Radar surveillance equipment

Tender description

Supply and maintenance of radar coastal surveillance technology for the detection of small boats, mainly RHIBS, approaching the shoreline on the Kent coast with a minimum range of 8-10 miles over 180 degrees. The Border Force General Aviation/General Maritime (GA/GM) teams which operate in the South East have mandatory commitments to attend airfields/marinas/ports/fishing vessels/Ashford International and cruise ships, covering both immigration and customs activity. Organised crime syndicates are constantly generating different ways to illegally land illegal migrants or prohibited and restricted items into the UK. In 2016 Border Force reacted to a step change in RHIB landings across the South East coastline. These arrivals saw illegal migrants being dropped off on the shoreline around the Kent coast. Although the team’s carry out surveillance on over 150 miles of coastline, the shortest routes from the Boulogne/Calais area towards Kingsdown, Deal, Dover and Folkestone appear to be the favoured routing for organised crime. To tackle this criminal activity, Border Force is looking to procure radar coastal surveillance equipment to enable officers to identify incoming targets. Border Force seeks expressions of interest from companies that can provide equipment meeting the following minimum requirements: — The radar must be able to identify and track small boats, but mainly RHIB’s. — The radar should have a minimum 180 degree capacity. — The radar should have a range of at least 8 to 10 miles. — The radar feed should enable staff to view live activity from remote locations. — The radar should be fixed or mobile, with easy maintenance. Companies which offer radar coastal surveillance equipment which meets these minimum criteria are requested to send their expression of interest to Amanda Hallinan, Home Office Commercial at amanda.hallinan@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk