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WAS-DIR-64084 - DOCUMENT DESIGN FOR INSTALLATION OF COMMUNCATIONS EQUIPMENT FOR WALES AIR AMBULANCE AIRCRAFTS

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

16 Oct 2026 at 16:08

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

16 Oct 2026 at 10:25

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust is procuring design documentation for replacing communications equipment in Wales Air Ambulance aircraft. The existing equipment, including wiring, cable looms and antennae, must be replaced so the aircraft can move from the Airwave network to the Emergency Services Network (ESN), while retaining critical communications. The procurement covers the design document for the installation; the wider requirement concerns equipment replacement and installation on the aircraft. The work relates to Wales Air Ambulance aircraft operating in Wales. The Trust is the buyer, with NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership managing the procurement.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded to Gama Aviation. The award is pending. The award value is £338,989.05 excluding VAT (£406,786.86 including VAT), for one lot. The contract period runs from 4 January 2027 to 3 January 2028, and the award was published on 16 October 2026. The Trust used a direct award, citing the existing aircraft maintenance, repair and operations contract with Gama Aviation and technical reasons: the communications equipment forms part of that contract, and the Trust says the work can only be completed by the incumbent. Gama Aviation is also contracted to maintain the replacement installation. The aircraft installation is intended to coincide with scheduled, time-driven maintenance to limit downtime.

This award indicates demand for specialist communications-system design and installation work on emergency-service aircraft, where equipment changes must preserve operational communications and fit within aircraft maintenance schedules. A credible competitor for a future equivalent requirement would need aircraft maintenance, repair and operations capability, and the ability to work on aircraft wiring, cable looms, antennae and associated communications hardware while coordinating installation with time-driven maintenance. Experience transitioning aircraft equipment to a replacement emergency-services network would be relevant. The buyer’s stated rationale also shows that control of, or established access to, the aircraft maintenance arrangement can determine who is able to perform this work: the selected supplier already held the maintenance contract. Suppliers without comparable aircraft access and integration capability may find it difficult to compete for this specific requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

WAS-DIR-64084 - DOCUMENT DESIGN FOR INSTALLATION OF COMMUNCATIONS EQUIPMENT FOR WALES AIR AMBULANCE AIRCRAFTS

Notice Description

Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST) are looking to procure a design document for the installation of the new communications equipment in the Wales Air Ambulance aircraft. The Airwave Network is due to shut down and WAST are responsible for the communications equipment within the Wales Air Ambulances. There is due to be an introduction to an Emergency Services Network, and the current comms equipment needs to be replaced.

Procurement Information

The Air Ambulances that operate in Wales (5 in total) are under contract with Gama Aviation for the Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO). The current communications system (the wiring and hardware fitting) forms part of the contract. Due to the Airwave Network shutting down in the future and the introduction of the Emergency Services Network (ESN) the current equipment will not be compatible with the ESN. To ensure the Aircraft can transition to the new network, whilst maintaining their critical communications, the existing hardware (including cable loom's, antennae, and other equipment) needs to be replaced and this can only be completed by Gama Aviation due to the current contract in place. Once installed the new installation will be maintained by Gama Aviation. The installation of the new equipment will be completed at the same time as other, time driven maintenance (i.e. completed after a certain number of flying hours) to ensure the Aircraft are unavailable for as short a period as possible. Gama Aviation are one of a limited number of MRO's in the UK and were awarded the contact for the Wales Air Ambulance aircraft in 1st Jan 2024 with the contract running to 31st Dec 2030.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078928
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098149-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award 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

50 - Repair and maintenance services

51 - Installation services (except software)

CPV Codes

50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

51000000 - Installation services (except software)

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£338,989 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
4 Jan 2027 - 3 Jan 2028 6-12 months
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
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CWMBRAN
Postcode
NP44 3AB
Postcode Area
Newport
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL53 Gwent Valleys
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Torfaen
Electoral Ward
Llantarnam
Westminster Constituency
Torfaen

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Gama Aviation (UK) Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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