Tenders/Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Emergency Recovery System (ERS) - PMEN

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Emergency Recovery System (ERS) - PMEN

Ministry of Defence

Published: Aug 18, 2026

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a supplies contract in the architecture and engineering, security and defense and finance and banking sectors, with a focus on Insurance and Investment. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for the supply of goods in the architecture and engineering sector. Supply contracts typically require bidders to demonstrate product compliance with technical specifications, delivery capacity, and relevant certifications. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

The intended procurement is for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Emergency Recovery System (ERS) to provide the Ministry of Defence with a safer, more controlled and lower-risk method of recovering AUVs during non-standard or emergency recovery operations. The system should be capable of supporting the recovery of an AUV up to 7 metres in length and up to 3 tonnes in weight, either independently or in conjunction with existing vessel crane arrangements. It should be compatible with a broad range of vessels including varying deck layouts, freeboards, crane configurations and operational constraints. The ERS is intended to reduce reliance on improvised recovery arrangements and improve operational resilience where the primary recovery system is unavailable or unsuitable. The system should reduce personnel exposure at the vessel edge, help mitigate the risk of person overboard incidents, and reduce the likelihood of damage to the AUV or host vessel. The Authority is also interested in solutions that are simple to rig, transportable, recoverable in challenging maritime conditions, and support emergency recovery scenarios where the AUV has suffered propulsion, communications, navigation or power-system failures. The ERS should be suitable for use in the maritime environment, capable of repeated operational use, and supplied with the necessary certification, operating instructions, maintenance information and inspection requirements to support safe use and through-life assurance. The Authority is also interested in any maintenance and support services, as well as options around operational training, where these are applicable. The Authority will be interested in average lead times from the point of order placement to delivery. The Authority is conducting market research to understand available recovery technologies, innovation potential, vessel integration considerations, certification requirements and value for money within the market. Subject to funding and approvals, the Authority may issue a contract notice for this requirement with delivery within financial year 2026/2027, subject to lead times. In issuing this Prior Procurement Notice (PPN) and engaging with the market, the MoD are not obligated to commit to carrying out any procurement in relation to the information stated in this PPN.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on August 18, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 078382-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence has issued 1,138 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 67 currently open and 825 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Architecture & Engineering Services, and Governance & Public Administration. Tenders span 7 countries including CY, Singapore, and New Zealand. Notices are distributed via UK Contracts Finder, UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, and TED - Tenders Electronic Daily (EU). Most recent publication: August 18, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 078382-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Ministry of Defence in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Supplies contract in the Architecture & Engineering Services sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.