---
title: "Provision of NATS Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078627"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078627"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078627.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078627.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Defence Equipment and Support"
published: "2026-10-15"
---

# Provision of NATS Services

Buyer: Defence Equipment and Support  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078627

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## Summary

Defence Equipment and Support, through the Ministry of Defence’s Air Traffic Management Team, is procuring air traffic management services from NATS (En Route) PLC. The requirement covers air traffic data, distress and diversion cell infrastructure, connectivity services and installation. This is specialist support for the UK’s air traffic requirements, including connections to a site owned by NATS. The work is in the air traffic control services category (CPV 63732000) and is for delivery in the United Kingdom.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to NATS (En Route) PLC. The award is recorded as pending. The contract period runs from 27 October 2026 to 30 September 2029, with an option to extend by one year. The estimated value is £900,000 including VAT (£720,000 excluding VAT). The buyer used a direct award under a closed framework, relying on the single-supplier technical-reasons justification: it considers NATS the only UK supplier and says there are no reasonable alternatives because the service requires connections to a NATS-owned site. There is one lot. The award date is 15 October 2026; contract signature was scheduled for 27 October 2026.

This award demonstrates demand from Defence Equipment and Support for integrated air traffic services: air traffic data, distress and diversion cell infrastructure, connectivity and installation. A credible competitor for a future requirement of this kind would need the technical capability to provide the complete service and establish or update connectivity to the relevant operational site, as well as the infrastructure and expertise to support air traffic management requirements. The buyer’s stated basis for selecting NATS was that it is the only UK supplier able to meet the requirement for connections to its own site, with no reasonable alternatives. Suppliers would therefore need to demonstrate a technically viable alternative service and connectivity arrangement to compete if the requirement returns to market.

## Notice

The Air Traffic Management Team (ATMT) in Sense, Decide & Communicate (SDC), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a contract to NATS En Route PLC (NERL) for the provision of air traffic data, distress and diversion cell infrastructure, connectivity services and installation (Air Traffic Requirements). The direct Framework contract will be for a term of 3 years with the option to extend for one year and has an estimated value of PS900,000 (inclusive of VAT).

### Procurement Information

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 6 of Schedule 5 (single supplier - technical reasons) applies. This is because NERL is the only supplier of the Air Traffic Requirements in the UK, provision of which will require updating connections to a site owned by NERL. 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/097249-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 15 Oct 2026 |
| Contract period | 27 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £720,000 |
| 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 |
| Postcode area | 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 | NATS (EN ROUTE) PLC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

### Codes

- 63732000 - Air-traffic control services

## Release History

- 15 Oct 2026 at 08:10 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097249-2026
- 13 Oct 2026 at 09:08 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096348-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097249-2026
  15th October 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096348-2026
  13th October 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

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-078627. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078627.json.