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Spearfish Development Contract (SHDC)

Issued by Defence Equipment and Support · via UK Find a Tender Service

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Published
28 Oct 2026
Value
GBP 30,000,000
Reference
715985499
Location
United Kingdom
Sector
Defence & Security
Type
services

At a glance

Defence Equipment and Support in United Kingdom has published a request for information in defence & security: “Spearfish Development Contract (SHDC)”. The notice does not state a closing date, so confirm the timetable on the official portal. The stated value is GBP 30,000,000. Quote reference 715985499 in any correspondence with the buyer. FreeTender has recorded 24 notices from this buyer since 2026, 24 of them currently open. There are 81 open defence & security notices in United Kingdom on FreeTender. Bids are submitted to the buyer through UK Find a Tender Service, not through FreeTender.

Details

The Ministry of Defence is considering placing a Single Source contract (the “Spearfish Development Contract” (SFDC)) with BAE Systems Limited for development work in support of the Spearfish torpedo. The contract would be awarded via Direct Award to BAE Systems, based on their being the Design Authority for the Spearfish system. The justification for Direct Award is based on Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 5 paragraphs 6a and 6b. This will be a Qualifying Defence Contract (QDC) under the Defence Reform Act 2014 and the Single Source Contract Regulations 2014 The proposed contract would commence April 2027 with a five year duration (i.e. to end March 2032), and an estimated value of £30M during that period. The contract would contain three one year options to extend, giving a maximum duration of eight years (5+1+1+1)(i.e. to March 2035).

This notice has closed — what to do next

We hold 24 notices from Defence Equipment and Support, going back to September 2026 — 24 of them still open. They buy mostly in Defence & Security, Transport & Logistics and Manufacturing & Supply. There are 81 open Defence & Security tenders in United Kingdom.

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Before you bid on this tender

A quick checklist to help you decide whether to bid and prepare a compliant submission for this defence & security opportunity. Always verify the details on the official source.

  • Confirm the closing date and submission window on the official portal before you start preparing your bid.
  • Read the full notice and every attached document, including the scope, specifications and any bill of quantities or terms of reference.
  • Check the eligibility criteria — prior similar experience, annual turnover, certifications and registrations — and make sure you qualify before investing effort.
  • Prepare any earnest-money deposit (EMD) or bid security and the required formats early; missing or wrongly-formatted documents are a common cause of rejection.
  • Note how bids must be submitted (online or physical), in what format, and whether a digital signature or portal registration is required.
  • Watch for corrigenda and clarifications right up to the deadline — requirements and dates can change.
Common bidding mistakes to avoid →Writing a winning proposal

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