Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Corsham
ukstratcomdd-cm-fxdnet@mod.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-digital
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Defence
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
712759450 BFSAI - Enhanced Business Broadband Phase 2
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72400000 - Internet services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The requirement is to provide a Business Broadband Service to British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI) Falkland Islands. It requires both wired and wireless access, with Wi-Fi distribution and interconnects for BFSAI across the Falkland Islands users across a multitude of sites. Welfare broadband is excluded from this requirement.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,602,903.30
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- FK - Falkland Islands
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Fixed Connectivity within Defence Digital Programme team , part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a single source contract for a total of 9 months to Sure South Atlantic Ltd for the provision of a Business Broadband Service to British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI) Falkland Islands.
This contract will provide a business broadband service via a dedicated international connection with of an aggregated 450Mbps capacity to a multitude of sites to service 1084 users across the Falkland Islands.
As some of the sites require a fast connection and others can tolerate a slower connection, the sites have been prioritised as Priority 1, 2 and 3. Most sites will have mix of wired and wireless connectivity, but some priority sites are wired only.
The core distribution connections for different sites will be achieved by different means such as fibre, DSL, Point-to multipoint (PMP Radio), and via microwave radio. The authentication of these services will be in accordance with the MOD’s JSP policy, and the services will not have any direct connectivity to MOD services.
Welfare broadband is excluded from this requirement.
In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 as amended (in particular by SI 2019/697 and SI 2020/1450). Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate.
It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 for Technical Reasons. This is for the following reasons.
Only Sure South Atlantic Ltd own and have access to the required mast/relay towers and infrastructure in-situ on the Falkland Islands to deliver these Business Broadband services, meaning they are the only supplier that can meet the MOD’s requirements. For another supplier to attempt to provide this Business Broadband Service would require them to build and install new towers and infrastructure across the Falkland Islands which would result in substantial and disproportionate additional time and cost implications, including an unacceptable capability gap.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
Please refer to VTN description.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
712759450
Title
Phase 2 Enhanced Business Broadband for Falkland Islands
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
6 January 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Sure South Atlantic Ltd
Ross Road, Stanley
FIQQ 1ZZ
Country
Falkland Islands
NUTS code
- FK - Falkland Islands
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,282,322.64
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Commercial Law Group Government Legal Department
Abbey Wood
Country
United Kingdom