Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
MAIN BUILDING WHITEHALL
LONDON
SW1A2HB
Contact
Selina Groves
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI32 - Westminster
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
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
VTN - Project ASurvey - The Provision of an Automated Aircraft Inspection Capability for Poseidon MRA-Mk1 Aircraft of the Royal Air Force
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 34114000 - Specialist vehicles
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
An automated aircraft inspection capability, for the RAF's Poseidon MRA-Mk1 (P8-A), enabling fast, accurate and detailed damage mapping of external airframe damage.
Military aircraft are subject to numerous hazards due to harsh operating conditions, in-flight refuelling or loading and unloading during ground operations. Whether at their home base or during operational deployments, fleet availability and optimal aircraft condition are key to guarantee efficiency and safety of operations. As a proof of concept, Project ASURVEY will use autonomous drone technology at RAF Lossiemouth on Poseidon MRA-Mk1. As the air system is new into service, the CAMO will be able to establish a detailed baseline of the aircraft external condition and maintain a comprehensive history of damage to individual tail numbers. This will be able to feed into the aircraft structural integrity, and environmental protection working groups. The data produced for each tail number would further enable the CAMO's data exploitation working group, identifying common and unusual trends,
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: £200,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
An automated aircraft inspection capability, initially for the RAF's Poseidon MRA-Mk1 (P8-A), enabling fast, accurate and detailed damage mapping of external airframe damage
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: 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:
The Air Commercial, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (the "Authority"), intends to award a contract to Donecle for the The Provision of an Automated Aircraft Inspection Capability for a period of 2 years. The estimated contract value is circa £200,000 excluding VAT.
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 because only Donecle has the technology suitably accredited to undertake this task in line with acceptable SyOPs parameters and has the know-how solution to achieve the requirement. Donecle solution is the only equipment with full security accreditation from the Air Accreditor for use. Accordingly, the Authority's view is that the circumstances specified in regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) is satisfied."
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
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
19 February 2024
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
DONECLE
55 Avenue Louis Breguet Batiment 6
31400 Toulouse
Country
France
NUTS code
- FR - France
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £200,000
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £200,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Air Commercial
High Wycombe
HP14 4UE
Country
United Kingdom