---
title: "Trace, Evaluate and Reinforce (TracER)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f159"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f159"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f159.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f159.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT"
published: "2026-09-03"
---

# Trace, Evaluate and Reinforce (TracER)

Buyer: THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f159

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f159.json)

## Summary

The Department for Transport is procuring TracER, a goods requirement intended to improve assurance of explosive trace detection screening and the detection of explosive trace contamination. The work concerns trace-detection screening assurance rather than general transport operations, and may involve products, equipment, testing or associated technical provision covered by the broad procurement classifications. Delivery is required in the United Kingdom and the United States. The requirement is relevant to suppliers working in explosive trace detection, aviation or transport security, security equipment, laboratory and precision equipment, scientific testing, inspection, research and development, or related technical consultancy. It may also suit businesses able to combine specialist detection capability with evaluation and reinforcement of screening processes for public-sector and security-sensitive applications.

The procurement has reached tender: the Department for Transport invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. It is a single lot with an estimated value of £135,000 excluding VAT, or £162,000 including VAT. Enquiries had to be submitted by 23 September 2026 at 12:00 noon, and tender responses by 7 October 2026 at 12:00 noon. The intended contract period is 2 November 2026 to 31 October 2027. The competition has two stages. Stage 1 assesses conditions of participation, including capability, capacity, relevant experience and security protections; successful suppliers proceed to Stage 2 and receive an invitation to tender. Electronic submission is allowed. The contract will be awarded to the most advantageous tender, using the criteria in the invitation-to-tender documents.

This opportunity suits suppliers with proven capability, capacity and relevant experience in explosive trace detection screening or closely related security, laboratory, scientific or transport-security work. Applicants must be able to protect sensitive Department for Transport and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory information, and must sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of the first-stage conditions. Businesses will need to demonstrate that they can meet the minimum standards in the pre-qualification questionnaire before progressing to the tender stage. The requirement is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. It may therefore suit a specialist SME or mission-led organisation with the required technical expertise, information-security arrangements and delivery capacity, either independently or with suitable partners.

## Notice

TracER is intended to improve assurance of Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) screening to detect explosive trace contamination.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083492-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 2 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £135,000 |
| Lots value | £135,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 4DR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | Vincent Square |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
- 14 - Mining, basic metals and related products
- 15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
- 18 - Clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories
- 19 - Leather and textile fabrics, plastic and rubber materials
- 22 - Printed matter and related products
- 24 - Chemical products
- 31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 42 - Industrial machinery
- 43 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services
- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
- 65 - Public utilities
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 76 - Services related to the oil and gas industry
- 77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 09000000 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
- 14000000 - Mining, basic metals and related products
- 15000000 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
- 18000000 - Clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories
- 19000000 - Leather and textile fabrics, plastic and rubber materials
- 22000000 - Printed matter and related products
- 24000000 - Chemical products
- 31000000 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 33000000 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
- 34000000 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 35000000 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 42000000 - Industrial machinery
- 43000000 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment
- 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services
- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
- 65000000 - Public utilities
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 76000000 - Services related to the oil and gas industry
- 77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 90000000 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

## Release History

- 3 Sep 2026 at 13:55 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083492-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083492-2026
  3rd September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/47878740019F5BAFD5EA
- 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-06f159. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f159.json.