Official UK procurement notice
Provision of Station Handheld Radios
Authority: SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY LIMITED (Public body)
Provision of handheld radio communications equipment and associated network coverage services across stations and depots within the South Western Railway (SWR) network. The requirement supports secure and reliable operational communications across the railway, including communications required for operational safety, security and the. The agreement included provision for two further one-year extensions,.
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionProvision of handheld radio communications equipment and associated network coverage services across stations and depots within the South Western Railway (SWR) network.
The requirement supports secure and reliable operational communications across the railway, including communications required for operational safety, security and the
effective day-to-day management of stations and depot activities.
Following SWR's transition into public ownership, a below-threshold direct award was
approved for the period 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, with an initial contract
value of £184,000. The agreement included provision for two further one-year extensions,
with pricing held on the basis agreed under the original arrangement. At the time of the original award, the contract was below the applicable procurement threshold and no tender notice or transparency notice was published. The proposed continuation now takes the cumulative contractual arrangement above the applicable threshold. The notice is therefore being published retrospectively to provide transparency regarding the original award and the contractual history leading to the proposed
continuation, and to ensure that the procurement record accurately reflects the basis on which the arrangement was established.
The retrospective publication does not alter the scope or commercial basis of the original agreement. The requirement remains for the continued provision and maintenance of the
existing radio communications infrastructure and handheld radio equipment supporting SWR stations and operational locations.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedCommercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAPCOM LAND SEA AND AIR COMMUNICATIONS LIMITEDProvision of Station Handheld Radios maintenance14 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2027 · up to 31 Oct 2028Extensions: Extension of the existing arrangement for the provision of handheld radio equipment and associated network coverage services across stations and depots within the South Western Railway network. The extension maintains continuity of the established radio communications solution while supporting secure and reliable communications required for operational safety, security and day-to-day railway operations · Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. The extension provides continuity of the existing radio communications service and enables additional or replacement handheld radios to be hired or purchased as operationally required, ensuring compatibility with the existing radio infrastructure and continuity of safety-critical communications across the SWR network | £552,000 | 4 Nov 2026standstill to 13 Nov 2026 | Standstill |
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 4 Nov 2026, 15:25 GMT
- Last source update
- 4 Nov 2026, 16:19 GMT
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-104854- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-07b329Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement
- Published justification
The original agreement was awarded in 2025 as a below-threshold contract for the provision and maintenance of handheld radio communications equipment and associated network services across South Western Railway stations and depots. At the time the contract was awarded, its estimated value was below the applicable procurement threshold.
The 2025 agreement was structured to provide continuity of the existing radio communications solution and expressly catered for two further annual extension periods, together with the ability to hire or purchase additional and replacement handheld radios where required during the life of the arrangement. These requirements were therefore contemplated and provided for when the original contract was established and do not represent a new or materially different requirement.
The additional and replacement equipment is required to maintain the operational radio estate, including replacing units that become damaged, obsolete or unavailable and providing further radios where operational requirements necessitate them. Replacement and additional equipment must remain compatible and interoperable with the established radio infrastructure and associated network coverage arrangements.
Radio communications are a critical component of operational safety and security across SWR stations and depots. The continuation of the existing arrangement, including the provision of compatible additional and replacement equipment, supports uninterrupted access to secure and reliable communications and therefore contributes to the safe and efficient operation of the railway.
The proposed direct award consequently relates to the extension and partial replacement of an existing requirement already catered for within the 2025 contractual arrangement. The original contract was below threshold when awarded. The current procurement position reflects the continuation of those pre-existing contractual provisions and is being addressed transparently now that the cumulative value of the arrangement, including the proposed continuation, falls within the above-threshold regime.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
4 Nov 2026 → 13 Nov 2026 · 2 dates- Notice published14h ago4 Nov 2026, 16:19 GMT
- Today5 Nov 2026
- Standstill endsin 8 days13 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
Notice history
3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 4 Nov 2026- Transparency notice published4 Nov 2026, 15:25 GMTUK5
- Contract award notice published4 Nov 2026, 16:19 GMTUK6
- Contract signature expected14 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- CAPCOM LAND SEA AND AIR COMMUNICATIONS LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender