3 discrete option years for extension of in-service support provision.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Proposed contract will include options both to extend ISS support and enable additional procurement of UUVs.
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 35512400 - Unmanned underwater vehicles
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
16 October 2025
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
5 March 2026, 12:00pm
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
12 June 2026
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Defence and security
Competitive flexible procedure description
The DE&S Mine Hunting Capability Team have recently conducted a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise around a planned procurement of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUV) and Launch and Recovery Systems (LARS) as part of its Block 2 programme.
The MHC Project Team are very grateful for the extensive industry input which is now being used to refine the draft tender pack.
The proposed timelines for the tendering process remain broadly as previously advertised, with an intent to award the contract in June 2026. The tendering process will include a Project Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) to assess suppliers' credentials and their ability to meet the core requirements. The PSQ will be published with the UK4 Tender Notice, which is planned for publication in October 2025; it is envisaged that the resultant Invitation To Tender will be published no earlier than January 2026.
As part of the tender evaluation process, tenderers will initially be evaluated against their compliance with proposed cost caps. The evaluation process will also include an in-water confidence assessment. The current intention, which is subject to change, is for the in-water confidence assessments to be delivered by each tenderer at a location of their choice (subject to Authority approval). For planning purposes, these in-water confidence assessments should be assumed to be no more than 2 days (with a third day held in reserve) and include an in-water demonstration of the proposed UUV, sensor and LARS. The in-water confidence assessment visits will also provide an opportunity for the Authority to ask initial tender clarification questions (where possible these will be provided in advance).
The in-water confidence assessments will not take place before March 2026, and are likely to be in April and May 2026.
Final, detailed tender assessment and selection of a preferred bidder will be undertaken following completion of the last of the in-water confidence assessments.
Potential tenderers should note the critical importance the Authority places on effecting rapid maintenance and repairs of the UUV and LARS delivered under this requirement. Subsequently, the assessment criteria utilised within the PSQ and/or the Invitation To Tender will likely favour those suppliers who have a UK-based facility for delivering this aspect of the requirement.
Any follow up questions on this notice should in the first instance be directed to the MHC Commercial email address stated within this notice.
Contracting authority
Defence Equipment and Support
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVRL-5831-GLMM
MOD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
United Kingdom
Contact name: Aaron White
Email: desshipsacq-ifc-mhc-comrcl@mod.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-equipment-and-support
Region: UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government