Planning

Long Reach UAV - RFI

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

06 Jul 2022 at 09:56

Planning

24 Jun 2022 at 14:58

Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence is initiating a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Long Reach UAV - RFI," aimed at assessing available technologies for a long-range Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). This procurement is in the Planning stage, with a crucial engagement deadline set for 12th July 2022. The project is classified under the CPV code for "Unmanned combat aerial vehicles" and relates to military research and technology, with delivery expected in the South West region of England, specifically Bristol (BS34 8JH).

This RFI presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in UAV technology, particularly those with capabilities to develop long-range systems with a minimum payload of 50kg and operational ranges of at least 300 nautical miles. Companies that possess expertise in autonomous flight systems, secure communication protocols, and precision payload delivery mechanisms will find this opportunity particularly relevant. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to engage, as they may provide innovative solutions to meet the specified operational requirements.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Long Reach UAV - RFI

Notice Description

Long reach Inter-theatre lift UAV - Request for information (RFI) A potential capability gap has been identified within Defence for a long-range Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). Consequently the Authority is seeking to engage with industry to establish what technologies are currently available in the market to potentially fulfil this requirement. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information about current market offerings for the provision of long reach, inter-theatre lift UAV, capable of carrying a minimum 50kg payload over a range of at least 300 nautical miles with as a minimum, a waypoint-based level of Autonomy. The aircraft must be able to fly First Person View [FPV] with a minimum 50km LOS comms & AES 256 encryption and with an assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) data source. The platform would also require the ability deliver a payload whilst in flight mode. If your company would be interested in potentially bidding for this requirement, please provide responses to the following questions: 1. What is the aircraft's maximum payload weight? 2. What is the aircraft's maximum range (in distance) without refuelling/recharging? 3. What type of autonomy is incorporated into your system? (E.g., Waypoint based/Task based). 4. Is the aircraft able to fly in GPS denied environments? (E.g., ability to fly FPV / using SLAM or similar capability via waypoints). 5. What type of command-and-control functionality does the system operate? (E.g., 50km LOS comms & AES 256 encryption / 100km LOS, plus SATCOM). 6. What is the in-flight payload delivery mechanism? (E.g., basic flight drop / ability to safely release and delivery a payload such as via parachute or similar) 7. What is the Payload Delivery Accuracy from altitude of c120m? [E.g., Within circle of 50m diameter / Within circle of 25m diameter 8. Does the aircraft have an assured PNT data source? 9. What type of fuel/energy does you aircraft use? 10. Does the system have collision avoidance capabilities? If so, what are they? (E.g., Organic (to platform) Sense to Avoid capability / integration capability into recognised air picture) 11. What Categorisation / clearances, if any, does your aircraft have? (E.g., CAA / EASA / national civil clearances / UK / NATO country military categorisations in place / in process) Please note that this is a Request For Information only and is not a request to submit tenders and nor is there any guarantee that tenders will be invited for this requirement.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-c8e7b54d-e495-4721-af2d-4974ce5e209a
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4a2ef716-87fa-4172-ad6a-8697c854a83e
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Not specified
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services


CPV Codes

35613100 - Unmanned combat aerial vehicles

73410000 - Military research and technology

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Jul 20223 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
12 Jul 2022Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Toby Love
Contact Email
toby.love103@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
07929175160

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
TLK South West (England)

Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-b5fd17-c8e7b54d-e495-4721-af2d-4974ce5e209a-2022-07-06T10:56:55+01:00",
    "date": "2022-07-06T10:56:55+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-b5fd17-c8e7b54d-e495-4721-af2d-4974ce5e209a",
    "language": "en",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "title": "Long Reach UAV - RFI",
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "title": "Engagement end date",
                "type": "engagement",
                "dueDate": "2022-07-12T23:59:59+01:00"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "description": "Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder",
                "url": "https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/26614394-0a3c-442d-822c-8b8863ea517d",
                "datePublished": "2022-06-24T15:58:56+01:00",
                "format": "text/html",
                "language": "en"
            },
            {
                "id": "2",
                "description": "Link to PIN",
                "url": "https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=54295"
            },
            {
                "id": "3",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "description": "Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder",
                "url": "https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4a2ef716-87fa-4172-ad6a-8697c854a83e",
                "datePublished": "2022-06-24T15:58:56+01:00",
                "dateModified": "2022-07-06T10:56:55+01:00",
                "format": "text/html",
                "language": "en"
            },
            {
                "id": "4",
                "description": "Link to PIN",
                "url": "https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=54317"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "tender_309919/1082405",
        "title": "Long Reach UAV - RFI",
        "description": "Long reach Inter-theatre lift UAV - Request for information (RFI) A potential capability gap has been identified within Defence for a long-range Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). Consequently the Authority is seeking to engage with industry to establish what technologies are currently available in the market to potentially fulfil this requirement. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information about current market offerings for the provision of long reach, inter-theatre lift UAV, capable of carrying a minimum 50kg payload over a range of at least 300 nautical miles with as a minimum, a waypoint-based level of Autonomy. The aircraft must be able to fly First Person View [FPV] with a minimum 50km LOS comms & AES 256 encryption and with an assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) data source. The platform would also require the ability deliver a payload whilst in flight mode. If your company would be interested in potentially bidding for this requirement, please provide responses to the following questions: 1. What is the aircraft's maximum payload weight? 2. What is the aircraft's maximum range (in distance) without refuelling/recharging? 3. What type of autonomy is incorporated into your system? (E.g., Waypoint based/Task based). 4. Is the aircraft able to fly in GPS denied environments? (E.g., ability to fly FPV / using SLAM or similar capability via waypoints). 5. What type of command-and-control functionality does the system operate? (E.g., 50km LOS comms & AES 256 encryption / 100km LOS, plus SATCOM). 6. What is the in-flight payload delivery mechanism? (E.g., basic flight drop / ability to safely release and delivery a payload such as via parachute or similar) 7. What is the Payload Delivery Accuracy from altitude of c120m? [E.g., Within circle of 50m diameter / Within circle of 25m diameter 8. Does the aircraft have an assured PNT data source? 9. What type of fuel/energy does you aircraft use? 10. Does the system have collision avoidance capabilities? If so, what are they? (E.g., Organic (to platform) Sense to Avoid capability / integration capability into recognised air picture) 11. What Categorisation / clearances, if any, does your aircraft have? (E.g., CAA / EASA / national civil clearances / UK / NATO country military categorisations in place / in process) Please note that this is a Request For Information only and is not a request to submit tenders and nor is there any guarantee that tenders will be invited for this requirement.",
        "status": "planning",
        "classification": {
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "id": "35613100",
            "description": "Unmanned combat aerial vehicles"
        },
        "additionalClassifications": [
            {
                "scheme": "CPV",
                "id": "73410000",
                "description": "Military research and technology"
            }
        ],
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "postalCode": "BS34 8JH"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "South West",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "postalCode": "BS34 8JH"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "South West",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ]
            }
        ],
        "suitability": {
            "sme": true,
            "vcse": false
        }
    },
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-CFS-210574",
            "name": "Ministry of Defence",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Ministry of Defence"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "#1261 Spruce 2B, DE&S Abbey Wood, Filton",
                "locality": "Bristol",
                "postalCode": "BS34 8JH",
                "countryName": "England"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Toby Love",
                "email": "toby.Love103@mod.gov.uk",
                "telephone": "07929175160"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-CFS-210574",
        "name": "Ministry of Defence"
    }
}