Award

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

05 Mar 2026 at 18:10

Tender

21 Jan 2026 at 19:25

PlanningUpdate

16 Dec 2025 at 15:02

Planning

08 Dec 2025 at 13:26

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process, led by Defence Equipment and Support, focuses on the supply and repair of Unit Load Devices compatible with Airbus A330 aircrafts. Located in Bristol, United Kingdom, the contract was awarded to UNILODE AVIATION SOLUTIONS UK LIMITED. With a gross value of £250,000, the procurement follows an open procedure and caters primarily to the goods sector, supplemented by services. The award is pending as of 5th March 2026, with the standstill period ending 16th March 2026. The contract period is slated from 17th March 2026 to 15th March 2029, and includes options for extension. The significant opportunity involves the maintenance of the aforementioned devices over the contract life span.

This tender creates substantial business opportunities for companies specialising in aircraft equipment supply and maintenance. Organisations equipped with technical compliance capabilities, financial robustness, and a good grasp of IATA regulations, such as ISO 9001, will be well-suited to compete. The involvement in preliminary market engagement and industry days provides potential contractors with insights to enhance their proposals. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to apply, and there is room for growth through extended contract options. This procurement underscores the market potential for businesses that can deliver quality services in the highly specialised field of aircraft equipment maintenance and supply.

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Notice Title

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement

Notice Description

Supply of x60 New, ready to use Airbus A330-299 compatible LD6 /ALF Unit Load Devices (ULDs) by 15 Jun 26. Through life maintenabce to ULD devices owned by the authority.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The Authority intends to include 1+1 Option Years

Planning Information

For the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (PME) the Authority would like to understand the following to deterine if it is able to run a Tender for this requirement. Please consider answering the following questions: 1. If the Authority was to award a Contract in early March, are you able to provide up to x60 new ready to use Airbus A330-200 compatible LD6 / ALF Unit Load devices (ULDs by 15 Jun 26) for the Authority's purhcase. 2. Are you able to repair and provide throughlife maintenance for the aboce purchased ULDs? 3. Are you able to provide repairs and maintainance for ULDs that you do not own or were not purchased from you? 4. Are you intrested in attending an Industry day on 13 January 2026 to view ULD devices that need repairs to suppor the Tender process. Details below: The Authority intends to hold an industry day on 13 January 2026 at RAF Brize Norton, for the viewing of the current Unit Load Devices that require repairing. This industry day will inform part of your Tender proposal and provide you with the data to draft your proposal for the repair component of the Tender. if you would like to attend please provide the following details. Name of Attendees(Max 2 per company): Company Name: Nationaility: If you have security Clearance: Please note the Authority reserves the right to refuse attendance to any individual, company, or parties, change or cancel the industry day at any point. Any dates provided for industry day, Tender and Contract Award are indicative only and subject to change or withdrawal at any stage of the process. The Authority will bore no costs for the booking of any travel, hotel arrangements or catering for this industry day, or the possibility of claiming back the costs if the date gets rearranged or cancelled. Please let us know in advance if there are any accessibility needs, and we will do our best to accommodate but may not be able to do so as the location is a working RAF Base.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f0c8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020150-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

50 - Repair and maintenance services


CPV Codes

34711110 - Fixed-wing aircrafts

34741000 - Aircraft equipment

50210000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to aircraft and other equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£236,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£236,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£235,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Mar 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
16 Feb 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
19 Jan 2026Expired
Award Date
5 Mar 20261 months ago
Contract Period
17 Mar 2026 - 15 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
2026-02-27

Notice Status

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

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
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

UNILODE AVIATION SOLUTIONS

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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