--- title: "Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) In-Service Support (ISS)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-066f88" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066f88" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066f88.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066f88.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT" published: "2026-04-14" --- # Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) In-Service Support (ISS) Buyer: DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-066f88 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066f88) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066f88.json) ## Summary The Defence Equipment and Support organisation, a central government public authority based in Bristol, is preparing for the procurement of in-service support for the Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) within the Royal Navy and associated fleets. This tender process pertains to the navigation and maintenance services industry, with a focus on supporting, sustaining, and installing FOCS equipment. Currently in the planning phase, the market engagement notice for this procurement has been issued, with expressions of interest required by 27th April 2026. The planned date for issuing the tender is September 2026. This procurement follows a competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, ensuring transparency and fairness in engagement, with a significant opportunity for the market to inform the refinement of requirements. This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses involved in navigation equipment, repair, and maintenance services of warships. With a contract value exceeding £5 million, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are particularly encouraged to express interest, as the contract offers potential tasks like ad-hoc equipment fault support and installation activities. The procurement process is designed to build supplier capability and involve potential collaborators in shaping procurement requirements and procedures. Companies with expertise in system support, technical query resolution, and spares management will find this opportunity suitable for expanding their defence-related business portfolios. ## Notice The Ministry of Defence (MOD), acting through Sense Decide and Communicate (SDC) - Command and Control, Target, Navigation, Communications (C2TNC), intends to undertake preliminary market engagement for the procurement of a follow-on contract to support, sustain, and install Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) equipment across the Royal Navy (RN), Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and Submarine fleets. This engagement is being conducted in accordance with Section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Preliminary Market Engagement) and aims to ensure the Authority understands the current market, technical capability, supply chain, and commercial models relevant to this requirement. The intended procurement covers: a) Core agreement to provide support and sustain existing systems: a. Through-life technical support to sustain the existing FOCS capability. b. System availability management. c. Technical query resolution. d. Obsolescence management. e. Maintenance and updating of all technical documentation in accordance with MOD policy f. Spares and repairs service provision. The responsibility for the management of spares and repairs to be held by the supplier. g. Storage of all materiel required for support in accordance with relevant defence standards. b) Non-core scope to complete ad-hoc tasking: a. Ad-hoc tasking to support equipment faults, engineering studies, or system enhancements. b. Potential tasking to perform installation activity on remaining platforms in the current FOCS tech refresh programme. c. Attendance on ships/subs, military bases, and operational environments when required (in accordance with CONDO if required). ### Planning Information a. The Authority published a Request for Information (RFI) in April-May 2025. This PMEN is a further step to refine requirements ahead of a competitive flexible procedure. b. The Authority is engaging the market to: i. Provide suppliers with the opportunity to express interest. ii. Understand the capability in the market. iii. Understand commercial feasibility and delivery models. iv. Build supplier awareness and support competitive participation. c. The Authority confirms that: i. All information disclosed will be provided transparently to all suppliers to ensure equal treatment. ii. Participation in engagement does not create any preferential status in later procurement stages. iii. All relevant information shared through engagement will be published on the DSP to ensure open and equal access. d. The planned PSQ issue date is June-26, and the planned tender issue date is Sep-26. Interested suppliers may: a) Express interest including a capability statement. b) Submit clarification questions upon acceptance of capability statement by the authority. c) Offer feedback on commercial or technical approaches. Expressions of interest, together with a capability statement, must be submitted by email to vikki.notton100@mod.gov.uk no later than 17:00 on 27 April 2026. The engagement will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Section 16(1) and Section 16(2) ('Preliminary Market Engagement'). Depending on the response from suppliers, the Authority may discuss: a) Developing the authority's requirements and approach to the procurement. b) Designing a procedure, conditions of participation or award criteria. c) Preparing the tender notice and associated tender documents. d) Identifying and notifying suppliers that may or may not be able to supply the goods, services or works required. e) Identifying likely contractual terms. f) Building capacity among suppliers in relation to the contract being awarded. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033773-2026 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 14 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 30 Jun 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2027 - 31 Dec 2032 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £5,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT | | Locality | BRISTOL | | Post town | Bristol | | Postcode | BS34 8JH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England | | ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire | | Local authority | South Gloucestershire | | Electoral ward | Stoke Park & Cheswick | | Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation - 50 - Repair and maintenance services ### Codes - 34933000 - Navigation equipment - 50640000 - Repair and maintenance services of warships ## Release History - 14 Apr 2026 at 12:44 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033773-2026 - 31 Mar 2026 at 14:04 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029812-2026 - 19 Mar 2026 at 16:27 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025420-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033773-2026 14th April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029812-2026 31st March 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025420-2026 19th March 2026 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-equipment-and-support - 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-066f88. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066f88.json.