Classification and Technical Services for the Royal Navy

CPV: Content or data standardization and classification services

Type

Closed framework

Framework period

3 yrs 6 mo · up to 5 yrs 6 mo from 1 Apr 2027

Procedure method

Direct award

Legal basis

UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Awarded without competition

Procurement threshold

Above threshold (FTS publication)

Regulatory regime

Defence & security

Commercial structure

Framework agreement

Who may use this agreement

Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority

Competition type

Direct award (no call for competition)

GPA / WTO covered

Unspecified in notice

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

23 Jul 2026, 17:46 BST

Last source update

20 Aug 2026, 11:22 BST

Authority reference

715903480

FTS notice number

2026/S 000-079361

Latest notice

Transparency notice (UK5)

Classification (CPV)

Content or data standardization and classification services

Delivery area

UK

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-06d28c Find a Tender

Why no open competition

Single Suppliers Technical Reasons

Published justification

The National Armaments Director Group – Materiel on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence is seeking to place a contract with Lloyd’s Register EMEA (Lloyd’s Register) to satisfy the Maritime Environment requirement for classification services for Royal Navy (RN) surface vessels.

This procurement falls to be governed by the Procurement Act 2023 (the “PA23”) Chapter 3, Section 41: Direct Award in Special Cases. It is considered that direct award of the proposed contract is lawful in accordance with PA23 Schedule 5(6) as the classification services cannot for technical reasons by carried out by a different supplier and there are no reasonable alternatives to these services.

The RN surface vessels are operated and maintained to commercial and naval standards (as applicable) and are subject to classification society rules and Naval Authority (NA) rules. Lloyd’s Register has co-authored the Lloyd’s Register Naval Ship Rules and Regulations (LRNSR) for the Classification of Ships and Naval Ships.

Only Lloyd’s Register, the parent Classification Society of the LRNSR rule set, can conduct surveys, plan appraisals, and provide certification against any RN surface vessels which are classified as being “in-class” in accordance with the LRNSR. In operating and maintaining surface vessels in line with LRNSR, it is not possible for another Classification Society to provide equivalent certification against an alternative set of Naval Ship rules. Changing the rule set in respect of which all RN surface vessels are currently classified would introduce an unacceptable level of safety risk to the vessels and personnel. There would also be significant operational impacts and cost implications resulting from the required dual running of contracts as the vessels progress through their existing 6-year survey cycle and transition following completion of full surveys by any new supplier.

Lloyd’s Register is the only classification society for the RN surface vessels to which the NAD Naval Authority Group has delegated authority for issuing Naval Ship Stability Certification on its behalf.

Appointment period ends

—

• Lloyds Register EMEAFramework contractorGB-PPON: PGQQ-3498-WYBD Naval Centre of Expertise, One Temple Quay, Temple Back East, Bristol, South West, BS1 6DZContact emailShow contact details