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RFI 1 - Remote Sensed Data - Managed Service

Ordnance Survey

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

21 Jul 2026 at 15:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Ordnance Survey Limited, Great Britain’s national mapping agency, is exploring a managed service for remote sensed data. The service would enhance its future data-capture capability and support the updating and improvement of the National Map of Great Britain. Captured imagery is used in production processes, incorporated into the OS MasterMap Imagery Layer and used to create and derive other Ordnance Survey products. The scope concerns additional and alternative sensors for remote sensed data provision, including aerial mapping, aerial photography and aircraft operating services. It is a national-scale requirement linked to Ordnance Survey’s existing cyclical and targeted flying programmes. The work is classified as a service and is intended to support Ordnance Survey’s operational data-capture and mapping activities across Great Britain.

This is at the planning stage and is a Request for Information and preliminary market engagement, rather than an invitation to tender. Ordnance Survey expects to issue a subsequent notice on 9 February 2027. Interested organisations are asked to review the specification and response documents and provide market information by 21 August 2026. The procurement is planned as one lot, with an anticipated contract period from 1 July 2027 to 31 October 2031 and a possible renewal or extension to 31 October 2032. The lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The buyer is considering options for procuring remote sensed data as a managed service; this process is separate from its RFI about acquiring aircraft, sensors and software for in-house aerial acquisition.

This market engagement will suit organisations that can provide remote sensed data at national scale and support aerial mapping or aerial photography programmes. Relevant capabilities include operating suitable aircraft or other sensing platforms, deploying additional or alternative sensors, capturing reliable imagery and processing data for use in mapping production and imagery products. Suppliers with experience delivering recurring cyclical and targeted flying programmes, managing data quality and integrating outputs into established geospatial workflows are likely to be well placed to respond. The requirement may suit specialist remote-sensing providers, aerial survey and mapping companies, imagery-data businesses, and larger technology or aviation firms working with delivery partners. Smaller businesses are expressly considered suitable for the planned lot, so SMEs with demonstrable technical capability should prepare a response.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

RFI 1 - Remote Sensed Data - Managed Service

Notice Description

As Great Britain's national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey is responsible for capturing and maintaining the National Map of Great Britain. This is supported by a range of operational capabilities and technologies, including national-scale programmes for sensed data capture and processing. Ordnance Survey currently undertakes its own sensed data capture through cyclical and targeted flying programmes. The imagery collected supports production processes, helping to update and enhance the National Map. The imagery is also incorporated directly into the OS MasterMap Imagery Layer and used in the creation and derivation of a range of OS products. Ordnance Survey is seeking to enhance its sensed data capture capability to meet future customer needs. It therefore wishes to understand market capability to deliver remote sensed data from additional and alternative sensors. Ordnance Survey is considering two approaches and is releasing two Requests for Information (RFI); one for remote sensed data provisions (this RFI), the second to obtain options for acquiring aircraft, sensors and software for continued aerial acquisition as an in-house activity. Respondents are asked to consider how their capability can deliver the requirements as described in the RFI specification document which can be accessed and responded to on the Ordnance Survey In-tend Portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/os/aspx/Home

Planning Information

Full Specification requirements and response documents can be found on the OS Intend portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/os/aspx/Home Responders will need to register on the portal to access the documents.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d01c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068807-2026
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
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

34700000 - Aircraft and spacecraft

34711110 - Fixed-wing aircrafts

34711300 - Piloted aircraft

35611800 - Reconnaissance aircrafts

60445000 - Aircraft operating services

71354200 - Aerial mapping services

79961200 - Aerial photography services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Feb 20275 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jul 2027 - 31 Oct 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
Ordnance Survey
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO16 0AS
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ36 Central Hampshire
Delivery Location
TLJ32 Southampton
Local Authority
Test Valley
Electoral Ward
Chilworth, Nursling & Rownhams
Westminster Constituency
Romsey and Southampton North

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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