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planningFind a Tender · planning Update

715838592 - Internal Communications System (ICS) - Technical Refresh (TS) - RFI

Buyer: Submarine Delivery Agency →

BuyerSubmarine Delivery Agency
Statusplanning
DeadlineNot published
Value£100,000,000
Published20 Apr 2026

What is being bought

This in-service support is currently achieved via a sole source contract with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) including a contractual arrangement for the management of the Shore Reference Sets (SRS) associated with the ICS. ICS provides a digital and analogue voice message exchange architecture that supports voice communications over digital and wireless networks and analogue circuits. The system also includes a telephone exchange, secondary, emergency damage control (DC) communication systems, submarine broadcast and general alarm functions. A-Class ICS employs a wholly, complex, 3-node communication architecture that employs digital switch and network technologies within a multi-layer software model. It supports essential communications between the submarine crew for operational and safety critical functions on-board. The existing system in place is based on Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and will need to move to the modern Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology to allow long term support. ICS is a complex system with many interfaces and nodes to allow personnel the opportunity to communicate throughout the platform. This complexity is not always understood by Ship Staff so it is essential to have engineering backup available via Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) ICS engineers provisioned for via a support contract. Astute ICS is a Priority 1 Master Equipment (ME) and is vital to delivering platform capability. The software will need to be a SIL2 (Safety Integrity Level) system and integral to the whole boat safety case.

Delivery location

UK, GB

Categories

Communications network 32412000

Lot details

Lot 1

No lot description published.

Statusplanning
Contract periodFrom 1 Apr 2027 to 31 Mar 2032
SME suitabilitySuitable for SMEs

What is included

ItemCategoryQuantity
1Communications networkNot published

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 32. The category anchor is Communications network (32412000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison setProceduresReported bids per procedureNamed award suppliersPrice evidence
Market: CPV division 322,0364 median · 34.3 average (746 of 2,036 with a bid count)3.9 average (861 of 2,036 with named award suppliers)Not published
Same buyer0Not publishedNot publishedNot published
Delivery region: UK6055 median · 98.2 average (197 of 605 with a bid count)7.2 average (248 of 605 with named award suppliers)Not published
Similar published value (0.5×–2×)623 median · 3 average (1 of 62 with a bid count)1 average (1 of 62 with named award suppliers)Not published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleNot published
Rationale classificationsNot published
Special regimeNot published
Covered byNot published
Submission policyNot published
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetValue not published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents1
Planning milestones1
MilestoneTypeDueStatus
This Request for Information (RFI) will be advertised on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and Find a Tender Service (FTS) and issued to all who request an RFI together with other companies whom the SDA believes may be able to provide useful intelligence on this requirement. Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by subject matter experts from different functional areas within the SDA. Following receipt of responses to this RFI the Authority may initiate follow on engagement with either individual potential suppliers, groups of potential suppliers or all potential suppliers. This may be undertaken in writing or through virtual meetings. Any details provided in response to this RFI or during subsequent engagement will be used for information purposes only and will not be used to determine the potential suppliers who will be invited to bid, should the Authority proceed to tender. The results and analysis of this RFI shall not constitute any form of pre-qualification exercise. Any formal procurement process will be undertaken in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Nothing in this RFI, or any other engagements with Industry prior to a formal procurement process, shall be construed as a representation as to the Authority’s ultimate decision in relation to the future requirement. https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60986engagement12 Jun 2026scheduled

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Documents & submission route

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-0684d9
Latest release ID035464-2026
Latest release timestampMon Apr 20 2026 09:01:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLNot published
Tender statusplanning
Procurement methodNot published
Procurement method detailsNot published
Main procurement categorygoods
Above thresholdYes
Legal basis2023/54
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: endNot published
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadlineNot published
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender value£100,000,000
Tender lots in source1
Tender items in source1
Tender documents in source0
Awards in latest release0
Contracts in latest release0
Parties in latest release1

Notice history

DateEventReference
20 Apr 2026planningUpdate035464-2026
17 Apr 2026planning035005-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
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  "date": "2026-04-20T10:01:12+01:00",
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    "id": "GB-PPON-PBHX-4625-LVPD",
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        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
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            "scheme": "CPV",
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          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "715838592 - Internal Communications System (ICS) - Technical Refresh (TS) - RFI",
    "value": {
      "amount": 100000000,
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    },
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    "amendments": [
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        "description": "Added the link to the RFI https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60986"
      }
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
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    },
    "description": "This in-service support is currently achieved via a sole source contract with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) including a contractual arrangement for the management of the Shore Reference Sets (SRS) associated with the ICS.\nICS provides a digital and analogue voice message exchange architecture that supports voice communications over digital and wireless networks and analogue circuits. The system also includes a telephone exchange, secondary, emergency damage control (DC) communication systems, submarine broadcast and general alarm functions. A-Class ICS employs a wholly, complex, 3-node communication architecture that employs digital switch and network technologies within a multi-layer software model. It supports essential communications between the submarine crew for operational and safety critical functions on-board.  The existing system in place is based on Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and will need to move to the modern Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology to allow long term support.\nICS is a complex system with many interfaces and nodes to allow personnel the opportunity to communicate throughout the platform.  This complexity is not always understood by Ship Staff so it is essential to have engineering backup available via Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) ICS engineers provisioned for via a support contract.  Astute ICS is a Priority 1 Master Equipment (ME) and is vital to delivering platform capability.  The software will need to be a SIL2 (Safety Integrity Level) system and integral to the whole boat safety case.",
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        "id": "035464-2026",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035464-2026",
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        "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
        "datePublished": "2026-04-20T10:01:12+01:00"
      }
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "id": "engagement",
        "type": "engagement",
        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-06-12T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "This Request for Information (RFI) will be advertised on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and Find a Tender Service (FTS) and issued to all who request an RFI together with other companies whom the SDA believes may be able to provide useful intelligence on this requirement.\nResponses to this RFI will be reviewed by subject matter experts from different functional areas within the SDA.  Following receipt of responses to this RFI the Authority may initiate follow on engagement with either individual potential suppliers, groups of potential suppliers or all potential suppliers.  This may be undertaken in writing or through virtual meetings.  \nAny details provided in response to this RFI or during subsequent engagement will be used for information purposes only and will not be used to determine the potential suppliers who will be invited to bid, should the Authority proceed to tender.\nThe results and analysis of this RFI shall not constitute any form of pre-qualification exercise.  Any formal procurement process will be undertaken in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023.\nNothing in this RFI, or any other engagements with Industry prior to a formal procurement process, shall be construed as a representation as to the Authority’s ultimate decision in relation to the future requirement.\nhttps://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60986"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
Complete JSON history (2 releases)
20 Apr 2026 · 035464-2026 · planningUpdate
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            "id": "32412000",
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    "title": "715838592 - Internal Communications System (ICS) - Technical Refresh (TS) - RFI",
    "value": {
      "amount": 100000000,
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    },
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        "description": "Added the link to the RFI https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60986"
      }
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    "description": "This in-service support is currently achieved via a sole source contract with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) including a contractual arrangement for the management of the Shore Reference Sets (SRS) associated with the ICS.\nICS provides a digital and analogue voice message exchange architecture that supports voice communications over digital and wireless networks and analogue circuits. The system also includes a telephone exchange, secondary, emergency damage control (DC) communication systems, submarine broadcast and general alarm functions. A-Class ICS employs a wholly, complex, 3-node communication architecture that employs digital switch and network technologies within a multi-layer software model. It supports essential communications between the submarine crew for operational and safety critical functions on-board.  The existing system in place is based on Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and will need to move to the modern Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology to allow long term support.\nICS is a complex system with many interfaces and nodes to allow personnel the opportunity to communicate throughout the platform.  This complexity is not always understood by Ship Staff so it is essential to have engineering backup available via Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) ICS engineers provisioned for via a support contract.  Astute ICS is a Priority 1 Master Equipment (ME) and is vital to delivering platform capability.  The software will need to be a SIL2 (Safety Integrity Level) system and integral to the whole boat safety case.",
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      },
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        "id": "PBHX-4625-LVPD",
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    "milestones": [
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        "id": "engagement",
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        "status": "scheduled",
        "dueDate": "2026-06-12T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "This Request for Information (RFI) will be advertised on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and Find a Tender Service (FTS) and issued to all who request an RFI together with other companies whom the SDA believes may be able to provide useful intelligence on this requirement.\nResponses to this RFI will be reviewed by subject matter experts from different functional areas within the SDA.  Following receipt of responses to this RFI the Authority may initiate follow on engagement with either individual potential suppliers, groups of potential suppliers or all potential suppliers.  This may be undertaken in writing or through virtual meetings.  \nAny details provided in response to this RFI or during subsequent engagement will be used for information purposes only and will not be used to determine the potential suppliers who will be invited to bid, should the Authority proceed to tender.\nThe results and analysis of this RFI shall not constitute any form of pre-qualification exercise.  Any formal procurement process will be undertaken in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023.\nNothing in this RFI, or any other engagements with Industry prior to a formal procurement process, shall be construed as a representation as to the Authority’s ultimate decision in relation to the future requirement.\nhttps://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60986"
      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
17 Apr 2026 · 035005-2026 · planning
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    "title": "715838592 - Internal Communications System (ICS) - Technical Refresh (TS) - RFI",
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      "id": "GB-PPON-PBHX-4625-LVPD",
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      }
    ]
  },
  "initiationType": "tender"
}