Description
Maritime security is a key enabler of the security of the UK, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. Border Security Command (BSC) intends to procure a maritime situational awareness system to meet the operational requirements of the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) and the Border Security Command Maritime – Channel Operations team. The maritime domain is critical to the UK’s prosperity, resilience and global influence. To strengthen maritime security outcomes, the UK requires persistent surveillance capability, including the ability to detect non-cooperative and non-reporting vessels across the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
Please note that several market engagement notices have previously been published in relation to these requirements. This clarification is provided to avoid any confusion for suppliers regarding earlier communications. The notices can be accessed using the links below:
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004451-2026
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004449-2026
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013491-2025
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035519-2025
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038665-2025
Earlier notices published in 2025 set out separate requirements for: (i) Land-Based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and a Common Operating Picture; and (ii) a Mobile Maritime Domain Awareness Service. These requirements have now been consolidated into a single procurement, referred to as the Coastal Maritime ISR Service.
This planned procurement notice provides an update on the intended route to market. The Authority initially planned to use the Crown Commercial Service Space-Enabled and Geospatial Services Dynamic Purchasing System. The Authority now intends to run this procurement through the Government Commercial Agency’s Space Technology Solutions Dynamic Market (RM6370) Space Technology Solutions - GCA under the relevant parts.
To participate in this procurement, suppliers must be registered on the RM6370 Dynamic Market under the relevant parts (107, 118, 204, 209, 210, 211, 219, 220, 224, and 412).
Other than combining the two sets of requirements, the requirements themselves remain unchanged from those set out in the notices published under PCR2015. Consolidating the requirements into a single procurement and contract will strengthen the UK’s response to clandestine entry and wider maritime security by delivering a scalable managed service that enhances domain awareness and supports operational decision-making. The solution will autonomously detect, track and identify small boats and other non-cooperative vessels at range, fusing data from AIS, radar and EO/IR sensors to deliver Tracks as a Service (TKaaS) in near real time. This will be achieved via API to the Royal Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Programme (MDAP) and connect to the Home Office TAK server to provide a common operating picture accessible to key decision-makers and first responders.
A supplier portal will provide camera feeds, alternative track visualisations and alerts, enabling flexibility to meet short-notice operational requirements across the UK, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories.
Suppliers will be responsible for the ownership, siting, installation, security and operation of any hardware in the UK and/or overseas required to provide maritime tracks from selected areas to Border Security Command. The current operational assumption is for 24/7/365 service availability. Suppliers must ensure sufficient personnel and processes are in place to resolve issues promptly and maintain service continuity.
The supplier solution must:
• Provide persistent maritime surveillance of Areas of Interest (AOIs) across the UK marine area and, where required, the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
• Deliver active surveillance feeds across multiple concurrent AOIs, around the UK, including the Dover Strait and across the wider UK coast, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, to deliver Tracks as a Service.
• Detect, track and enable the identification of both cooperative and non-cooperative or non-reporting vessels, primarily within UK Territorial Waters TTW), and responding to emerging AOI’s in the UK and where required in British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
• Provide autonomous maritime domain awareness in a designated high-priority maritime corridor and other locations as directed by Border Security Command.
The solution must achieve full operating capability within six months of contract award. The system will use a network of existing and additional sensors to autonomously detect, track, classify and identify small boats at range. Sensor data must be fused with information from existing platforms and presented to end users via a web interface and integrated with the Home Office TAK server to provide a common operating picture. Fusion nodes should enable near real time decision making, creating a cohesive and interoperable system that enhances situational awareness and operational flexibility.
The expected duration of the contract is three to five years (including any extension periods), with a maximum estimated total value of up to approximately £100 million (excl. VAT) for the full five year term.
The estimated value includes any potential variations and amendments as may be set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation.
The contract value includes a high degree of flexibility, it is an estimate only and may be subject to change. This means the contract value may vary during the term to reflect changes in Areas of Interest. While the requirement to identify small boats in the Area of Interest across the Dover Strait is expected to remain broadly constant, the overall value may increase or decrease if coverage across other parts of the UK, the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies is expanded, reduced or amended in response to emerging operational needs. This includes areas of interest that are not know at the start of the contract.
Although Areas of Interest include the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and the supplier will need to own, site, install, secure and operate hardware there, the service will be delivered primarily to the UK.