Award

715733472 Thermal Clip-On System (TCOS) UK 5

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

04 Mar 2026 at 13:54

Award

23 Jan 2026 at 12:38

Summary of the contracting process

Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) has completed the procurement process for the Thermal Clip-On System (TCOS) UK 5 contract, intended for the additional supply and maintenance of Thermal Clip-On Systems and supporting ancillaries. Based in Bristol, DE&S operates under the UK Ministry of Defence. The contract was directly awarded to Thermoteknix Systems Limited, the Original Equipment Manufacturer, from Cambridge, indicating an absence of competition due to technical reasons. This procurement falls under the defence and security regime, with goods delivery scheduled from 18th March 2026 to 17th March 2027. The potential contract value stands at £4.5 million (excluding VAT), with £5.4 million being the gross amount.

This tender represents a key opportunity for businesses specialising in defence equipment supply and technical support, particularly for SMEs like Thermoteknix Systems Limited. Companies with expertise in manufacturing and servicing defence-related optical instruments could see growth by leveraging their technical knowledge and proprietary systems to meet the specific requirements outlined by the Ministry of Defence. As the contract relies heavily on established technical expertise and interoperability with in-service MOD platforms, businesses with similar capabilities and market presence can position themselves as potential suppliers in future opportunities that require direct awards due to specialised technical needs.

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Notice Title

715733472 Thermal Clip-On System (TCOS) UK 5

Notice Description

The Ministry of Defence intends to award a Combined Support Contract to Thermoteknix Systems Limited for: i) the additional supply of the in-service Thermal Clip-On Systems ("TCOS") and supporting ancillaries; and ii) the repair and maintenance of these capabilities. The contract will be for a period of 1 year and have a potential value of up to PS4.5M (excluding VAT).

Procurement Information

The Ministry of Defence intends to award a Combined Support Contract to Thermoteknix Systems Limited for: i) the additional supply of the in-service Thermal Clip-On Systems ("TCOS") and supporting ancillaries; and ii) the repair and maintenance of these capabilities. The contract will be for a period of 1 year and have a potential value of up to PS4.5M (excluding VAT). It is considered that this contract can be awarded under section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 relying on the direct award justification specified in para 6 of Schedule 5 (single supplier - technical grounds). It is considered that a Direct Award is permissible under the Act on the basis that, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only Thermoteknix Systems Ltd can deliver the goods and services in accordance with the Army's Land Fleet Requirements and there are no alternatives to those goods, services or works. Thermoteknix Systems Ltd is the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) of the current in-service TCOS and supporting ancillaries, [including providing repair, technical support, and configuration management services for these capabilities]. Only Thermoteknix Systems Ltd has the necessary technical data, knowledge, and expertise, including access to proprietary information, to deliver this requirement. Their continued technical expertise, technical data, and knowledge is necessary to ensure that the TCOS remain fully operational, compliant and interoperable with existing in-service MOD platforms and weapons. Incompatibility between the TCOS and existing systems would require re-testing, and new verification and validation to ensure safety and suitability for service, operational performance and effectiveness, and interoperability. Introducing new items would result in disproportionate cost, time and technical difficulties. For technical reasons, therefore, only Thermoteknix can supply these goods and ancillary services, and there are no reasonable alternative goods or services to deliver this requirement.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060d4c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/019491-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)


CPV Codes

38633000 - Telescopic sights

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Mar 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
23 Jan 20261 months ago
Contract Period
18 Mar 2026 - 17 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

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
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

THERMOTEKNIX SYSTEMS

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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