---
title: "WAMS - UK5 - Transparency Notice (TN)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06d0b1"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06d0b1"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d0b1.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d0b1.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT"
published: "2026-07-22"
---

# WAMS - UK5 - Transparency Notice (TN)

Buyer: DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06d0b1

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## Summary

The recent procurement process involved the Defence Equipment and Support, a central government public authority, based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The contract, titled "WAMS - UK5 - Transparency Notice (TN)," falls under the industry category of goods, specifically relating to aviation maintenance equipment. The procurement process has reached the award stage, with the contract awarded to Aviation Spares & Repairs Limited. This contract, valued at £370,000 excluding VAT, is for manufacturing three Wrap Around Maintenance Staging (WAMS) units to be used with F-35 air vehicles. The procurement method employed was a direct award, justified under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 due to the specific technical and intellectual property rights held by the supplier. The contractual period is set from 31 October 2026 to 31 October 2027.

This tender presents a strategic opportunity for businesses involved in specialised aviation equipment production, as it highlights the demand for tailored maintenance staging systems with exclusive compatibility requirements. Companies with unique intellectual property, technical expertise, and previous experience in producing compatible aviation accessories would be well-suited to compete in similar future tenders. Such contracts enable suppliers to cultivate specialised skills and establish a strong reputation with key government agencies, potentially leading to further opportunities for collaborative innovation and industry leadership. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with capabilities in precision engineering and understanding of safety regulations could particularly benefit from engaging in this niche market.

## Notice

Wrap Around Maintenance Staging (WAMS) is a Fall Arrest and access system designed for use with UK F-35 air vehicles. It provides access for inspection and maintenance tasks, while providing fall arrest mitigating the risk while Working at Height on the Aircraft. Procurement involves the manufacturing of three WAMS units.

### Procurement Information

The Lightning Delivery Team (LDT), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a contract to Aviation Spares & Repairs (ASR) Ltd for the manufacture and production of Wrap Around Maintenance Staging (WAMS) to enable maintenance activities on the Lightning II aircraft (F-35). The contract will be for a term of 1 year and have an estimated value of PS370K (Exclusive of VAT). It is considered that this contract can be awarded under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 because the direct award justification specified in paragraph 7 of Schedule 5 (Additional or repeat goods, services or works) applies. Working at Height equipment (WAMS) is required to allow the Lightning workforce to conduct aircraft maintenance activity safely and in line with Health & Safety (H&S) regulations. The staging must closely follow the contours of the aircraft due to H&S regulations so generic staging is not suitable or appropriate. The original contract for WAMS was awarded to ASR Ltd via competition in 2018 under DSPCR 2011. As a result, ASR Ltd is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the WAMS and has exclusive Intellectual Property (IP) rights to the technical drawings required to manufacture the staging. Only the OEM has the required technical drawings, tools, knowledge and expertise to manufacture staging that is compatible with the aircraft. An unforeseen requirement for additional WAMS aircraft staging units has now arisen, to meet a need to expand concurrent maintenance activities. Compatibility across all the working at height assemblies is required so that the WAMS modules can be used interchangeably and allow flexibility across the capability. A different solution would result in two different sets of incompatible staging being used simultaneously, and the incompatibilities would create disproportionate technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance of the two sets of staging, therefore there are no reasonable alternatives.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069094-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Jul 2026 |
| Contract period | 31 Oct 2026 - 31 Oct 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £370,000 |
| 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 | 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 |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | AVIATION SPARES & REPAIRS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

### Codes

- 34969200 - Passenger boarding stairs for aircraft

## Release History

- 22 Jul 2026 at 10:51 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069094-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069094-2026
  22nd July 2026 - Transparency 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

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