Planning

Public Sector Air Capability

CABINET OFFICE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

19 Mar 2026 at 09:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Cabinet Office is currently in the planning stage for a public procurement process concerning the provision of a dedicated wet lease transport aircraft service, titled "Public Sector Air Capability" and categorised under the services industry. This initiative is focused on engaging with the market to evaluate the delivery capacity in aviation services, commencing full service by 1st April 2027. The procurement process, which is open to parties located within the United Kingdom, includes several key milestones, notably the closing of the Expressions of Interest window on 25th March 2026 and the conclusion of engagement sessions by 2nd April 2026. These sessions will be conducted virtually and will require compliance with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to proceed to technical discussions.

This tender presents substantial business opportunities for aviation service providers equipped with necessary certifications such as a UK Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence and a Worldwide Air Operator Certificate. Businesses specialising in aircraft with specifications including narrow-body, single-aisle models with ETOPS 180 certification and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity are ideally placed to compete. The preliminary market engagement phase is aimed at fostering a high level technical exchange, offering participants insights that could be critical for growth into new market sectors by aligning their capabilities with public sector requirements. This is an opportunity to demonstrate compliance and reliability to one of the central government authorities, enhancing reputation and business prospects within the public sector aviation market.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Public Sector Air Capability

Notice Description

The Cabinet Office is conducting this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to gather industry insights and inform the aviation strategy for Public Sector Air Capability. This is an information gathering initiative and does not constitute a commitment to a future procurement. The Cabinet Office is seeking to engage with the market regarding the provision of a dedicated wet lease transport aircraft service. A key priority for this engagement is assessing the market's ability to mobilise and commence full service delivery from 01 April 2027. The service providers must meet the following criteria: Operator Licensing - must hold a valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Type A Operating Licence. Operational Authority - must maintain a Worldwide Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with clearance for global passenger operations. ETOPS: The aircraft and operator must be ETOPS 180 certified (or higher). In-Flight Connectivity: The aircraft must be equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity for passenger use. Aircraft Specification: Narrow-Body (Single Aisle) type. Mission Performance: The aircraft must have a minimum range capability of 3,900nm while carrying a Payload of 5,500kg. This performance must be guaranteed against 85% annual probability headwinds to ensure year-round, non-stop operational viability. All interested parties will be required to sign a mandatory Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Successful execution of the NDA will grant access to the full technical dossier and invitations to the capability specific engagement sessions.

Planning Information

To participate in this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise, interested parties are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via email to co.travel@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Following the EOI, the engagement will proceed according to the following structured timeline. Please note that adherence to the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) deadline is a mandatory requirement for progression to the technical discussion phase. 19 March 2026: Preliminary Market Engagement - open 25 March 2026: Expressions of Interest window - close 25 March 2026: NDA Execution - Mandatory NDA issued to interested parties 27 March 2026: NDA Deadline - Signed NDAs must be returned via email 27 March 2026: Engagement Pack - The Engagement Pack will be shared with participants and it will contain specific technical points and questions. Suppliers should note that the information requested within this pack will form the basis of the discussion on the Engagement Day. 01 - 02 April 2026: Engagement Sessions - Individual 2-hour sessions will consist of a participant led presentation followed by a technical Q&A. To facilitate a structured discussion, participating parties are required to provide a summary presentation (in PDF or PowerPoint format) outlining their capability against requirements defined in the Engagement Pack. Sessions will be held virtually via Google Meets; meeting slots will be formally allocated upon the successful execution of a NDA. Note: This process is designed to facilitate a high level technical exchange. The Cabinet Office reserves the right to adjust the timeline based on the volume of interest received.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-066e6f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024972-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60424110 - Hire of fixed-wing aircraft with crew

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Mar 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Apr 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CABINET OFFICE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2AS
Post Town
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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