Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
MOD Abbey Wood South, STSP-DCC-Lethality, NH3 Cedar 2A #3260, 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
Viking Combined Support Contract
Reference number
701499375
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 an enabling contract to Viking Arms Ltd for the provision of support services in respect of the in-service fleet of Glock weapons and supporting ancillaries with the UK Armed Forces. The contract will be for a 5-year period and will include the provision of a technical support service and 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: £4,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 35300000 - Weapons, ammunition and associated parts
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority intends to place a Combined Support Enabling Contract to support the in-service fleet of Glock weapons and supporting ancillaries, in order to ensure they can meet their enduring and future capability needs across the UK Armed Forces Commands.
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 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 enabling contract with Viking Arms Ltd for the Combined Support, Supply and Repair of the in-service fleet of Glock weapons and supporting ancillaries with the provision to procure additional systems if required.
It is considered that this Contract will be placed using the Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) and 16(1)(b)(i) of the UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons. This is because the chosen supplier is the sole UK agent for the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) for the Glock family of weapons and are the only economic entity with the necessary technical data, knowledge and expertise, and proprietary documentation maintained by the DA. These are all fundamental in order to provide the required technical support, assure any repairs, and undertake any Post Design Services to underwrite any changes or modifications in compliance with the OEM quality assurance controls and measures that maintains operational performance and effectiveness of the weapons.
Without access to the proprietary documentation, technical drawings, tooling and test equipment, specific manufacturing processes and knowledge and expertise, any goods or services provided by another entity would require new testing, new verification and validation to ensure that the safety and suitability for service of the weapons, operational performance and effectiveness, and the interoperability with other weapons and platforms is not compromised and that the Safety Case for the system is not invalidated. A change of supplier would also oblige the Authority to acquire goods having different technical characteristics, resulting in incompatibility between the existing platforms and weapons, affecting the support, technical publications and documentation, user training, and logistics of a multiple platform fleet from that already provided and currently in-service. There would also be disproportionate cost, time and technical difficulties incurred to the Authority associated with introducing new items into the Authority’s supply chain and inventory.
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
701499375
Title
Viking Combined Support Contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
8 March 2021
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
Viking Arms Limited
Summerbridge, Harrogate,
North Yorkshire
HG3 4BW
Telephone
+44 1423780810
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKE2 - North Yorkshire
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: £4,000,000
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
Ministry of Defence
MOD Abbey Wood South, STSP-DCC-Lethality, NH3 Cedar 2A #3260, Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Telephone
+44 3001666082
Country
United Kingdom