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Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) In-Service Support (ISS)

Defence Equipment and Support · Central government

In brief

Defence Equipment and Support has announced plans to buy this contract. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The estimated value is £5,000,000 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 69 months, up to 105 months with extensions, starting 1 April 2027.

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

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

Can I win this?

Competition

Typical: a median of 3 bids per contract for this buyer (from 15 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

The Ministry of Defence (MOD), acting through Sense Decide and Communicate (SDC) - Command and Control, Target, Navigation, Communications (C2TNC), intends to undertake preliminary market engagement for the procurement of a follow‑on contract to support, sustain, and install Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) equipment across the Royal Navy (RN), Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and Submarine fleets. This engagement is being conducted in accordance with Section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Preliminary Market Engagement) and aims to ensure the Authority understands the current market, technical capability, supply chain, and commercial models relevant to this requirement. The intended…Read the full description
The Ministry of Defence (MOD), acting through Sense Decide and Communicate (SDC) - Command and Control, Target, Navigation, Communications (C2TNC), intends to undertake preliminary market engagement for the procurement of a follow‑on contract to support, sustain, and install Fibre Optic Compass System (FOCS) equipment across the Royal Navy (RN), Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and Submarine fleets. This engagement is being conducted in accordance with Section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Preliminary Market Engagement) and aims to ensure the Authority understands the current market, technical capability, supply chain, and commercial models relevant to this requirement. The intended procurement covers: a) Core agreement to provide support and sustain existing systems: a. Through-life technical support to sustain the existing FOCS capability. b. System availability management. c. Technical query resolution. d. Obsolescence management. e. Maintenance and updating of all technical documentation in accordance with MOD policy f. Spares and repairs service provision. The responsibility for the management of spares and repairs to be held by the supplier. g. Storage of all materiel required for support in accordance with relevant defence standards. b) Non-core scope to complete ad-hoc tasking: a. Ad-hoc tasking to support equipment faults, engineering studies, or system enhancements. b. Potential tasking to perform installation activity on remaining platforms in the current FOCS tech refresh programme. c. Attendance on ships/subs, military bases, and operational environments when required (in accordance with CONDO if required).

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Pipeline notice · UK1, notice 025420-2026
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 033773-2026

About the buyer

From notice 025420-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 19 March 2026, last updated 14 April 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.