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Passenger Short Term Air Supply System (PSTASS)

Defence Equipment and Support

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

Award

14 Sep 2026 at 15:06

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
AwardUpdate

14 Jul 2026 at 14:50

UK5 - Transparency Notice
AwardUpdate

14 Jul 2026 at 14:44

UK5 - Transparency Notice
AwardUpdate

10 Feb 2026 at 09:12

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Award

09 Feb 2026 at 14:27

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Defence Equipment and Support, part of the Ministry of Defence, procured spares and post-design services for the Passenger Short Term Air Supply System (PSTASS). The requirement covers ongoing support for an in-service emergency breathing system carried by passengers on Wildcat, Chinook, Merlin and Dauphin NS rotary-wing helicopters. The system supplies air if a helicopter sinks underwater. Work includes spare parts, ad hoc tasking, repairs and modifications, together with the technical support needed to maintain the capability. The procurement is for goods and associated engineering support, classified as breathing apparatus. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. The requirement supports military aviation safety and the continued operation of PSTASS equipment already in service.

The procurement has been awarded by direct award and the contract is active. Apeks Marine Equipment Ltd was selected as the supplier because it is the original equipment manufacturer and was considered the only supplier with the required technical expertise, designs, drawings and data packs to maintain PSTASS and meet Military Aviation Authority airworthiness requirements. The contract was signed on 1 September 2026 and runs from 1 September 2026 to 28 February 2029. Its value is £454,000 including VAT. The earlier estimated value was £455,000 including VAT. The arrangement is one lot and includes a one-off six-month extension option at the Authority’s discretion, with a maximum extent date of 30 September 2028. Evaluation was based on the direct-award technical-reasons justification.

This requirement is most relevant to an original equipment manufacturer or a specialist defence engineering supplier with demonstrable control of the equipment’s technical baseline. A credible competitor would need expertise in passenger air supply and emergency breathing systems, and the ability to provide genuine spare parts, repairs, modifications and responsive tasking support for military helicopter equipment. It would also need the design records, drawings and data packs required to support airworthiness decisions, rather than only general maintenance capability. The buyer’s expectations include dependable delivery against purchase orders, timely post-design meetings and records, prompt responses to tasking requests, and completion of authorised work within agreed timescales. Suppliers would need robust quality management, a quality plan, cyber-risk assessment and improvement arrangements, ISO 9001:2015 certification, and capacity to provide ongoing support to an in-service safety-critical capability.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Passenger Short Term Air Supply System (PSTASS)

Notice Description

Provision of spares and Post Design Services including ad hoc tasking, repairs and modifications for Passenger Short Term Air Supply System, to provide on going support to the current in-service capability.

Procurement Information

The Air Enablers Delivery Team, part of the Ministry of Defence, intends to award a contract to Apeks Marine Equipment Ltd for the provision of spare parts and post design services for the Passenger Short Term Air Supply (PSTASS - 'the System') which is carried by passengers on rotary wing helicopters (Wildcat, Chinook, Merlin and Dauphin NS) and provides air in th event of an emergency where the helicopter sinks under water. The contract will be for a term of 2.5yrs and has an estimated value for PS455,000 including VAT. It is consdered that this contract can be awarded under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 because the direct award justification specified in para. 6 of Sch. 5 (single supplier - technical reasons) applies. This is because Apeks Marine Equipment Ltd. is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the System and has supported it since was introduced into service in 2007. Only the OEM has the technical expertise, including designs, drawings and data packs, to maintain a vital piece of safety equipment and meet Military Aviation Authority (MAA) airworthiness requirements. There are no reasonable alternatives.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-064b4c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086968-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details 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

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

CPV Codes

44611200 - Breathing apparatus

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£379,166 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
£378,333 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 28 Feb 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active, Pending
Contracts Status
Active

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
Postcode Area
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

APEKS MARINE EQUIPMENT LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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