Exercise - Requirement for a Utility Helicopter

Home Office are seeking the provision of a Rotary Wing Aircraft with crew to move government equipment and personnel to target vessel underway at sea, undertake winching and winch recovery of staff to the vessels to enable training and familiarisation with such operations.

The supplier is expected to have the following capabilities:

1. Rotary Wing Aircraft dedicated to exercise for 1 day in early March 2023.

2. Aircraft to be able to UK South Coast Forward Operating Based (FOB) during the exercise to reduce travel time and costs. (state location)

3. Aircraft crew must be qualified to fly over water.

4. Aircraft has appropriate survival equipment for flying over water within 12 Nautical miles of the UK shoreline in accordance with UK Civil Aviation Authority or UK Military Aviation Authority, registry of aircraft dependent, onboard during exercise flights.

5. Aircraft is fitted with winch capable of lifting Maximum All Up Weight of 272KG to extension of 245 feet (Ft) and crew qualified to operate winch.

6. Aircraft is to come inclusive of crew, who must be available for the duration of the Aircrafts use.

7. Crew must be fully qualified, and their flying must be assured through regular audits by the UK's Central Flying School. Certifications must be available upon request.

This is an early opportunity to determine capability within the marketplace. The Home Office does not guarantee that a procurement will be launched, and the Home Office is not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any potential supplier in registering their interest.

Please reply via email to cory.bateman@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Within your email you should briefly describe suitability on each point 1 to 7 above.

Deadline for responses via email is 18 January 2023 12:00PM.