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Provision of Aerial Surveillance for HMCG

Maritime & Coastguard Agency

This public procurement record has 7 releases in its history.

Planning

27 Oct 2026 at 10:00

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 Jul 2026 at 15:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

11 May 2026 at 11:56

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

15 Jan 2026 at 16:54

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

12 Sep 2025 at 12:14

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

07 Jul 2025 at 08:39

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

11 Jun 2025 at 17:37

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency plans to procure an aerial search and surveillance service for HM Coastguard. It is intended to provide near real-time maritime situational awareness in support of specialised search-and-rescue operations, as well as intelligence, search, surveillance and reconnaissance information for the agency. This service would complement Coastguard helicopters and aircraft whose primary role is search and rescue and which also support wider agency and government objectives. The requirement does not call for national coverage: surveillance assets would operate in areas of need. At high-risk times, an asset may need to operate continuously for 24 hours, across consecutive days and sometimes weeks. The buyer is open to different technologies, provided they can deliver persistent maritime situational awareness. The work is a specialist aerial surveillance service, with a search-and-rescue support element.

The procurement is at the planning stage: the agency has set out its intention to procure, but has not invited tenders. It has held several rounds of market engagement and is seeking final comments on its draft Single Statement of User Need before formal procurement begins. This further consultation is expected to conclude on 6 November 2026; a subsequent procurement notice is expected by 9 November 2026. The planned service period is 1 March 2029 to 28 February 2034. The buyer’s stated value is £0, so this does not provide a usable estimate of the contract’s commercial value. The requirement is planned as a single lot. The data does not yet set out the procurement method, evaluation criteria or supplier eligibility conditions.

This requirement is most relevant to suppliers able to provide aerial intelligence, search, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for maritime operations, including persistent situational awareness in specific areas rather than nationwide coverage. The buyer is technology-neutral: aircraft-based and other technical approaches may be considered if they can demonstrably meet the operational need. Suppliers should assess whether they can sustain extended deployments, including continuous operations for a full day and potentially across days or weeks during periods of high risk. Experience supporting search-and-rescue operations and supplying near real-time information for specialist maritime missions is relevant to the stated purpose. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises are marked as suitable. The current engagement is intended to let prospective suppliers raise concerns about the draft requirements before procurement formally starts; it is not an invitation to submit a tender. No specific accreditation or capacity threshold is stated.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Aerial Surveillance for HMCG

Notice Description

HM Coastguard (HMCG) helicopters and planes, provided under the UKSAR2G contract, have a primary role to provide search and rescue. However, they undertake a range of other missions in support of wider Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) objectives, and those of other government departments. In addition, HMCG require an Search and Surveillance service to provide near real time situational awareness in support of specialised SAR operations. Therefore, the MCA is planning to undertake a procurement for this additional Search and Surveillance service. The MCA will procure for intelligence, search, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets that can supply the information required. This service will not require national coverage. Potentially, during high-risk times, an HMCG surveillance asset could be operating for a full 24-hour period extending into consecutive days and sometimes weeks. Respondents should bear in mind that the MCA will take a solution agnostic approach to the procurement and is open to different technological approaches, providing they can demonstrably meet the requirement to provide persistent maritime situational awareness in areas of need.

Planning Information

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are grateful for all responses to Market Consultation rounds in the lead up to this procurement. We have been reviewing and refining the Single Statement of User Need (SSUN) following several rounds of market engagement. The most recent draft version of the SSUN is shared alongside this questionnaire for the reference of potential bidders. This is intended to be the last round of market engagement before proceeding with procurement, so is the last opportunity for potential bidders to express concerns about the requirements. The MCA would like to: • Build on the findings of the previous market engagement. • Provide potential bidders with a final opportunity to comment on the SSUN as it currently stands before formal procurement commences. If you wish to participate in this consultation, and have not previously engaged with the Authority, you are required to create an account on Jaggaer if you do not already have one. The portal can be accessed using the following link: https://dft.app.jaggaer.com/ Once you have accessed the e-procurement portal, please navigate to pqq_821 - Provision of Aerial Surveillance for HMCG - Further Engagement. Once registered you will be sent further information. If you have previously answered previous Market Questionnaires, information will be sent via the Jaggaer portal, and no additional action is necessary. Any correspondence must be submitted via Jaggaer and not directly to different areas of the MCA.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-054718
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101358-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

60443100 - Air-sea rescue services

79714000 - Surveillance services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Nov 20266 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2029 - 28 Feb 2034 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO15 1EG
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ32 Southampton
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Southampton
Electoral Ward
Banister & Polygon
Westminster Constituency
Southampton Itchen

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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.

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