---
title: "NPAS CAA Innovation Hub"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-033433"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-033433"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-033433.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-033433.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "WEST YORKSHIRE COMBINED AUTHORITY"
published: "2022-05-05"
---

# NPAS CAA Innovation Hub

Buyer: WEST YORKSHIRE COMBINED AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-033433

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "NPAS CAA Innovation Hub" is initiated by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and pertains to the provision of advisory services in the UK's civil aviation sector, specifically focusing on the feasibility of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) unmanned aircraft. The project, which falls under the services category and carries a contract value of £420,000, is currently complete, having undergone a limited procurement method with direct negotiation with the sole supplier, the Civil Aviation Authority. Key details include a delivery location in Leeds, UK, with the contract signed on 29 April 2022, following a complex regulatory approval process necessary for the project's objectives. This contract stands as a vital step in anticipating and overcoming regulatory challenges in the evolving drone operations space. 

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in aviation technology, regulatory advisory services, and unmanned aircraft systems. Companies that specialise in innovative aviation solutions, regulatory compliance, and drone technology would be particularly well-suited to compete for future tenders of this nature, given the exclusive collaboration and support from the CAA Innovation Hub. Engaging with the CAA directly through such advisory roles can substantially streamline the process for obtaining operational permissions, thereby enhancing the competitive edge for businesses that can demonstrate expertise in navigating complex regulatory landscapes in aviation.

## Notice

The engagement of the CAA Innovation Hub as an advisor to NPAS (National Police Air Service) for the feasibility study of the use of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)unmanned aircraft in UK airspace. The CAA Innovation Hub will advise and support the process for obtaining permissions to conduct the trials required to demonstrate safe operations and obtain regulatory approvals for BVLOS in operational policing.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The CAA are the sole regulator of civil aviation in the UK. Accordingly, they are the sole authority with the ability to grant permissions for operation and testing of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) aircraft in UK airspace. The CAA Innovation Hub is the 'thinktank' for the CAA in regard to it's regulatory policies and the UK airspace. The process for obtaining permissions to conduct the trials required to demonstrate safe operations and obtain regulatory approvals is inherently complex. The police service will require significant buy in and ultimately, approvals from the UK aviation safety regulator, the CAA, to operate drones BVLOS on a routine basis. The CAA Innovation Hub is an integral part of the UK CAA who can provide a direct advisory link to the regulator to ensure that the process is achieved in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. The Innovation Hub allows the development of new and innovative aviation systems to progress in line with CAA principles, and will allow the NPAS project team to access CAA expertise and guidance directly. By working with the CAA Innovation Hub, NPAS will have a direct link to the CAA for its BVLOS project that would not be unavailable with any other supplier and this will allow NPAS to anticipate regulatory challenges and where possible, inform the development of new policies and regulations. Whilst there is aviation expertise and experience outside of the CAA Innovation Hub, the CAA Innovation Hub is uniquely placed to assist NPAS by virtue of their position within the UK Aviation Regulatory Sector and their unparalleled close working relationship with the CAA policy maker. Additionally, the use of the CAA Innovation Hub provides singular quality assurance in regard to their credibility, which is unavailable elsewhere in the marketplace for this type of expertise. Engaging an alternative supplier would add a layer of complexity to the aims of the Project, as an interface would be required between that supplier and the CAA, which is made unnecessary by using the CAA Innovation Hub. This is especially important in view of the complex nature of the Project. The CAA Innovation Hub are the only supplier that could be engaged without the need to incorporate a third party into the Project to act as an interface between NPAS and the CAA. Engaging with a third party would substantially add further delays to the project as any third party would need to obtain all relevant regulatory approvals, which have proven to be extremely time consuming. The CAA Innovation Hub involvement in this process dramatically reduces this time scale The exclusive benefits that are solely available by working with the CAA Innovation Hub are: - Direct link to CAA that is not available via any other supplier allowing NPAS to better adhere to the CAA process. - By working with the CAA Innovation Hub NPAS would be vicariously embedded into the CAA, allowing for NPAS to be at the coal face of the developments required for the Project, placing NPAS in a unique position to influence planning, manage the various expectations and assure resource allocation. - NPAS will also be vicariously embedded in the CAA Innovation Hub's Sandbox challenges for the Detect and Avoid technical demonstrators that the drone industry are participating in, enabling a cost efficient approach, intelligent partnering and quality assurance. - Full oversight of the developments and innovations currently underway within the wider aviation sector which will influence existing and any future drone activity and regulatory developments. These will be reported upon and influence our planning and decision making. - Expedite communications to and from the relevant CAA sectors and stakeholders.

### Procurement Information

The CAA are the sole regulator of UK civil aviation, and authority to grant operation and testing of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) aircraft. The process for obtaining permissions for the trials to demonstrate safe operations and obtain regulatory approvals is complex. The CAA Innovation Hub is an integral part of the CAA who provide a direct advisory link to the CAA to ensure that the process is achieved in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. By working with the CAA Innovation Hub, NPAS will have a direct link to the CAA for its BVLOS project that would not be unavailable with any other supplier and this will allow NPAS to anticipate regulatory challenges and where possible, inform the development of new policies and regulations. The CAA Innovation Hub is uniquely placed to assist NPAS by virtue of their position within the UK Aviation Regulatory Sector and their unparalleled close working relationship with the CAA policy maker. Additionally, the use of the CAA Innovation Hub provides singular quality assurance in regard to their credibility, which is unavailable elsewhere in the marketplace for this type of expertise. Engaging an alternative supplier would add a layer of complexity to the aims of the Project, as an interface would be required between that supplier and the CAA, which is made unnecessary by using the CAA Innovation Hub. This is especially important in view of the complex nature of the Project. The CAA Innovation Hub are the only supplier that could be engaged without the need to incorporate a third party into the Project to act as an interface between NPAS and the CAA. Engaging with a third party would substantially add further delays to the project as any third party would need to obtain all relevant regulatory approvals, which have proven to be extremely time consuming. The CAA Innovation Hub involvement in this process dramatically reduces this time scale The exclusive benefits that are solely available by working with the CAA Innovation Hub are: - Direct link to CAA allowing NPAS to better adhere to the CAA process. - allows NPAS to be at the centre of the developments required for the Project, including their Sandbox challenges for the Detect and Avoid technical demonstrators that the drone industry are participating in - links to the developments and innovations currently underway within the wider aviation sector which will influence existing and any future drone activity and regulatory developments.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011670-2022 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Negotiated without publication of a contract notice |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 May 2022 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 28 Apr 2022 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £420,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | WEST YORKSHIRE COMBINED AUTHORITY |
| Locality | LEEDS |
| Post town | Leeds |
| Postcode | LS1 2DE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE4 West Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE42 Leeds |
| Local authority | Leeds |
| Electoral ward | Little London & Woodhouse |
| Westminster constituency | Leeds Central and Headingley |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis

## Release History

- 5 May 2022 at 10:52 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011670-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.bluelightcommercial.police.uk
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
- https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA43101

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-033433. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-033433.json.