Award

Delivery of Engine Support to Maintain the Capability of MoD Boats

  • Defence Equipment and Support

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

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-069765

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05d206 (view related notices)

Published 30 October 2025, 2:23pm



Scope

Description

Delivery of Engine Support to Maintain the Capability of Ministry of Defence Boats

Commercial tool

Establishes a framework


Framework

Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers

0%

Contracting authorities that may use the framework

Establishing party only


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £50,000,000 excluding VAT
  • £60,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

31 January 2027

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2034
  • 7 years

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 50244000 - Reconditioning services of ships or boats

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Special regime

Defence and security

Direct award justification

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

The Boats team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a Framework Agreement to E P Barrus Ltd for the delivery of engine support to maintain the capability of MOD Boats. The estimated Framework Agreement value is circa £45M for the entire duration of the Agreement which is 7 years.

It is considered that this contract can be placed using a Direct Award pursuant to Section 41, Schedule 5, Para 7 (Additional or repeat goods, services or works) of the Procurement Act 2023 for Defence and Security reasons.

The Framework Agreement will cover the servicing, repair and supply of all outboard and specified inboard engines that are currently fitted to MOD Boats. The Authority currently holds a Framework Agreement with E P Barrus Ltd for the service, repair and supply of outboard engines.

The Authority currently operates outboard engines manufactured by Mercury, Mariner, Yanmar, Thrustmaster and Hydromaster and Inboard Motors manufactured by Yanmar and John Deere. Any contract resulting from this Transparency Notice will support all of these engines; of which E P Barrus are the sole UK distributor for Mercury Mariner and Yanmar.

Furthermore, there is embedded technology within various outboard engines, which EP Barrus have the design rights on and technical expertise to install, remove and maintain such components. The Authority does not believe it would be possible for another supplier to provide either complete engines, maintenance, or associated spare parts without recourse to E P Barrus Ltd as a result.

Inboard Engines are particularly closely integrated with their host platform, and it would be unfeasible to specify an engine other than that currently operated without significant re-design. All engines (whether inboard or outboard) are integrated with their host platforms, and changing engine manufacturer would increase technical risk, including affecting the ability of the whole boat to meet its capability requirements and the ability of the Boats Team to maintain the Safety Case of the boat. It would also increase the training burden and logistics burden on End Users. A number of the engines also have Air Delivery certification which requires a large amount of testing. If a new engine is fitted it may result that the change to the boat will require a reassessment and recertification of all aspects of boat capability, which is both costly and time consuming (and reduces / removes capability while the trials are ongoing). Accordingly, only E P Barrus Ltd can provide the required technical assurance and ensure the safety of the engine and platform.


Supplier

E P Barrus Limited

  • Companies House: 00148476

Glen Way

Bicester

OX26 4UR

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

Defence Equipment and Support

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVRL-5831-GLMM

MOD Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

United Kingdom

Region: UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Organisation type: Public authority - central government