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715933488 - In-Barracks Equipment Support (IBES) outputs for the Support Helicopter Force (SHF) and Commando Helicopter Force (CHF).

Ministry of Defence

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

20 Oct 2026 at 10:07

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

14 Oct 2026 at 15:19

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

14 Oct 2026 at 15:17

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

11 Sep 2026 at 12:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

28 Aug 2026 at 16:49

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

28 Aug 2026 at 16:35

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence plans to procure output-based personnel support for its Support Helicopter Force and Commando Helicopter Force. The contractor will provide suitably qualified and experienced people to supplement military capacity across aviation engineering, logistics information systems, airworthiness records, supply and enabling functions. The work is intended to help maintain aircraft availability, maintenance throughput, logistics resilience, airworthiness assurance and safe operations, while supporting readiness, force generation and operational tasks. Support must adapt to changing flying programmes, maintenance needs and operational demand; the buyer is not prescribing fixed posts or handing over responsibility for directing and assuring Defence outputs. Services are required at RAF Odiham, RAF Benson and RNAS Yeovilton. The work covers helicopter engineering support, repair and maintenance, and air transport support services.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the Ministry of Defence has set out its intention to buy the services, but has not yet invited tenders. It expects to use a competitive flexible procedure. The planned contract is for one lot, with an expected start on 1 July 2027 and end on 30 June 2032; the maximum period could extend to 30 June 2034. The estimated value is £37 million excluding VAT (£44.4 million including VAT). The next notice is currently expected on 1 December 2026. Preliminary market engagement has included an industry briefing planned for 7 October 2026, and the buyer intends to issue a written request for information after the engagement, allowing about one week for responses; the final response period is to be confirmed with that request. The lot is marked suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This requirement is likely to suit suppliers able to recruit, manage and deploy suitably qualified and experienced personnel across aviation engineering, logistics, airworthiness, supply and enabling functions. Relevant experience supporting helicopter maintenance and operational aviation organisations would align with the stated aim of sustaining Support Helicopter Force and Commando Helicopter Force capability. Suppliers will need to respond to variable demand across three military aviation locations and balance engineering, logistics and supply support against changing readiness cycles, flying programmes, maintenance activity and emergent tasks. The buyer describes the requirement as output-based, rather than a fixed staffing schedule, and expects support to supplement constrained military capacity while leaving direction and assurance of Defence outputs with the Authority. The planned market engagement and subsequent written RFI offer a chance to understand the developing requirement and provide input before the competition is established.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

715933488 - In-Barracks Equipment Support (IBES) outputs for the Support Helicopter Force (SHF) and Commando Helicopter Force (CHF).

Notice Description

There is an enduring requirement for contracted labour and personnel support across aviation engineering, logistics information systems, airworthiness records, supply and enabling functions at RAF Odiham, RAF Benson and RNAS Yeovilton. The Authority are seeking a Contractor who shall provide suitably qualified and experienced personnel (SQEP) to supplement Service personnel and deliver the defined outputs where military capacity is constrained. This is an output-based personnel support requirement; it does not prescribe fixed posts or transfer the Authority's responsibility for directing and assuring Defence outputs. The requirement is informed by persistent Service workforce pressure across engineering, logistics and enabling functions. Workforce gap data may be used by the Authority to inform planning and prioritisation; however, such data is contextual only and shall not be interpreted as a fixed staffing requirement, guaranteed workload or commitment to any specific workforce construct. The requirement supports the Authority's need to generate, sustain and recover SUPPORT HELICOPTER FORCE (SHF) and COMMANDO HELICOPTER FORCE (CHF) capability in support of Defence-directed tasks, readiness commitments, force generation activity, contingency response and wider operational outputs. Delivery shall contribute to aircraft availability, maintenance throughput, logistics resilience, airworthiness assurance and safe operating outputs across the SHF and CHF enterprises. The Contractor shall deliver support that enables the Authority to prioritise scarce engineering, logistics, supply and enabling resources against variable operational demand. Support shall remain responsive to flying programme requirements, maintenance activity, emergent tasking, readiness cycles, future capability transition and changes in workload across output groups, functions, locations and time. The Authority does not guarantee a fixed volume of tasking. Activity assumptions, historic data and annexed output schedules are indicative and shall not be interpreted as guaranteed workload, fixed workforce demand or a prescriptive staffing schedule.

Planning Information

Notice changes on 20/10/2026- A Q&A document has been added to the Opportunity Notice. The changes to the notice are: Engagement: RFI Published- Opportunity Notice : https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=61576 The Authority is conducting Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to inform suppliers of an upcoming requirement and to gather information, ascertain levels of interest, gain insight into risks and issues, and inform the commercial and procurement strategies for the provision of services required to support In-Barracks Equipment Support (IBES) outputs for the Support Helicopter Force (SHF) and Commando Helicopter Force (CHF). Interested suppliers are invited to participate in the following activities: • Industry Briefing Day with potential tenderers • Request for Information (RFI) Questionnaire (at a later date) How to Participate Industry Briefing Day • Date/Time: 10:00 (GMT) on 7 October 2026 • Location: Virtual event via Microsoft Teams Potential bidders interested in participating must notify the MOD point of contact, Gina Overton, at army-comrcl-complex-proc-mailbox@mod.gov.uk by 17:00 (GMT) on 5 October 2026. Please include the following details in your registration email: o Company name o Names, positions, and email addresses of attendees • Presentation Materials: Slides from the Industry Briefing Day will be uploaded to the Defence Sourcing Portal following the event. The Authority intends to issue a written Request for Information (RFI) following the PME event. The RFI will provide suppliers with a structured opportunity to respond to the Authority’s questions and comment on the proposed requirement. Suppliers should use the event to develop their understanding of the opportunity and identify matters relevant to their written response. The RFI will set out the questions, response arrangements, and submission deadline. The Authority currently intends to allow approximately one week for responses, with the final response period to be confirmed when the RFI is issued. This is an excellent opportunity for suppliers to engage with the Authority, gain a better understanding of the requirements, and provide valuable input to help shape the procurement process. We look forward to your participation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eef1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098792-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

50 - Repair and maintenance services

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

50212000 - Repair and maintenance services of helicopters

63730000 - Support services for air transport

71336000 - Engineering support services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£37,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Dec 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jul 2027 - 30 Jun 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
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
ANDOVER
Postcode
SP11 8HT
Postcode Area
Salisbury
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Test Valley
Electoral Ward
Andover Millway
Westminster Constituency
North West Hampshire

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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