Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
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
7.62mm L94A1 Hughes Chain Gun
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
Post Design Services Technical Support for the 7.62mm L94A1 Hughes Chain Gun
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: £4,900,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Post Design Services Technical Support for the 7.62mm L94A1 Hughes Chain Gun
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 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 Turret Weapons Systems (TWS) team within the DE&S Ajax Portfolio Project Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a Contract for 5 years to Heckler & Koch NSAF Ltd to cover Post Design Services Technical Support for the 7.62mm L94A1 Hughes Chain Gun currently fitted to various Armoured Vehicle platforms. This Contract will replace the existing Chain Gun PDS Contract No. SSP/00210 with Heckler & Koch NSAF Ltd which is due to expire on 06-May-23.
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 UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011), due to absence of competition for technical reasons.
This is because only Heckler & Koch NSAF Ltd as the current longstanding support contractor has the extensive in-depth knowledge and specific know-how, proprietary information (such as up to date drawings), gun specific tooling and safety approvals to carry out the required services. NSAF have stated they will not provide any drawing or technical detail to anyone else and therefore another contractor would be required to demonstrate access to safety critical technical information not presently available to MoD, and also be able to provide technical support based on data that cannot be corroborated by any authority and present an intolerable risk that would undermine the Safety ALARP claim for the weapon. Because of this, it is considered that no other contractor can provide these services.
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
705067450
Title
7.62mm L94A1 Hughes Chain Gun
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
14 December 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
NSAF Ltd
Nottingham
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £4,900,000 / Highest offer: £4,900,000 taken into consideration
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
Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom