---
title: "Exempt as per S94 - (1a) - withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security, Direct Award."
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-068124"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-068124"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068124.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068124.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT"
published: "2026-05-20"
---

# Exempt as per S94 - (1a) - withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security, Direct Award.

Buyer: ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-068124

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-068124)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068124.json)

## Summary

The procurement process led by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), based in Reading, UK, involves the direct award of a contract for the procurement of special purpose trial hardware. This process is exempt under UK security and defence regulations, specifically S94 (1a), aimed at safeguarding national security. The total contract value is £429,532 excluding VAT, with a gross amount of £515,438. The procurement falls within the 'Miscellaneous special-purpose machinery' category. The contract's award stage was noted on 20th May 2026, with the standstill period ending on 1st June 2026, and the contract period running from 2nd June 2026 to 31st March 2027.

This tender presents growth opportunities particularly for businesses involved in the design, testing, and manufacture within the defence and security sectors. Due to the specialist nature of the products required and the unique role of the identified supplier, competition was limited. However, this scenario emphasises the importance of possessing niche technical expertise and a strong track record in national defence contracts for businesses looking to enter this field. This aligns with broader strategic goals of enhancing specialised manufacturing capabilities, and companies with existing frameworks and collaborations in defence could position themselves advantageously for similar future opportunities.

## Notice

Exempt as per S94 - (1a) - withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security, Direct Award. Procurement of special purpose trial hardware for PS429,532 excluding VAT.

### Procurement Information

Exempt as per S94 (1a) - withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security. Given the specialist nature of the requirement and the Supplier's unique role in the design, testing, and manufacture of this trial hardware, the proposed contract falls within scope of Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 to the Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that the supplier's specialist technical expertise and essential role in the development lifecycle means that there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and only the Supplier is able to supply the relevant goods. AWE is satisfied that there is no reasonable alternative to those goods. Further or in the alternative, the proposed contract falls within scope of Schedule 5, Paragraph 7 to the Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that the contract concerns the supply of goods by the existing supplier, and the contract is intended as an extension to the existing goods. In the current circumstances, changing supplier would result in incompatibility with the existing goods and cause disproportionate technical, operational and programme difficulties.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046669-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 12 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Jun 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £429,532 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT |
| Locality | READING |
| Post town | Reading |
| Postcode | RG7 4PR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ16 Berkshire West |
| Local authority | West Berkshire |
| Electoral ward | Aldermaston |
| Westminster constituency | Reading West and Mid Berkshire |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | WITHHELD SECTION94 SUPPLIER |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 42 - Industrial machinery

### Codes

- 42990000 - Miscellaneous special-purpose machinery

## Release History

- 20 May 2026 at 16:12 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046669-2026
- 13 Apr 2026 at 13:48 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033337-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046669-2026
  20th May 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033337-2026
  13th April 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-068124. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068124.json.