Source: https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a13c17-309e-721c-8ffd-9ee88d9adad5/contract-for-the-supply-of-aircraft-pilots

pending GB open procedure Suitable for SMEs

# Contract for the supply of aircraft & pilots

[Defra Network eTendering Portal](https://tendernation.io/buyers/defra-network-etendering-portal)

Often single bidder

Estimated value

£5,000,000

Published

20 Sept 2017

Deadline

Rolling deadline

## Who can bid

- Buyer says suitable for SMEs

    The buyer ticked “suitable for SMEs” on the notice. Anyone can still bid.
- Open procedure

    Anyone can submit a full tender; there is no shortlisting stage.

[More contracts for small businesses and VCSEs](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/for-small-businesses)

## About this tender

The contract is for the provision of two survey aircraft and associated pilots and services to facilitate the Environment Agency remote sensing survey program through the next five years. The primary tasks of the required survey aircraft are terrestrial and intertidal mapping to be carried out between 1,000 and 10,000 feet throughout the UK. Aircraft are required to have an endurance of at least five hours although a longer endurance would be welcome. Normal operational speed is generally approximately 130 knots however we also require aircraft allowing fast transits will give us the greatest flexibility especially during any incident response tasks relating to flooding. Aircraft are required to have twin engines for safety reasons and must be able to accommodate our survey equipment.

Additional information:

Installation of the survey equipment will require the equivalent of two 460mm apertures. However several smaller down-looking holes which would allow the instruments to be installed in a suitable manner in the floor of the aircraft would also be acceptable. The Instrument control equipment is currently housed in a 19 inch rack mount format with equipment height space of 535mm.

The aircraft is required to also comfortably seat two Environment Agency surveyors on board with all of our survey equipment fitted for the aircrafts endurance.

We additionally have the requirement to mount a DSLR format camera to capture photographic oblique's through an aperture such as a DV window. The DV window would need to be situated in position where an aerial surveyor can comfortably sit and record images and also provide an unimpeded view of the ground with not parts of the aircraft visible in the resulting photography.

Continuous access to two aircraft throughout the year is of paramount importance to our survey program and our incident response duties. We also have a requirement to be in the air within one hour of notification of an incident response flood event. The airfield from which the aircraft are based would need to have 24/7 opening hours to allow for day and night operations.

We anticipate our work programs to equate to 1000 -1400 hours per annum total flying.

Read full description

## CPV classification

Hire of aircraft with crew

Source

Contracts Finder (UK)

[View official notice](https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/c54e7b41-c8c8-4262-be96-4d7014954675)

Never miss a tender like this again

Get AI summaries, deadline alerts and a bid pipeline for tenders matched to your business. Free to start.

[Track tenders free](https://tendernation.io/register)

[Buyer profile Defra Network eTendering Portal: past awards and live tenders](https://tendernation.io/buyers/defra-network-etendering-portal) [Sector More Transport services tenders](https://tendernation.io/sectors/transport-services)

## More tenders like this

[Public road transport services – Обществен превоз на пътници по автобусни линии от утвърдените общинска и областна транспортна схема от квотата на Община Болярово по обособени позиции · ОБЩИНА БОЛЯРОВО · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-cce6-722c-8b81-3fb338df4c16/bulgaria-public-road-transport-services-obshhestven-prevoz-na-pietnici-po-avtob) [Special-purpose road passenger-transport services – Freigestellter Schülerverkehr 2026 - Los 1 (32 Teillose) · Landkreis Vorpommern-Greifswald - Der Landrat · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-705c-730e-9638-a182878a38db/germany-special-purpose-road-passenger-transport-services-freigestellter-sch) [Public road transport services – Διακήρυξη Ανοικτού Δημόσιου Διαγωνισμού για την ανάθεση του αποκλειστικού δικαιώματος εκτέλεσης δημόσιων τακτικών \[αστικών / υπεραστικών\] οδικών μεταφορών επιβατών με λεωφορεία στην Περιφέρεια Ιονίων Νήσων με σύμβαση παραχώρησης δημόσιας υπηρεσίας σύμφωνα με τον Κανονισμό 1370/2007

ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΟΜΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΤΑΦΟΡΩΝ

35 days left

23 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-7386-725f-9e3d-7aac2f9800da/greece-public-road-transport-services-diakiriksi-anoiktou-dimosioy-diaghonismo) [Public road transport services – 7. Vergabeverfahren 2026 (Regiobus Telfs) · Verkehrsverbund Tirol GesmbH · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-7d90-70a9-b2c1-026905abc450/austria-public-road-transport-services-7-vergabeverfahren-2026-regiobus-te) [Aerial and related services – Flugzieldarstellung Learjet · Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr · 38 days left · 26 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-6734-7381-b767-cb7cf02aaa43/germany-aerial-and-related-services-flugzieldarstellung-learjet) [Shipping operations – Prestations de collecte en mer et de transfert des sargasses fraîches, sur le territoire de la Martinique · GIP Sargasses - Prévention et Gestion des Sargasses en Martinique · 39 days left · 27 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-72d9-7111-963d-9bc3b2beabd5/france-shipping-operations-prestations-de-collecte-en-mer-et-de-transfert-de)
