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Fleet Solid Support (FSS) Ship Support RAS Vehicle (SSRV)

Defence Equipment and Support

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

02 Nov 2026 at 11:24

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

28 Oct 2026 at 15:32

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

28 Oct 2026 at 14:04

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

28 Oct 2026 at 13:55

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Defence Equipment and Support intends to procure 240 Ship Support Replenishment at Sea Vehicles (SSRVs) for the Fleet Solid Support programme. The vehicles will equip three Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships and provide for training and spares. They are used to replenish ships at sea. The requirement is for the manufacture and delivery of the vehicles, which are classified as goods and associated with steel. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. The planned quantities are 10 vehicles for training, 80 for each of the first two ships and 70 for the third. This is a defence and security procurement being developed by the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation.

The process is at the planning stage: the buyer has stated its intention to procure, but this is not an invitation to tender. Defence Equipment and Support is undertaking preliminary market engagement to assess suppliers’ capability, capacity and interest, and to shape the requirement and future procurement strategy. The engagement was scheduled for publication on 28 October 2026, with supplier responses expected by 17:00 on 30 November 2026. The buyer expects to publish a future procurement notice by 28 February 2028. The estimated value is £1.2 million excluding VAT (£1.44 million including VAT). One lot is planned, with an anticipated contract period from 24 October 2028 to 30 November 2032. Indicative deliveries are scheduled for training in January 2029, then ships one to three in autumn 2030, 2031 and 2032 respectively.

This requirement is likely to suit manufacturers able to produce and deliver replenishment-at-sea vehicles for naval vessels, with the capacity to supply a 240-unit programme in stages over several years. Suppliers with experience supporting defence or maritime customers may be well placed to explain how they can meet the three-ship requirement, including training equipment and spares. The buyer is using market engagement to understand current market capability and capacity, supplier interest, and how the requirement and procurement strategy should be developed. Businesses can use that engagement to outline relevant manufacturing capability, production capacity and delivery planning, and to flag practical considerations that could inform the future competition. Small and medium-sized businesses are identified as suitable for the planned lot, so the requirement may also be relevant to specialist manufacturers and potential delivery partners.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Fleet Solid Support (FSS) Ship Support RAS Vehicle (SSRV)

Notice Description

The Fleet Solid Support (FSS) Programme requires 240 Ship Support Replenishment at Sea (RAS) Vehicles (SSRVs) to enable the full capability of the three Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. A total of 240 SSRVs are required for the x3 FSS ships, training and spares. Indicative manufacturing delivery timescales are as follows: Training - January 2029 - Qty 10 Ship 1 - Autumn 2030 - Qty 80 Ship 2 - Autumn 2031 - Qty 80 Ship 3 - Autumn 2032 - Qty 70

Planning Information

The Authority is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to understand market capability, capacity and interest in the manufacture and delivery of the Ship Support Replenishment at Sea Vehicle (SSRV), and to inform the development of the requirement and future procurement strategy. The PME will be published on 28 October 2026, with supplier responses due by 17:00 on 30 November 2026. Suppliers should access the associated opportunity listing via the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) using the following link: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=61604 The PME Survey and associated information can be accessed through the opportunity listing. Suppliers without a DSP account are encouraged to register to access the opportunity listing and associated communications. Completed PME Surveys should be submitted to the email address provided within this notice by the stated deadline. The same email address may also be used for any technical issues relating to access to the opportunity listing or PME documentation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-079279
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103637-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

14 - Mining, basic metals and related products

CPV Codes

14622000 - Steel

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,200,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Nov 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Feb 20282 years to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
24 Oct 2028 - 30 Nov 2032 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
Defence Equipment and Support
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

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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