Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Abbey Wood South, LEOC-STSP-DCC, NH3 Cedar 2A #4110, Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Contact
Lisa Sinfield
Telephone
+44 3001666082
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
Internet address(es)
Main address
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
FNHUK Combined Support Services Contract
Reference number
702630462
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 50620000 - Repair and maintenance services of firearms and ammunition
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Authority intends to award a contract to FNH UK Ltd for the provision of combined support, supply and repair services in respect of the UK Armed Forces Commands in-service fleet of machine guns that comprise of: Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), Light Machine Gun (LMG) variants, General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, PAC24 General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, and the 81mm Mortar ancillaries. The contract will be for a 5-year period and will include the provision of a technical support service and will enable the procurement of additional in-service weapons, if required.
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: £1,500,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 35321300 - Machine guns
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This contract will provide a combination of support, supply and repair services for the in-service fleet of machine guns that comprise of: Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), Light Machine Gun (LMG) variants, General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, PAC24 General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, and the 81mm Mortar ancillaries, that will ensure the UK Armed Forces Commands can meet their enduring and future capability needs. This contract will include the provision of a technical support service and enable the procurement of additional in-service weapons, if required.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Options will be available on the contract to procure additional in-service weapons and/or ancillaries. There will not be an option available to extend the term of the contract.
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
Negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice
- The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development
- The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation:
The Dismounted Close Combat programme team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place a 5-year contract with FNH UK Ltd for the Combined Support, Supply and Repair of the in-service fleet of machine guns that comprise of: Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), Light Machine Gun (LMG) variants, General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, PAC24 General Purpose Machine Gun Mount, and the 81mm Mortar ancillaries, that includes a technical support service and the provision to procure additional in-service weapons, if required.
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 is lawful in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons.
This is because FNH UK Ltd are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) and are the only economic entity with access to the necessary technical information, knowledge and expertise, for the machine guns and ancillaries comprised in this contract. FNH UK Ltd are the only economic entity with the capability and access necessary to provide the required technical support to ensure it complies with the Authority’s specification, maintains the operational performance and effectiveness of the weapon systems, and ability to underwrite the integrity of any possible modifications to the weapons systems as a result of a potential safety investigation.
As part of the Contract, should the Authority wish to procure additional equipment comprised under this single-source framework enabling arrangement during the contract term, FNH UK Ltd is the only supplier able to supply the current in-service weapons. A change of supplier would oblige the Authority to acquire different weapons with different technical characteristics that would affect the interoperability of the equipment. Having users that were trained and operating similar weapons with different characteristics would lead to an unacceptable level of safety risk with the operational performance of the weapons, even if additional configuration control measures, training measures, supplementary technical documentation and user manuals were in place.
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
702630462
Title
FNHUK Combined Support Services Contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
27 January 2022
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
FNH UK Limited
Phoenix House, Slade Green Road
Erith, Kent
DA8 2HU
Telephone
+44 1322338052
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ4 - Kent
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: £1,500,000
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
Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Abbey Wood South, LEOC-STSP-DCC, NH3 Cedar 2A #4110, Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Telephone
+44 3001666082
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Abbey Wood South, LEOC-STSP-DCC, NH3 Cedar 2A #4110, Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Telephone
+44 3001666082
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Abbey Wood South, LEOC-STSP-DCC, NH3 Cedar 2A #4110, Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Telephone
+44 3001666082
Country
United Kingdom