--- title: "Aerial Reconnaissance oblique cameras and lens' replacement - UID 250" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f433" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f433" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f433.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f433.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Historic England" published: "2026-09-08" --- # Aerial Reconnaissance oblique cameras and lens' replacement - UID 250 Buyer: Historic England Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f433 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f433) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f433.json) ## Summary Historic England intends to replace its ageing Nikon D850 single-lens reflex cameras and lenses used for aerial reconnaissance. The requirement is for digital cameras and lenses, including consideration of older equipment offered in part exchange. The purpose of the market exercise is to understand what equipment is available, how suppliers can deliver the required outcome, and how the requirements should be defined for the subsequent procurement. Work and delivery are associated with the United Kingdom. The buying organisation is Historic England, a central government public authority. The procurement is for goods rather than services or construction. The equipment requirement is identified under CPV 38651000, covering cameras, and the planned requirement is presented as a single package. This process is at the planning and preliminary market-engagement stage; it is not an invitation to tender. Historic England expects to engage suppliers by 21 December 2026 to establish whether old digital cameras and lenses can be accepted in part exchange, what value suppliers might offer, and whether they will inspect the equipment before quoting. The buyer expects the next notice to be published on 22 December 2026. The indicative contract period is 5 January to 10 February 2027. The estimated value is £48,000 excluding VAT, or £57,600 including VAT. The planned procurement is below the relevant threshold and is intended to be suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. The procurement method and detailed evaluation basis have not yet been settled. The preparation is most relevant to suppliers of professional digital cameras and photographic lenses, particularly businesses able to support aerial-reconnaissance imaging requirements. Suppliers should be able to advise on currently available camera and lens equipment, explain how it would meet Historic England’s operational needs, and help shape clear requirements for a later competition. A commercial model that accepts older digital cameras and lenses in part exchange is central to the engagement, so dealers, manufacturers or specialist resellers with equipment valuation, trade-in and inspection capability are well placed to contribute. The buyer is also seeking market views on the likely resource commitment, delivery approach, timescale and cost. Firms able to provide informed technical and market advice before tender design should monitor the next procurement stage. ## Notice Our current Nikon D850 SLR cameras and lenses are coming to the end of their natural life so they need to be replaced. We have older digital cameras and lenses that can be used in part exchange. Before beginning the procurement process, we need to find out from suppliers if they will take old cameras in part exchange and how much they will pay for them. * To better understand the resource commitment/roles required by HE in order to write and run the tender? * To better understand how the market can deliver the outcome/Understand what is currently available in the marketplace * To explain requirements to suppliers * To help inform clearer requirements which are to be published to suppliers * To understand how much the work could potentially cost * To understand how long the work could take * To instigate/invoke interest and competition (consider also a UK3 planned procurement notice) * To ensure a good number of applications (consider also a UK3 planned procurement notice) ### Planning Information To find out if suppliers take old digital camera in part exchange for new ones. To give suppliers a list of old equipment to see if they will consider reducing the cost of new equipment. Allow suppliers to inspect the old equipment to inform their decision on whether to proceed with a quote. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084729-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 8 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 22 Dec 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 5 Jan 2027 - 10 Feb 2027 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £48,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Historic England | | Locality | SWINDON | | Postcode area | Swindon | | Postcode | SN2 2EH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon | | Local authority | Swindon | | Electoral ward | Mannington and Western | | Westminster constituency | Swindon South | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) ### Codes - 38651000 - Cameras ## Release History - 8 Sep 2026 at 10:08 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084729-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084729-2026 8th September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement 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-06f433. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f433.json.