Closing soon3 days left · closes 2pm, Monday 16 November 2026

Drone and Drone Services (1356)

Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation · Local or regional public body

In brief

Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation is looking for suppliers for this contract (UK-wide).

It is a framework worth up to £500,000,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.

The contract runs for 4 years, starting 1 March 2027.

It is split into 2 lots, so a supplier can bid for part of the work.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Bids close at 2pm, Monday 16 November 2026.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Key dates

Questions by: 2pm, Friday 30 October 2026
Bids by: 2pm, Monday 16 November 2026

How bids are scored

Quality including Delivery and Customer Service 45% · Cost 35% · Social Value and Sustainability 20%

Quality matters most. You can win without being the cheapest.

Competition

Typical: a median of 5 bids per contract for this buyer (from 109 awards in the last 12 months).

Framework

Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £500,000,000 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.

Conditions

Suppliers pay a fee of 2% of the value of work won through this framework.

The buyer expects to buy this again around March 2031.

What the notice says

The Drones and Drone Services framework offers two call-off award procedures: Award Without Competition and Competitive Selection Process. The solution is to support the public sector in the purchase of drones and associated products and services.

Should I bid?

Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.

Can you prepare a good bid in 3 days?That is tight, especially for a first bid with this buyer.
Is a contract of about £500,000,000 a size you can deliver?Buyers often check that your turnover is comfortably larger than the yearly contract value.
Can you deliver in locations across the UK?Check the delivery locations in the tender documents.
Is one of the 2 lots a good fit?You can usually bid for one lot without bidding for the others.
Can you meet what the notice mentions: Framework agreement?The tender documents will say exactly what is required.
Are you registered on the Central Digital Platform?You need to be registered to take part under the Procurement Act 2023.
The buyer says this suits small businesses.A good sign if you are an SME, but check the requirements.

How to bid

Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
Send clarification questions before 2pm, Friday 30 October 2026.
Make sure your bid arrives before 2pm, Monday 16 November 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.

Lots

Lot	Trade	Value
Supply of Drones with Associated Products and Services 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2031 What this lot covers This lot is for the provision of supply, maintenance, accessories and managed services. Examples of these (but not limited to) are shown below. • Any aircraft operating or designed to operate autonomously or to be piloted remotely without a pilot on board. Drones operating within Open, Specific or Certified categories and to include accessories carried by drones. • Maintenance and servicing of drones • Design and building of drones • Technical training on specific drones • Relevant software and hardware solutions, such as ground control stations and data management. • Associated hardware such as docking stations, charging solutions and other safety related solutions – including signage such as ‘Drones in operation’. • Drones with a managed service • Remotely operated vehicles (ground or submersible)	—	£500,000,000
Drone Services 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2031 What this lot covers This lot is for the provision of drone services. Examples of these (but not limited to) are shown below. • Surveillance • Surveying • Inspection and data collection • Spraying • Firefighting • Mapping and data analysis • Transportation /delivery of goods or persons • Operator training • Droneport infrastructure design / operations • Advice and support services related to drone operations • Other tasks performed by drones	—	£500,000,000

Timeline

7 August 2026Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 075396-2026
12 October 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 096010-2026
11 November 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 107027-2026

About the buyer

Yorkshire Purchasing OrganisationLast 12 months

Procurements

Awards

Suppliers it has used most

Bic U.K. Limited3 contracts
Castlefield Recruitment Limited3 contracts
John Graham Construction Limited3 contracts
Phoenix Software Limited3 contracts
Zurich Insurance Company Ltd3 contracts
Atkinsréalis UK Limited2 contracts
Eastpoint Global Ltd2 contracts
Edding (U.K.) Limited2 contracts

All tenders and awards from Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation

From notice 075396-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 7 August 2026, last updated 11 November 2026. We last checked for changes on 11 November 2026.