---
title: "UKRI-6171 Twin Otter Maintenance and Spares"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION"
published: "2026-10-26"
---

# UKRI-6171 Twin Otter Maintenance and Spares

Buyer: UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac

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## Summary

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) intends to procure maintenance and engineering services for its four Viking DHC6-300 Twin Otter aircraft. The expected scope covers airframe, engine, avionics and design engineering, alongside spare parts and additional tooling. Services are also expected to support aircraft availability through inspections, audits and medical evacuations, and include safe aircraft storage. Suppliers will need to work within relevant regulations and certification requirements. This is an aircraft maintenance services requirement, with delivery in the UK.

The procurement is at the planning stage: UKRI has stated its intention to contract, but this is not an invitation to tender. UKRI plans to invite interested parties to complete a Request for Information through its e-sourcing system, with responses expected by 6 November 2026. A further notice is expected on 10 November 2026. The anticipated contract period runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032. The estimated value is £9 million excluding VAT (£10.8 million including VAT). The requirement is presented as a single lot. No procurement procedure or evaluation basis is set out at this stage.

The requirement is likely to suit aircraft maintenance and engineering providers able to support a fleet of four Twin Otters across airframe, engine, avionics and design work. Relevant capabilities include supplying spares and tooling, carrying out inspections and audits, supporting medical evacuations, and arranging safe aircraft storage. Suppliers should be able to meet applicable aviation regulations and certification requirements. UKRI has identified small and medium-sized businesses, as well as voluntary, community and social enterprises, as suitable for the requirement. The planned market engagement offers prospective suppliers a chance to provide information on their services and capabilities before the procurement reaches competition.

## Notice

UKRI is looking to establish a contract for engineering services (airframe, engine, avionics and design) relating to the maintenance of our four Viking DHC6-300 (Twin Otter) aircraft. This requirement is likely to cover the following services, please note this list is not exhaustive: - Supply of spare parts and additional tooling - Engineering services (Airframe, Engine, Avionics and Design) - Adherence to relevant regulations and certifications - Ensuring availability of aircraft (inspections, audits, medevacs) - Safe storage of aircraft *Please note this is not a call for competition, this is only a Request for Information exercise*

### Planning Information

Interested Parties will be invited to complete a Request for Information, that will be made available via the e-sourcing system. 
Interested Suppliers can express their interest on the portal here:
https://ukri2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MTm00000DBO17MAH&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101273-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| 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 | 26 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 10 Nov 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2032 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £9,000,000 |
| 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 | UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION |
| Locality | SWINDON, WILTSHIRE |
| Postcode area | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 1FL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon North |
| Delivery location | TLH12 Cambridgeshire CC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 50 - Repair and maintenance services

### Codes

- 50211100 - Aircraft maintenance services

## Release History

- 26 Oct 2026 at 20:24 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101273-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101273-2026
  26th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://ukri2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MTm00000DBO17MAH&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.ukri.org/

## 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-0790ac. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0790ac.json.