--- title: "Strategic Air Transportable Isolator-UK2" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-079450" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-079450" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079450.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079450.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Ministry of Defence" published: "2026-10-30" --- # Strategic Air Transportable Isolator-UK2 Buyer: Ministry of Defence Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-079450 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-079450) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079450.json) ## Summary The Ministry of Defence is exploring the market for a next-generation strategic air-transportable isolator (ATI), medical equipment for moving patients with suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious disease. It is intended to support global aeromedical evacuation from the point of injury or illness to NHS high-level isolation units, including through permissive and austere environments. The system must work with current Royal Air Force strategic fixed-wing aircraft, with potential use on future aircraft and NATO partner platforms, and support onward ground transfer. Requirements include containing serious infectious threats during transfer, enabling clinical care and connecting patients seamlessly with NHS isolation units. The MOD’s Deployable Air Isolator Team is a joint asset with the Department of Health and Social Care. This is a planning-stage request for information to understand the market and shape a possible future procurement; it is not an invitation to tender or pre-qualification. The MOD expects to use the responses to check earlier market findings, assess feasibility and market capacity, and inform a competitive procedure. Suppliers are invited to complete a questionnaire by 14 December 2026 at 12:00; further market engagement may follow. Responding, or not responding, will not affect the ability to compete in a later procurement. One lot is planned. The current indicative value is £1,666,666.67 excluding VAT (£2,000,000 including VAT). The estimated contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030. Funding and timescales are unapproved and described as very rough estimates; requirements may change. The work may suit medical-equipment manufacturers with an existing air-transportable isolator or a design that could be developed, as well as suppliers able to contribute to an integrated system for military aeromedical evacuation and NHS handover. The MOD is testing whether the market has sufficient capability, capacity and interest, so suppliers should consider whether they can deliver and sustain the required system. The stated requirements point to expertise in high-containment infectious-disease protection, aircraft integration and airworthiness certification, and clinical equipment integration, including ventilators and monitors. The isolator must maintain containment of airborne and contact threats, support patient care and transfer, and operate independently for at least 48 hours. Interoperability with NHS arrangements and resilience across the supply chain are also priorities. SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises are marked as suitable for the planned lot. ## Notice Further to the previous market exploration for High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) Medical Evacuation (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/market-exploration-high-consequence-infectious-disease-medical-evacuation) conducted in 2021, the Ministry of Defence through UK Defence Innovation is running a request for information from industry in order to develop the understanding of the market for Air Transportable Isolators (ATIs). This pre-market engagement seeks to: * Verify if information received from previous engagement is still valid; * Determine if there is sufficient market capability, capacity and interest; * Identify suppliers who have an existing ATI product / have a design for an ATI product that requires development; * Assist in understanding if the existing requirements are feasible; * Provide key information in supporting the approach to any future procurement, including designing an effective competitive procedure. This does not act as pre-qualification, and nothing submitted in this engagement will limit the opportunity to engage in any follow-on procurement process. The Deployable Air Isolator Team (DAIT), is a joint Department of Health and Social Care and MOD asset to transport patients with suspected or confirmed High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID). The current ATI provides the capability for global strategic Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) of a patient with a HCID. Defence requires a resilient, assured and interoperable next-generation Strategic ATI to maintain interoperability with NHS, improve and update military equipment and to enhance supply chain resilience. This will provide Global Strategic Aeromedical Evacuation from Point of Injury/Illness back to UK NHS High Level Isolation Units (HLIU), including permissive and austere environments. The following are the overarching requirements, which are subject to change: * Threat context -HCID (Definitions include: UKHSA, WHO, Level 4 biological threats, and novel/unidentified pathogens) requiring full isolation, including airborne, droplet and contact transmission risks to aircrew, medical personnel, aircraft and population. * Platform / domain - current Royal Air Force strategic fixed wing aircraft (with potential for future airframes and NATO partner platforms) with onward ground transfer via specialist ambulatory systems. * Key metric 1 - Full containment of HCID (Level 4) pathogens (airborne/contact) throughout transfer. * Key metric 2 - Achieve Release to Service and certified airworthiness on current and future strategic AE platforms. * Key metric 3 - Enable full clinical care including operation of ventilators, monitors, and other Electrical Medical Equipment. * Key metric 4 - Enable seamless end-to-end patient transfer from aircraft to NHS HLIU. * Key metric 5 - Sustain independent operation for minimum 48 hours. Please note that at this stage the funding and timescales are not approved and are very rough estimates. ### Planning Information To respond to this notice, please complete the MS Forms questionnaire available by copying the link below and pasting into your browser in a new window. The deadline for submission is 14 December 26 at 12:00. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/W6NbTpppGJ Responding (or not responding) to this engagement will not impact on your ability to compete in any following procurement procedure. If required, there may be additional market engagements once this request for information is completed. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103008-2026 | | 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 | 30 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,666,666 | | 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 | Ministry of Defence | | Locality | LONDON | | Postcode area | South West London | | Postcode | SW1A 2EU | | 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 | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products ### Codes - 33100000 - Medical equipments ## Release History - 30 Oct 2026 at 10:03 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103008-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103008-2026 30th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/W6NbTpppGJ - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/market-exploration-high-consequence-infectious-disease-medical-evacuation - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence - 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-079450. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079450.json.