Award

Connectivity Assurance Testing for the Ajax Programme

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

21 Apr 2026 at 07:46

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

03 Nov 2025 at 12:19

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), part of the central government of the United Kingdom, has completed the award stage of a procurement process for the Connectivity Assurance Testing for the Ajax Programme. The contract, scheduled to start from 30 April 2026 and run until March 2028 with possibilities for extension, is valued at approximately £3 million including VAT. Located in Bristol, DE&S has employed a direct procurement method due to specialised technical requirements which restrict competition. The award made on April 1, 2026, is pending final approval, and the standstill period will conclude on April 30, 2026. The procurement falls under the defence and security regime, specifically dealing with installation services of communications equipment.

This tender presents significant opportunities for large companies with specialisation in defence communications equipment. The contract requires highly skilled personnel with exclusive access to specialist testing equipment and security clearances, aligning well with businesses having sovereign capabilities in compliance with UK Defence standards. General Dynamics UK Limited was selected under this direct award, highlighting the necessity for businesses with technical expertise and relevant accreditations in the defence sector to engage proactively in similar opportunities for growth and expansion within the government contracting landscape. Businesses offering installation services of communications equipment can leverage such tenders to enhance their portfolio and gain influence within the defence industry.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Connectivity Assurance Testing for the Ajax Programme

Notice Description

The DE&S CV2 Portfolio team part of the Secretary State for Defence (the Authority") intends to award a contract to General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited for the provision of Connectivity Assurance Testing for a period of three (3) years (2+1 option year). The estimated total contract value is PS3million incl VAT As a background information, AJAX vehicle deliveries started in December 2018 and as a part of the Joint Acceptance Group, all vehicles undertaken by the Authority there is a requirement for the conduct of Connectivity Assurance Test (CAT) for the platform communications installation including the GFE BOWMAN equipment supplied by the Authority. The requirement is currently delivered under Contract No 700009869 and will expire in March 2026. Due to the Ajax Vehicle Production schedule being extended to 2028, the CAT scope of work needs to mirror the schedule until all vehicles are produced and assured with CAT as such the need to award a contract. In accordance with Section 2 of the Procurement Act 2023 this procurement is governed by the Procurement Act 2023. It is considered that this contract can be awarded under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 because the direct award justification specified in paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 applies, in that, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited has the only suitably trained and qualified personnel to carry out CAT along with access and ownership of specialist testing equipment to assure and certify the BOWMAN equipment to In-service readiness. They also hold the necessary security accreditations, clearances, and sovereign capability to perform this work within UK Defence standards. Due to interoperability and capability risks there are no reasonable alternatives available.

Procurement Information

The DE&S CV2 Portfolio team part of the Secretary State for Defence (the Authority") intends to award a contract to General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited for the provision of Connectivity Assurance Testing for a period of three (3) years (2+1 option year). The estimated total contract value is PS3million incl VAT As a background information, AJAX vehicle deliveries started in December 2018 and as a part of the Joint Acceptance Group, all vehicles undertaken by the Authority there is a requirement for the conduct of Connectivity Assurance Test (CAT) for the platform communications installation including the GFE BOWMAN equipment supplied by the Authority. The requirement is currently delivered under Contract No 700009869 and will expire in March 2026. Due to the Ajax Vehicle Production schedule being extended to 2028, the CAT scope of work needs to mirror the schedule until all vehicles are produced and assured with CAT as such the need to award a contract. In accordance with Section 2 of the Procurement Act 2023 this procurement is governed by the Procurement Act 2023. It is considered that this contract can be awarded under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 because the direct award justification specified in paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 applies, in that, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited has the only suitably trained and qualified personnel to carry out CAT along with access and ownership of specialist testing equipment to assure and certify the BOWMAN equipment to In-service readiness. They also hold the necessary security accreditations, clearances, and sovereign capability to perform this work within UK Defence standards. Due to interoperability and capability risks there are no reasonable alternatives available.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d8df
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035867-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

51 - Installation services (except software)

CPV Codes

51300000 - Installation services of communications equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£2,784,853 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Apr 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
3 Nov 20255 months ago
Contract Period
29 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

GENERAL DYNAMICS

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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