UK Search and Rescue 2nd Generation (UKSAR2G)

Tender description

The UK Second-Generation Search and Rescue (UKSAR2G) programme will procure a successor service to both the UK Search and Rescue - Helicopters (UKSARH) and Aerial Surveillance and Verification (ASV) contracts when they expire between 2024 and 2026. These contracts provide Her Majesty's Coastguard with helicopter assets and operations to comply with international Search and Rescue (SAR) obligations, rescuing people in distress around the UK coast, and fixed-wing assets and operations to monitor polluting, illegal or anti-competitive activity. MCA has developed proposals for a successor service which: 1. moves away from the existing 'one-size-fits-all' approach, with market-led asset data; 2. recognises the collaborative nature of SAR and how it is utilised by other government agencies; 3. encourages maximum competition to drive value and innovation, for example use of unmanned (drone) assets during the lifetime of the contract; and 4. continues to provide a service that rescues thousands of people every year. Lot 1: Fast, urgent, short-range search, rescue and response services The MCA's SAR capability is coordinated by the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) which uses available personnel, facilities and information to locate persons in distress for which it will coordinate the rescue to retrieve such persons. Bidders for Lot 1 will be required to provide a service which responds to tasks from the ARCC on short notice and carry out fast, urgent, short-range rescue operations to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their immediate medical needs or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety. This contract would respond to the majority of tasks undertaken by the current UKSARH contract and is of use to other parts of government/HEMS aviation services. Lot 2: High endurance, long-range search, rescue and response services The MCA's SAR capability is coordinated by the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) which uses available personnel, facilities and information to locate persons in distress for which it will coordinate the rescue to retrieve such persons. Bidders for Lot 2 will be required to provide a service which accepts tasks from the ARCC which require a high endurance, long range aircraft to execute the required rescue operations to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their immediate medical needs or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety. This lot 2 is for less frequent tasks requiring the ability to respond to mass casualty and civil contingency events or events involving international coordination. Lot 3: Fixed wing and/or unmanned air vehicle (UAV) rapid search only, surveillance and pollution response services The MCA's SAR capability is coordinated by the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) which uses available personnel, facilities and information to locate persons in distress for which it will coordinate the rescue to retrieve such persons. Bidders for Lot 3 will be required to provide a service which accepts tasks from the ARCC which require search services only or a surveillance and/or pollution response. Lot 3 will identify risky, polluting, dangerous, illegal or anti-competitive activity and verify to the appropriate authority. Lot 4: Aerial search, rescue and surveillance services Lot 4 will include all services included in Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3.