Planning

UK02 Preliminary Market Engagement - LIOS - 708004450

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

23 Jun 2025 at 11:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process initiated by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), located at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, pertains to the LAND INTEGRATED OPERATING SERVICE (LIOS) programme. As part of the defence and security sector, the initiative aims to transform land equipment support through agile and integrated measures. Currently in the planning stage, this process involves a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) scheduled to culminate by 31st July 2026. The engagement focuses on collaborating with existing service providers to refine the operating model that will underpin future contractual opportunities extending until at least 2032. Interested parties must express their interest by contacting DE&S and submitting required documentation within 20 working days of receipt.

This tender offers significant growth opportunities for businesses specialising in the repair and maintenance of military vehicles, aligned with CPV code 50630000. It invites participation from established suppliers capable of integrating into a diverse supply chain, promising numerous competitive and direct award tender prospects. Businesses capable of engaging at the tier-1 supplier level will benefit from potential partnership in a structured environment designed to enhance equipment readiness and capability upkeep. Companies with expertise in modernisation fleets and those aiming to support defence equipment through collaborative efforts are particularly well-suited to participate in this transformative programme.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

UK02 Preliminary Market Engagement - LIOS - 708004450

Notice Description

LAND INTEGRATED OPERATING SERVICE (LIOS) PRELIMINARY MARKET ENGAGEMENT NOTICE The LIOS programme aims to deliver the most radical land equipment support transformation in two decades by adopting a different through-life support model. It will support the Army's modernisation agenda as an agile, integrated, pan-Industry collaboration which is scaleable, and expeditionary, ready for warfighting and in line with Defence and Security Industrial Strategy and Land Industrial Strategy. Specifically targeting the MoD's support contracts, it aims to deliver better equipment availability and readiness, maintained, or improved performance through life, and a regular drumbeat of capability upkeep, update and upgrade. Following the LIOS market engagement conducted under the Prior Information Notice (PIN) process allowed under the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR), which was published to the market in August 2024, LIOS is now commencing a new period of 'Preliminary Market Engagement' (PME) under the procedures allowed within the Procurement Act 2023 - i.e. whilst engagement conducted under the DSPCR has helped shape the Authority thinking, from here on engagement will be conducted under the Procurement Act 2023. THE SUPPLIERS WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ENGAGEMENT This engagement will be focused on designing the operating model for LIOS and conducted with the 'current service providers' for the modernisation fleets (AJAX, BOXER, Challenger (CR3) and the Service Provision and Transformation Contract (SPTC)). Accordingly, the 'current service providers' who will participate in this are: General Dynamics UK (GDUK) (AJAX platform), RBSL (Heavy Armour), ARTEC BOXER UK (BOXER), and Babcock (Service Provision and Transformation Contract (SPTC)). THE INTENT The intent of the engagement is to work with these suppliers to develop a structured approach to LIOS that ensures the Authority's support requirements are met whilst in parallel, designing the Operating model (Op model) for LIOS. The Op model will look to provide opportunities throughout the supply chain for suppliers to provide goods and services in the LIOS field, and this will mean LIOS will have both competitive and Direct Award tender opportunities - it is not yet determined what these will be but it might be that the Op model cedes the responsibility to conduct tender exercises over to 'Tier 1' suppliers at an unspecified point in the future. The Authority recognises that a number of suppliers have supported the LIOS Market Engagement exercises conducted under the DSPCR, and we will continue to engage via briefings and allowing opportunities for registered suppliers to comment on the Op model as it develops. If you are not a registered supplier this Notice sets-out how you can register and take part. ENGAGEMENT SUBJECT MATTER The engagement will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Section 16 ('Preliminary Market Engagement') enabling the Authority to discuss: a. developing the authority's requirements and approach to the procurement. b. designing a procedure, conditions of participation or award criteria. c. preparing the tender notice and associated tender documents. d. identifying suppliers that may be able to supply the goods, services or works required. e. identifying likely contractual terms. f. building capacity among suppliers in relation to the contract being awarded. It will relate to platform specific elements of the above, as well as the potential for cross-platform elements of the above and the potential for supplier collaboration, ANTICIPATED CONTRACT AWARDS The Authority is likely in the first instance to place a series of LIOS related contracts over a period of up to seven years (2025-2032). Though it has not finalised either the number or nature of what these contracts will be, it expects to place initial support contracts in parallel after further developing the LIOS approach. Suppliers will be notified of these contracts as and when the Authority commences the procurement of them, via the appropriate Notice in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. The contract start and end dates, and the issue date for any ITN or Transparency Notice, that are set-out in this PME are indicative only. They should not be taken as an indication of any confirmed date(s) for such activity. FOR THOSE SUPPLIERS NOT TAKING PART At this stage, the Authority does not envisage extending this dialogue to any other supplier. However, it is possible that the 'current service providers will engage with other suppliers that may be able to supply the goods, services or works required, at sub-contract level, should they or the Authority deem it necessary to engage them. All registered suppliers shall be kept informed of the engagement via email and when necessary, briefings conducted via Teams or at Defence Events (e.g. DSEI). The Authority anticipates holding a Teams briefing to update to registered suppliers on the programme, later in 2025. The Authority will also provide registered suppliers a briefing pack that provides more detail on the Authority's strategic positions on LIOS that it will use as the start point for the engagement with the 'current service providers. This will be provided via email prior to the briefing. REGISTERING AS A SUPPLIER Any supplier who has not previously registered for LIOS via the PINs published under the DSPCR (in December 2021, May 2023 and August 2024), is not eligible to receive a copy of the briefing pack or other correspondence, this is for registered suppliers only. However, new suppliers are allowed to register providing they follow the following process. To become a registered supplier, you must: (i) Express an interest in registering for LIOS to the following email address: DESLEVS-Futures@mod.gov.uk; (ii) Upon receipt of it, the Authority will send you a capability and skills questionnaire that you will have 20 working days to complete and provide your response to DESLEVS-Futures@mod.gov.uk; (iii) Once your answers have been assessed, you will be deemed a registered supplier, and eligible to receive the briefing pack and other correspondence. For clarity, suppliers who have already registered and provided responses to the questionnaire via the previous PINs do not need to register again, the above process is only for suppliers who have yet to register. CPV Codes * 50630000 - Repair and maintenance services of military vehicles.

Planning Information

The engagement will be with the suppliers set-out in the PME and will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Section 16 (‘Preliminary Market Engagement’) which enables the Authority to discuss: a. developing the authority’s requirements and approach to the procurement; b. designing a procedure, conditions of participation or award criteria; c. preparing the tender notice and associated tender documents; d. identifying suppliers that may be able to supply the goods, services or works required; e. identifying likely contractual terms; f. building capacity among suppliers in relation to the contract being awarded.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0551ad
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034364-2025
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

50 - Repair and maintenance services

CPV Codes

50630000 - Repair and maintenance services of military vehicles

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Jun 20258 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Aug 20266 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 1 Jan 2036 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT
Contact Name
Andrew Taylor
Contact Email
andrew.taylor282@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

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
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Further Information

Notice Documents

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. 

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