Official UK procurement notice
In service support and PDS of Headsets-UK5
Authority: Defence Equipment and Support (Central government)
Sectors: Clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories (18)Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment (32)Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment (35) Delivery: UK
Published estimate£5,834,000≈ £1.9m / year · £7,000,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to Invisio communications Ltd
Contract term 3 yrsup to 6 yrs with extensions · starts 18 Jan 2027
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThere remains an ongoing requirement to provide In-Service Support for Joint Service Aircrew Headsets, MK10 helmet communications equipment and associated spares, together with the UKStratCom Tactical Systems Close Combat Communication Hearing Protection System (CC CHPS) used by the Army. This equipment is essential to support operational and training activities and continues to be widely used across Defence.
Support is currently provided through the existing Invisio Communications contract (708493450), which expires on 30 September 2026. Continued support is required to maintain equipment availability and ensure uninterrupted access to equipment, spares, and technical support.
CPV: Electronic and electrical spare parts for military aerospace equipment · Headphones · Protective gear
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Lot 1AwardedRenewal
- Extensions
- Extension options published
18143000 Protective gear32342100 Headphones35642000 Electronic and electrical spare parts for military aerospace equipment
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award — no call for competition
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BST
- Last source update
- 21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BST
- Authority reference
ACDECA034- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06fa5f
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
DE&S Deca, on behalf of the Support Capabilities and Commodities (SCC) Team within the UK Ministry of Defence (the Authority), intends to award a direct contract to Invisio Communications Ltd for the supply of Aircrew Communications Equipment components and spares for headset repairs. This contract will also cover the provision of spares and post-design services (PDS) support for Crewgard and Combat headsets on more…
behalf of UKSTRATCOM. The headsets in question are legacy components dating back to 2003. Invisio Communications Ltd is the sole supplier capable of manufacturing and repairing these headsets. Due to the complexity of their integration and the extensive testing required, the Ministry of Defence cannot ensure the conformity of spares sourced from alternative suppliers. Use of non-original parts could result in degraded equipment performance, potentially leading to noise-induced hearing loss or loss of situational awareness, with serious safety implications. The contract will have a duration of three years, with an option to extend for a further three years (1+1+1), and is expected to commence in January 2027. It will provide continuous support for spares, repairs, and post-design services. The proposed contract value is £7,000,000.00 (Seven million pounds) (excluding VAT). It is anticipated to be a Qualifying Defence Contract. The Authority considers that the direct award of this non-competitive contract is justified under the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 5, Paragraph 6(a) and (b), which state: • (a) Due to technical reasons, only a particular supplier is able to supply the required goods, services, or works; and • (b) There are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services, or works. Invisio Communications Ltd, as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and design authority, possesses the exclusive technical expertise necessary to manufacture and supply the required spares for the repair of Aircrew Communications and helmets. Formerly known as RACAL, Invisio’s headsets are currently in service across multiple platforms, each requiring Military Aviation Authority (MAA) certification for safety. Repairs and maintenance must be conducted using official Invisio parts to maintain certification compliance. Invisio has supported and maintained this equipment for over ten years and holds the specialist skills, experience, proprietary technical knowledge, documentation, and test equipment essential to fulfilling this requirement. No other supplier has access to this critical information or capability, making Invisio uniquely qualified to provide this support.
How it was run
- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
4 published dates · Europe/London- Planning notice published8 days ago15 Sept 2026, 15:24 BST
- Latest notice published2 days ago21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BST
- Next notice expected1 day ago21 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract startsin 117 days18 Jan 2027, 00:00 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics — not a forecastAwards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £5,834,0001 award exc. VAT
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisio communications LtdSMEIn service support and PDS of Headsets18 Jan 2027 — 17 Jan 2030 · up to 17 Jan 2033Extensions: 3 option years in 1 year intervals · Options: 3 option years in 1 year intervals | £5,834,000 | — | Standstill |
Notice history
5 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Sept 2026- Contract signature expected18 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Transparency notice published21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BSTUK5
- Published value updated21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BSTwas £5,834,000
- Status changed to complete21 Sept 2026, 13:39 BST
- Pipeline notice published15 Sept 2026, 15:24 BSTUK1
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Invisio communications LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Conflict of interest declarationNot published
Notices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender