Purchase of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and Road Launching Trailers

BF require a Supplier who can provide the RHIBs and their trailers as a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) solution to meet an aspirational delivery of January 2023.

The primary role of the RHIBs will be;

a) To provide a mobile, flexible seaborne force capable of maintaining an effective deterrent against illegal immigration, smuggling and other breaches of the law administered by the Home Office Operational Directorate: BF both within and outside the territorial waters of the UK; and

b) To increase maritime intelligence, undertake surveillance and improve international liaison in combating illegal immigration, the smuggling of drugs and movement of instruments of terrorism by sea;

The current high-level scope of this specification is;

a) The RHIB and Trailer overall weight must be in compliance with DVSA Road Traffic Acts able to be towed by a vehicle with a maximum towable limit of 3500 kgs and with a by 50mm Class 3 ball tow hitch;

b) To safely carry 6 persons seated on shock mitigating seats;

c) To achieve more than 40 knots in a sea state 2 condition while in a Fully Loaded Condition of a full complement of crew (6), full fuel load and 35kgs of equipment;

d) Continuously maintain 20+ knots in a sea state 4 condition;

e) Provide a range of 180 nM @ 20 knots with a 10 percent margin of fuel remaining;

f) Provide measures that mitigate against the effects of whole-body vibrations (WBV) and repeated shocks (RS) so that BF (notwithstanding applicable derogations) can as far possible, apply those parts of MGN 353 (M+F) The Merchant Shipping & Fishing Vessels (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2007 to the operations of its RHIBs; and

g) Provide, in accordance with MGN 352 (M+F) The Merchant Shipping & Fishing Vessels (Control of Noise at Work) Regulations 2007, that risks arising from exposure to noise are identified and either “eliminated or reduced as far as reasonably practicable”.