MOD launches second phase of Envoy contract

The Ministry of Defence has issued a tender worth up to £140 million for the next phase of its Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) Recapitalisation Programme.

The procurement seeks to secure long-term in-service support and military certification for two Dassault Falcon 900LX aircraft, known as the Envoy IV, currently based at RAF Northolt.

According to the notice, “the current CSAT fleet consists of 2 x Envoy IV Aircraft (Dassault Falcon 900LX)… Although the Envoy IV are currently operated on the Civilian Aircraft Register (CAR), the intention is to transfer Envoy IV onto the Military Aircraft Register (MAR) prior to the start of the new contract.”

The MOD outlines two primary requirements in the contract:

1. “Provision of a fully inclusive in-service support solution to support and maintain the Envoy IV Aircraft through to planned OSD of Apr 2037, utilising military personnel in the operation of the aircraft.”
2. “Design and embodiment of military modifications onto the aircraft and ensure certification of airworthiness under MAR, to enable the aircraft to be operated in military airspace and in a non-benign environment.”

RAF ‘Envoy’ aircraft fleet reaches full capability

The estimated contract value of between £135 million and £140 million includes options to extend beyond the initial five-year term by up to six additional years, “taken in single or multiple year intervals.”

The MOD states that the procurement will be conducted under the “competitive negotiated procedure” as outlined by the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR). A maximum of four suppliers will be invited to the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) phase. The final award will go to the “Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) in accordance with the scoring criteria.”

The deadline for expressions of interest is 13 July 2025 at 22:59, with contract delivery set to begin 1 June 2026, running through 30 September 2031.

Suppliers must use the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) for all stages of the process, including accessing the Dynamic Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (DPQQ).