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715860487- Training for RFA Tide Class 690V Switchboards incl Frequency Converters - UK5

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

02 Jun 2026 at 14:04

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence has successfully completed a procurement process to provide training for RFA Tide Class 690V Switchboards, including frequency converters. This falls under the industry category of technical training services, specifically for public authority central government. The key activities associated with this contract will take place in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, at the Ministry's NCHQ, Leech Building, Whale Island location. The procurement, which was at the award stage as of 2nd June 2026, involved a direct award method due to technical reasons, with GE Power Conversion UK Limited being selected as the supplier. The contract, valued at £590,689, is set to commence on 27th July 2026, with completion expected by 27th June 2031.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in the provision of specialised training services, particularly those with a focus on technical and electrical systems within the defence sector. Firms with the capability to engage in OEM-specific training and that possess the requisite technical expertise would be well-suited to compete for similar contracts in the future. The tender underscores the importance of possessing proprietary knowledge and compliance with OEM standards, making it an attractive growth opportunity for businesses capable of offering certified training and support for complex electrical systems utilised in Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

715860487- Training for RFA Tide Class 690V Switchboards incl Frequency Converters - UK5

Notice Description

The Tide-class electrical power and propulsion system is a highly complex system of systems that includes power generation, distribution and conversion machinery. RFA Systems Engineers must be suitably qualified and experienced to conduct onboard maintenance and fault diagnosis on these key systems. This is a crucial principle that underpins RFA platform availability and operational capability. The training courses should provide 12 training places per year for Royal Fleet Auxiliary Personnel.

Procurement Information

The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 5 year contract with a value of PS590,689.00 to GE Power Conversion (GEPC) for the Provision of Tide Class Switchboards and Converter Training for RFA Personnel As a covered procurement, this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023. It is considered that the direct award of the contract is lawful in accordance with regulation 41 and paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. (a) Absence of competition for technical reasons GE Power Conversion (GEPC) is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the Tide Class switchboard and converter systems installed across RFA vessels. The training requirement relates to the safe operation and maintenance of these systems, which incorporate proprietary design data, software, and control logic owned by GEPC. GEPC retains exclusive control over the provision of OEM-certified training and does not authorise third-party providers to deliver this training. No alternative suppliers have been identified that are able to access the necessary proprietary information or provide training certified as compliant with OEM requirements. (b) No reasonable alternatives The use of a non-OEM training provider would introduce significant technical and operational risks, including: * Loss of configuration control and system assurance * Potential invalidation of safety and compliance certification * Increased risk of incorrect operation of safety-critical electrical systems Alternative approaches, including internal delivery or use of generic training providers, are not viable due to the lack of access to OEM-controlled technical data and system-specific configurations. Accordingly, only the OEM can deliver the requirement without disproportionate technical and safety risk, and no reasonable alternatives exist.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06aba3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051971-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80531200 - Technical training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£590,689 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Jun 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Jun 20262 days ago
Contract Period
26 Jul 2026 - 27 Jun 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PORTSMOUTH
Postcode
PO2 8BY
Post Town
Portsmouth
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ31 Portsmouth
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Portsmouth
Electoral Ward
Nelson
Westminster Constituency
Portsmouth North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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