Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
National or federal Agency/Office
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
42,000,000
Reference number
TCA 3/7/3/7/1251
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 60443100 - Air-sea rescue services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is putting in place additional search capacity in its Coastguard aviation service to provide urgently needed increased situational awareness. The contract modification will provide a dedicated supplementary search capability to support the UK Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Service (UKSARH) by providing this additional situational awareness in the English Channel. This will be delivered using a combination of crewed and uncrewed planes. The aircraft will be operated from or near the existing Lydd search and rescue (SAR) base so as to be able to work closely with the SAR helicopter based there and make best use of the existing infrastructure under the UKSARH service.
The contract modification will be in effect from 01 March 2022 for three years, to align with the start of the replacement contractual arrangements to the current UKSARH service. An extension option of up to two years has been included should the arrangements that replace the current UKSARH service not be ready in time.
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: £42,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 35612500 - Search and rescue helicopters
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
- UKJ - South East (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The UK has seen a seen an increase in the number of small boats crossing the English Channel which the MCA could not have foreseen when the UKSARH contract was awarded. Aerial patrols over the Channel are crucial to our search and rescue response. The situational awareness that the UKSARH service provides enables Coastguards to determine the status of small boats crossing the Channel and to prioritise responses to those boats at most risk.
As the number of small boat crossings have increased over the course of 2021, the requirement to provide extended searches of the Channel over consecutive days, and sometimes weeks, has also increased. This has placed increased demands on HM Coastguard’s existing aerial search and rescue assets. The MCA has therefore determined that a dedicated Channel search capability is needed to provide the level of situational awareness required. The new aircraft will conduct regular, sometimes extended, patrols of the Channel to provide up to date and accurate information on crossings being attempted. This information will be used by HM Coastguard to enhance the coordination of rescues using existing air and surface assets.
Given the urgency of the requirement and that the solution will be integrated with existing UKSARH assets and infrastructure, the MCA is seeking to introduce this capability as a modification to the UKSARH contract. This requirement will ultimately be met by the services provided by the supplier of the UK Second-Generation Search and Rescue Aviation programme, the procurement process for which is currently underway (FTS reference 2021/S 000-004655).
The MCA is modifying the UKSARH contract pursuant to Regulation 72 (1) (c), on the basis that the need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have foreseen. Migrants crossing the channel in significant numbers was not an issue the HM Coastguard faced in 2013 when the UKSARH contract was awarded, nor was it anticipated that it would become an issue; the problem is largely unprecedented for the UK and has increased exponentially in a short space of time.
This change does not alter the overall nature of the contract; the original specification included extensive requirements for a search capability. Moreover, this is search with a view to locating individuals in need of rescue, which fits within the overarching scope of the UKSARH contract. Finally, the price of this modification, valued at £35m ex VAT for the three years of the change and an additional £16m ex VAT if the two-year extension option is used, does not exceed 50% of the value of the UKSARH contract over its life at £1.6 billion ex VAT.
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
Negotiated without a prior call for competition
- No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to open procedure
- The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
- Additional deliveries by the original supplier
- New works/services, constituting a repetition of existing works/services
Explanation:
The MCA is modifying the UKSARH contract pursuant to Regulation 72 (1) (c), on the basis that the need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have foreseen. Migrants crossing the channel in significant numbers was not an issue the HM Coastguard faced in 2013 when the UKSARH contract was awarded, nor was it anticipated that it would become an issue; the problem is largely unprecedented for the UK and has increased exponentially in a short space of time.
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
TCA 3/7/1251
Title
Modification of UK Search and Rescue Helicopter (SARH) service 2013-2026
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
26 March 2013
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
Bristow Helicopters Ltd
Aberdeen
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £42,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £42,000,000
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
Department for Transport
London
Country
United Kingdom