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Published 19 Jun 2026, 10:35 BST

Official UK procurement notice

UK5 - OSDEP DM LH · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Defence Equipment and Support (Central government)

GoodsDirect awardAbove thresholdDefence & security
Sectors: Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment (35) Delivery: UK
Contract value (direct award)£23,292,000≈ £3.0m / year · £27,950,400 inc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to Leonardo UK Ltd
Contract term 7 yrs 10 moends 31 Mar 2035 · up to 31 Mar 2040 with extensions · starts 1 Jun 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Out of Service Date Extension Programme D&M LH

CPV: Military transport helicopters

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 7 yrs 10 mo
Contract period: 1 Jun 2027 – 31 Mar 2035 (7 yrs 10 mo) · up to 31 Mar 2040 with extensions
Delivery: UK
Extensions: Extension options published
35612400 Military transport helicopters

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
Defence & security
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
19 Jun 2026, 10:35 BST
Last source update
19 Jun 2026, 11:14 BST
Authority reference
715870482
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-057953
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Classification (CPV)
Military transport helicopters
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b8c5 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

ssessment Phase activity included a review of whether the OSDEP requirement could be delivered through competition or required a single source approach. This concluded that both Lockheed Martin UK Ltd and Leonardo Helicopters UK Ltd hold the exclusive technical know-how, engineering expertise and manufacturing capability necessary to deliver the required modifications.

The proposed suppliers are the recognised Design Authorities for the Merlin Mk2 and Mk4/4A platforms and are responsible for certification and continued airworthiness.

Delivery of the requirement necessitates integration within existing platform architectures and safety-critical systems, continuity of Design Authority and certification activity, and access to platform-specific engineering capability, tooling and expertise.

Any attempt to introduce an alternative supplier would require replication or transfer of Design Authority capability and associated certification frameworks. This would result in disproportionate cost, delay, and unacceptable technical and safety risk.

The Authority therefore considers that the absence of competition arises from technical and certification constraints rather than reliance on exclusive rights, and that no reasonable alternatives or substitutes exist.

Review and risk notes
Risks

RISKS WILL BE INDENTIFIED THROUGH THE TENDER PROCESS

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

19 Jun 2026 → 1 Jun 2027 · 3 dates
  1. Planning notice published130 days ago
    19 Jun 2026, 10:35 BST
  2. Next notice expected130 days ago
    19 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
  3. Today
    27 Oct 2026
  4. Contract startsin 215 days
    1 Jun 2027, 00:00 BST

Notice history

6 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 19 Jun 2026
  1. Pipeline notice published
    19 Jun 2026, 10:35 BST
    UK1
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    19 Jun 2026, 10:44 BST
    UK2
  3. Transparency notice published
    19 Jun 2026, 11:00 BST
    UK5
  4. Status changed to complete
    19 Jun 2026, 11:00 BST
  5. Transparency notice published
    19 Jun 2026, 11:14 BST
    UK5
  6. Contract signature expected
    31 May 2027, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2026-06: 1 release · 19 Jun 2026

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £232,920,0001 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Leonardo UK LtdOut of Service Date Extension Programme D&M LH1 Jun 2027 – 31 Mar 2035 · up to 31 Mar 2040Extensions: OPTION YEARS · Options: OPTION TO EXTEND FOR MERLIN OUT OF DATE EXTENSION · Amended: A chnage has been made to this notice has been made following an increase in the estimated value£232,920,000ten times the procedure’s published value or more · possibly a unit error, check the notice—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Defence Equipment and Support

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PVRL-5831-GLMM MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, South West, BS34 8JHContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • LEONARDO UK LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 02426132 Lysander Road, Yeovil, South West, ba20 2ybContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender
  • Preliminary market engagement notice planningPreliminary market engagement noticeUK2Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
  • Pipeline notice planningPipeline noticeUK1Pipeline notice on Find a Tender