Award

Support and Maintenance of GOTHIC APS and MCPS-UK5

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

04 Feb 2026 at 10:58

Planning

09 Jan 2026 at 11:01

Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence, located in Shrivenham, United Kingdom, has recently completed the direct awarding of a contract for the support and maintenance of the GOTHIC Aeronautical Production System (APS) and the Mercator Cartographic Productions System (MCPS). The procurement process, which reached the award stage on 4th February 2026, involves ongoing software licensing, maintenance, and repair services essential for the operation and enhancement of bespoke software used by the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence. 1Spatial Group Limited, a supplier with significant expertise and ownership of relevant intellectual property rights, will provide these services. The contract will commence on 1st April 2026 and run until 19th September 2028, with options for extensions up to 2030, thereby ensuring continuity in aeronautical information provision. The procurement falls under the industry category of software support services and system support services, with the contract valued at £2,611,397.00, grossing £3,133,676.40 in total, aligned with the Procurement Act 2023.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in software maintenance and support services, particularly those with capabilities in bespoke systems integration and aeronautical information. Businesses that focus on developing, maintaining, and enhancing complex software systems will find an opportunity to align their offerings with critical defence operations. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a strategic interest in expanding their portfolio to include high-level governmental contracts stand to gain a competitive edge by engaging in similar future projects, especially if they can demonstrate proprietary expertise and innovative solutions in software engineering tailored to fit existing military and defence systems.

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Notice Title

Support and Maintenance of GOTHIC APS and MCPS-UK5

Notice Description

The requirement is for provision of ongoing software licencing, software maintenance and repair services, and will provide support and maintenance for the bespoke software and applications that make up the GOTHIC Aeronautical Production and Mercator Cartographic Productions System (MCPS). 1Spatial will provide a support service billed on a quarterly basis, performing maintenance of the respective systems and its code base. The contractor will be required to undertake ongoing modifications and upgrades to the Gothic APS and MCPS code. On site engineering support may be required on a call-off basis against appropriate day rates, and will include training (development and delivery) and software enhancements if required. The procurement covers a support desk service for logging and managing service requests for assistance with the licensed software and to resolve faults, and is to include support in resolving suspected defects and application support.

Procurement Information

The GOTHIC Aeronautical Production System (GOTHIC APS) provides No1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit (No 1 AIDU), a unit within the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence with its primary aeronautical information (AI) maintenance and production software capability. In addition, further support is provided through Mercator Cartographic Production System (MCPS). Both capabilities are currently provided under software support and maintenance contracts with 1 Spatial Group Ltd. No1 AIDU is mandated by the Secretary of State for Defence to provide AI, data and publications to Defence and is critical in providing flight management systems data for all its aircraft platforms and mission planning systems on a legally mandated, worldwide 28-day Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control (AIRAC cycle). In accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5 paragraph 7: the contract concerns the supply of services by 1 Spatial Group Ltd which are intended as an extension to existing services. In the circumstances, (a) a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and (b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. A supplier other than 1 Spatial Group Ltd would not be able to supply software licencing, software maintenance and repair services and support in respect of GOTHIC APS and MCPS. This is due to 1 Spatial Group Ltd's (i) ownership of intellectual property rights in the source code underpinning GOTHIC APS and MCPS, and (ii) unique experience of GOTHIC APS and MCPS . GOTHIC APS and MCPS comprise bespoke software developed for ongoing compatibility with No 1 AIDU systems to support the AIRAC cycle. A change in supplier would necessitate the development by the new supplier of different bespoke software of a kind which does not currently exist in the market. The transition away from GOTHIC APS and MCPS would result in disproportionate integration and technical difficulties for No 1 AIDU.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060288
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009850-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support


CPV Codes

72250000 - System and support services

72261000 - Software support services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,611,397 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£2,611,397 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Feb 20265 days to go
Award Date
4 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 19 Sep 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
ukstratcom-comrcl-di@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
SHRIVENHAM
Postcode
SN6 8LA
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Vale of White Horse
Electoral Ward
Watchfield & Shrivenham
Westminster Constituency
Witney

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

1SPATIAL GROUP

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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