---
title: "UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement (Sonar Modelling Handbook)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY"
published: "2025-05-13"
---

# UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement (Sonar Modelling Handbook)

Buyer: DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0

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## Summary

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), a central government public authority based in Salisbury, United Kingdom, initiated a procurement process titled "UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement (Sonar Modelling Handbook)". This procurement, classified under marine services and sonars, was initially in the planning stage to gather insights for updating the Sonar Modelling Handbook, a key resource in the UK's defence underwater acoustic sector. However, the tender was later withdrawn on 13 May 2025, following a review of requirements by Dstl. A notable milestone in this process was a Preliminary Market Engagement Event scheduled on 5 June 2025, aimed at involving industry stakeholders in the handbook's refreshment.

This tender presented significant growth opportunities for businesses with expertise in sonar technology and underwater acoustic services, particularly those adept in research and development for the defence sector. SMEs with capabilities in digital innovation and data modelling would have found this an ideal engagement to shape the future standards and practices in the field. Moreover, the involvement could foster partnerships with the Ministry of Defence, aligning business offerings with updated industrial and academic applications in the UK. Participating in such engagements enables businesses to considerably broaden their portfolio by contributing to upcoming and transformative defence projects.

## Notice

The Sonar Modelling Handbook (SMH) has been the standard reference for modelling, data and metrics across the UK defence underwater acoustic enterprise for multiple decades, supporting work within the MoD, industry and academia. It provides visibility to UK industry and academia of what the MoD considers the best information available and supports consistency in performance modelling across the UK enterprise. As Dstl embarks on a significant refresh of the SMH material and presentation for the digital era, including incorporation of the latest theory and data, and commissioning specific research, it is seeking to engage industry and academia across the UK to provide input as to the way ahead at a Preliminary Market Engagement Event (PMEE). This will include new mechanisms for refreshed limitations on dissemination.

### Planning Information

Interested parties must contact Dstl Commercial to provide an overview of subject matter expertise and request attendance at the Preliminary Market Engagement Event (PMEE). You will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and submit suitable information for security vetting prior to invitation.
The PMEE will be held on 05/06/2025. Attendance costs will not be covered. It is hoped that supplier engagement will inform Dstl’s approach to an industry-wide agreement for the future publication and utilisation of the SMH.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020849-2025 |
| Notice type | UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 13 May 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Jul 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Jul 2025 - 31 Mar 2032 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Withdrawn |
| Lots status | Withdrawn |
| Awards status | Cancelled |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY |
| Additional buyers | Missing |
| Locality | SALISBURY |
| Post town | Salisbury |
| Postcode | SP4 0JQ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK72 Wiltshire |
| Local authority | Wiltshire |
| Electoral ward | Winterslow & Upper Bourne Valley |
| Westminster constituency | Salisbury |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 38113000 - Sonars
- 98360000 - Marine services

## Release History

- 13 May 2025 at 12:49 - TenderCancellation - UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020849-2025
- 29 Apr 2025 at 09:34 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017512-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020849-2025
  13th May 2025 - Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017512-2025
  29th April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laborator
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-0508e0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0508e0.json.