Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract details notice
Published 15 Oct 2025, 09:54 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Air Terminal Passenger & Baggage Handling Security Scanner

Official notice

Authority: Ministry of Defence (Central government)

Direct awardSME suitable
Awarded value£130,394published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 2 Mar 2026no call for competition
Awarded to Smiths Detection Watford Ltd

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Air Terminal at the Royal Air Force Brize Norton is investing in new passenger handling processing equipment. This includes the provision of new security scanners for both hold and cabin baggage and is commensurate with the separate and already contracted-for purchase of non-scanner equipment. The supplier will install a passenger and baggage handling scanner.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedSME
Delivery: UK, South EastEligibility: SME eligible

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
15 Oct 2025, 09:54 BST
Last source update
13 Mar 2026, 14:53 GMT
Authority reference
715679458
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-023082
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
UKSouth East (UKJ1)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ccf6 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

The Authority, proposes to enter into a contract with Smiths

Detection Limited (“Smiths”) on a single source basis in accordance

with paragraph 5 of Schedule 7 to the Procurement Act 2023 for the

provision of two Air Terminal Passenger & Baggage Handling Security

Scanner (the “Scanners”).

This procurement will be governed by the Procurement Act 2023 (“PA

2023”) Chapter 3, Section 41: Direct Award in Special Cases. It is

considered that direct award of the proposed contract is lawful in

accordance with PA 2023 Schedule 5 paragraph 7 which relates to the

supply of goods, services or works by the existing supplier when a

change in supplier would result in the Authority receiving goods that

are different from, or incompatible with, existing goods, and the

difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical

difficulties in operation or maintenance.

It is considered that direct award is lawful in accordance with

paragraph 7 of Schedule 5 PA 2023 as the Scanners are the same as

the existing scanners in operation and no other supplier can provide a

replica of the existing scanners in both the security area and baggage

hall, at Brize Norton.

The Scanners are required to be the same as the existing scanners in

operation, as operating two (or more) different scanners, would cause

disproportionate technical difficulties in the operation and

maintenance of both the existing scanners and the new Scanners. In

particular, it would cause operational user risks to arise.

Further, by purchasing these Scanners from Smiths, training and

maintenance will be covered by an existing contract between the

Authority and Smiths. No other supplier will be able to offer this

without disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and

maintenance.

In addition, the Authority requires continuity across equipment to

ensure interoperability and continuity for training and maintenance,

therefore Smiths is the only supplier able to provide the Scanners and

the ongoing maintenance and training required.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

11 Mar 2026 → 13 Mar 2026 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends229 days ago
    11 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
  2. Notice published228 days ago
    13 Mar 2026, 14:53 GMT

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Oct 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    15 Oct 2025, 09:54 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    2 Mar 2026, 12:02 GMT
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    11 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  4. Contract details notice published
    13 Mar 2026, 14:53 GMT
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £130,3941 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 13 Mar 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Smiths Detection Watford Ltd16 Mar 2026 – 14 Aug 2026£130,3942 Mar 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • Air Terminal Passenger & Baggage Handling Security Scanner · Smiths Detection Watford Ltd

    Signed
    13 Mar 2026
    Value
    £130,394
    Period
    23 Mar 2026 – 1 Sept 2026
    Status
    active

    No agreed KPIs: This is not a Qualifying Defence Contract however, the supplier is required to have progress meetings where they will report routinely.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Ministry of Defence

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ Naphill, High Wycombe, South East, HP14 4UEContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Smiths Detection Watford LimitedAwarded supplierGB-COH: 00480992 Century House, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, East of England, HP2 7DEContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender