Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: 066282/S 000-2025
Nature of contract: Service contract
Procedure: Not specified
Regulation of procurement: Not applicable
Type of bid required: Not applicable

UKPGA UK4: Tender Notice

I) Contracting Authority/Entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Ministry of Defence
National registration number: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ

Postal address: Headquarters Air Command
Town: High Wycombe
Region: Buckinghamshire CC
Postal code: HP14 4UE
Country: United Kingdom

Contact Person: Ministry of Defence
Email: AIR-HERA@mod.gov.uk

Internet address

I.3) Communication
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
Electronically
via

I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Public authority – central government

II) Object
II.1.1) Title
Project HERA
Reference number: 714936450

II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
Special regime
DefenceSecurity

II.1.4) Short description
Project HERA is a significant and wide-ranging Royal Air Force (RAF)-led project aimed at delivering services and technical support across UK military sites. It is a key part of the Authority’s strategy to ensure the continued efficient and safe operation of Authority units.
The Services will be consolidated under a single national Contract for an anticipated initial period of eight years and 10 months, with an option to extend the Contract for a further two years (the anticipated 10-month mobilisation period is included within the initial term). The Authority will enter into the Contract with a single supplier entity (notwithstanding any Consortium arrangements).
Project HERA will replace four existing contracts (three delivered under Programme HADES, as well as the separate Brize Support Contract).
This Contract may be used by the Authority as a mechanism to develop additional airbase enabling and technical support services delivered to the Authority, subject to Procurement Act 2023.
Project HERA Services: The comprehensive range of Services expected to be delivered under Project HERA includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Supply
Mechanical Transport (MT) Operations
General Engineering Services
Flying Clothing and Survival Equipment
Airport and Airfield Support Services
Aircraft Maintenance
Fuels and Lubricants
Media and Graphics
Digital and Cyberspace Support Services
General Duties and Administration Support
Training Support and Sport Services
Armoury Support
Contingency Planning
Supplier Personnel Management
Service Delivery Data
Service Line Development during the term of the Contract aligned to the aforementioned activities.
The Sites expected to be deilvered under Project HERA includes, but is not limited to, the following:
RAF Valley
RAF Shawbury
RAF Cosford
MOD Lyneham
Middle Wallop
RAF Brize Norton
RAF High Wycombe
RAF Northolt
RAF Halton
RAF Henlow
RAF Wyton
RAF Waddington
RAF Cranwell
Digby
RRH Staxton Wold
RRH Buchan
RAF Boulmer
RAF Fylingdales
Registering on AWARD
The link below will take you to the DSP AWARD® registration page where the PSQ and PSQ Guidance Document can be found.

If your organisation is already registered in DSP AWARD but you do not know your login details or your account has become inactive, please contact the AWARD helpdesk (support@commercedecisions.com). Once registered/logged in you will have visibility of the HERA PSQ AWARD project.
Only one user per company will be able to complete registration. Once registered, additional users can be requested by raising a Clarification in the PSQ containing the new users names and e-mail addresses.
Further Information
Suppliers should note Supplier response restrictions as detailed within the PSQ Guidance Document, including paragraphs 2 to 4.
The HERA Contract will be based on the Government’s Model Services Contract (MSC), together with relevant narrative MOD DEFCON clauses and project specific bespoke drafting.
Parts of the draft Contract will be made available to Suppliers with the PSQ, in the Data Room on the AWARD®. The specific release dates for the draft Contract Schedules will be communicated to interested parties via the AWARD® portal.
These draft Contract documents are being shared at the PSQ Stage for information purposes only and in order to provide Suppliers with an early understanding of certain potential contractual terms. These documents are subject to amendment, and updated drafts will be made available with the ITT to Tenderers.
Suppliers should note that access to the Data Room and the contract documents contained in it is subject to certain conditions as set out in the PSQ Guidance Document.

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value (including VAT)
671,498,000
Value (excluding VAT)
605,695,000
Currency
GBP

II.2) Description
II.2.1) Title
Contract/Lot No
1

II.2.2) CPV codes
Main CPV codes
34962230
50211200
60100000
63730000
63731000
63733000
63734000
71300000
71311240
71356300
79630000
79960000
80500000

II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
UK – United Kingdom

II.2.5) Award Criteria
Highest precedence first unless weighted otherwise
Quality
Name: Compliance Check
Weighting: This will consist of a check against the following criteria:
a. Requirements Compliance (Evaluated on Pass/Fail basis)
b. Commercial Compliance (Evaluated on Pass/Fail basis)
c. Financial Compliance (Evaluated on Pass/Fail basis)
This criteria is PASS/FAIL.
Full detail to be provided at ITT.

Quality
Name: Non-Cost Criteria
Weighting: The Non-Cost quality assessment consists of three key areas, that will be weighted and assessed in accordance with the assessment criteria developed:
a. Service Line (Requirements) Criteria
b. Non-Service Line Criteria
c. Social Value Criteria
This criteria is weighted at 60%.
Full detail to be provided at ITT.

Cost
Name: Cost Criteria
Weighting: This will be the Net Present Value (NPV) of the Total Value of the Contract and will derived from the weighted price given by the Bidder.
The Net Present Value of the whole life contract cost is calculated and this is then inputted (together with the quality score) into the stated Weighted Value for Money formula to determine the Most Advantageous Tender.
WVfM=(Non-Cost Score (60/40))/(Cost (£M)(NPV of the Total Value))
This criteria is weighted at 40%.
Full detail to be provided at ITT.

II.2.6) Estimated Value
Value (excluding VAT)
605,695,000
Currency
GBP

II.2.7) Contract dates (estimated)
Start
2027-06-29 00:00
End
2036-03-31 23:59
Duration
8 years 9 months 3 days
Possible extension
2038-03-31 23:59
Extended duration
10 years 9 months 3 days
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The Authority has the right to exercise an option to extend the contract duration by two years.

II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates
4

II.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The Authority has the right to exercise an option to extend the contract duration by two years.

III) Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation

III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Additional technical selection criteria
As set out in the PSQ and PSQ Guidance Document.

III.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
As set out in the PSQ and PSQ Guidance Document.

IV) Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive flexible procedure

IV.1.10) Identification of the national rules applicable to the procedure
Information about national procedures is available at
The Contract will be procured under the competitive flexible procedure. It is anticipated that the procurement process for the HERA project will be structured as a multi-stage procurement process consisting of the following stages:
a. PSQ stage.
The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) stage commenced with the publication of this Tender Notice.
The PSQ questions and assessment methodology (including whether pass/fail or scored, and weightings and minimum score thresholds for scored PSQ questions) are set out in the PSQ Guidance Document, and on AWARD®.
The four highest scoring suppliers (as described in the PSQ Guidance Document) who submit a compliant PSQ response, achieve a ‘Pass’ for all PSQ questions assessed on a pass/fail basis and who meet the minimum score thresholds set out in the PSQ Guidance Document will be invited to the next stage of the procurement process and will be issued with the Invitation to Tender (ITT). Any other suppliers who submitted a PSQ response will not be taken through to the ITT Stage of the procurement process and will not participate any further in this procurement.
b. Initial Tender stage.
The ITT will be issued to the four suppliers shortlisted following the assessment of their PSQ responses (the “Tenderers”). Following a series of launch/introductory meetings and site visits, Tenderers will be invited to submit Initial Tenders which will be assessed by the Authority in accordance with the assessment criteria and methodology set out in the ITT. The Authority does not intend to down-select at Initial Tender stage.
c. Negotiation stage.
Following assessment of Initial Tenders and the provision of feedback to Tenderers, the Authority will hold a series of negotiation meetings with Tenderers to discuss any key issues. This Negotiation Stage will continue until the Authority is satisfied that all key issues have been thoroughly discussed and it has decided on its position in relation to those key issues. At that stage, the Authority will close the Negotiation Stage and issue the Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (ISFT).
d. ISFT stage.
Once the Authority has closed the Negotiation Stage, Tenderers will be invited to submit Final Tenders through the issue of the ISFT. Final Tenders will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment criteria and methodology set out in the ISFT to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT).
e. Approvals and award stage.
Subject to final approvals, the Tenderer offering the MAT in their Final Tender will be awarded the Contract.
Further details regarding the competitive flexible procedure for this procurement are set out in the PSQ Guidance Document

IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Tender period dates
Enquiry deadline
2025-11-12 10:00
Estimated award decision date
2027-06-02 23:59

IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English

Deadline for requests to participate
2025-11-21 17:00

VI) Complementary information
Link to source/bidding documents

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement
Yes

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
2025-10-17 12:33