Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Secretary of State for the Home Department
2 Marsham Street
London
Detectiontechnologyprocurement@homeoffice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Supply of Portable Visual Inspection Devices inclusive of maintenance where applicable.
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Border Force (BF) secures the border and promotes national prosperity by facilitating the legitimate movement of individuals and goods, whilst preventing those that would cause harm from entering the UK. BF Officers do this by inspecting goods in a range of environments that include but not limited to; freight consignments (ship and aircraft searches), roll-on, roll-off trailers, over high vehicles, and cars.
Border Force is looking to procure a commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) contract for an existing handheld technology that is able to facilitate in the detection of illegal goods entering the UK in freight, vehicles, aircraft and other modes of transport, for general use and more specifically in volatile environments such as fuel tanks (Hazardous Zone Capability).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £850,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Portable Visual Inspection Devices - General Use Capability
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
In order to aid Border Force in finding concealed goods the technology required must:
• Be able to transmit an image to a lightweight handheld device from small, dark and potentially inaccessible areas within freight/roll-on roll-off traffic and aircraft and/or any other vehicle.
• The insertion/distal tip needs to be small enough to fit into a gap of a maximum of 10mm in diameter.
• The flexible tube that houses the camera needs to be a minimum of 0.9m, up to a maximum of 3m.
• The camera at the end of the flexible tube should be able to offer a clear live image of a range up to 1m in low to no light areas, with a static field of vision of at least 90 degrees.
• Be durable enough to work in temperatures ranging from -10 to 40 degrees.
• Be robust enough to withstand 2m drops and still be fully operational.
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• Needs to be dust tight and waterproof
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• The method of image generation must be passive (the device does not emit energy to capture an image, other than a light source to illuminate dark spaces). Active methods, such as radioactive sources are not in scope.
• Be robust, portable, and light enough to be used and operated by a single person.
• Sufficient battery life to enable the camera to be used continuously for 5hrs or have a swappable battery pack.
Border Force would also be interested in the below Capability:
• Interchangeable scopes ranging in length between 1- 3m
Please provide an estimate of the Capability’s useful life expectancy, including any and all maintenance services required for the Capability to ensure devices are safely maintained.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Portable Visual Inspection Devices - Specialist Container Search
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
In order to aid Border Force in finding concealed goods the technology required must:
• Be able to transmit an image from within containerised freight to a lightweight handheld device.
-The insertion/distal tip needs to be small enough to fit into a gap measuring a maximum of 9.5mm in diameter.
• The Capability should come with an application sleeve to be inserted into the 9.5mm gap before the Capability to protect the inspection camera from damage on entry and exit.
• Be able to offer a clear colour live image from 2 – 13m in low to no light areas; this must include a light source.
- It must also include the ability to take photos that can then be transferred via SD card
• The protective insertion sleeve that houses the camera needs to be a minimum of 30cm.
• Ability to give a 360-degree view of the inside of a container, this could be through:
- Ability to manoeuvre the camera head 90 degrees up, down, left and right.
- Alternatively, contain a dual camera on the end of the scope with the Capability to switch between the two to offer a 360-degree view.
• Be durable enough to work in temperatures ranging from -10 to 40 degrees.
• Be robust enough to withstand 2m drops and still be fully operational.
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• Needs to be dust tight and waterproof/submerged in water.
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• The method of image generation must be passive (the device does not emit energy to capture an image, other than a light source to illuminate dark spaces). Active methods, such as radioactive sources are not in scope.
• Be robust, portable, and light enough to be used and operated by a single person.
• Sufficient battery life to enable the camera to be used continuously for 5hrs or have a swappable battery pack.
Providing all the points above are satisfied, with the exception of it being operational by a single person, Border Force are also interested in the possibility to:
• Have the functionality to have a wireless system whereby the camera sends the live video to a handheld device for viewing. - The wireless functionality will need to be operational from a minimum of 5m away.
Please provide an estimate of the Capability’s useful life expectancy, including any and all maintenance services required or the Capability to ensure devices are safely maintained.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Portable Visual Inspection Devices - Hazardous Zone Capability
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
In order to aid Border Force in finding concealed goods the technology required must:
• Be able to transmit an image to a lightweight handheld device from small, dark and potentially inaccessible and hazardous areas within freight/roll-on roll-off traffic and aircraft and/or any other vehicle.
• Be able to be fully operational from inside potentially explosive environments including inside full fuel tanks without the risk of generating a spark which might trigger an explosion.
- Please note what environments and fuel is not included or not possible.
• The supplier should ensure that the device is suitably rated for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere. At a minimum this should include any parts of the equipment which will enter the space.
• The Capability should not have an electrical current running through any component that will enter the hazardous environment.
- The insertion/distal tip needs to be able to operate at a distance of at least 3 m from the opening being inspected.
• Needs to be small enough to fit into a gap of up to 10mm in diameter.
- The Capability should come with an application sleeve (no wider than 12mm diameter) to be inserted into the gap before the Capability to protect the inspection camera from damage on entry and exit.
• Ability to manoeuvre the camera head without the use of an electrical current.
• The flexible tube that houses the camera needs to penetrate the hazardous zone up to 1.5m.
• Be able to offer a clear live image through hazardous liquids, such as petrol, from up to 1m away in low to no light areas, with a minimum field of vision of 90 degrees.
• Be durable enough to work in temperatures ranging from -10 to 40 degrees.
• Be robust enough to withstand 2m drops and still be fully operational.
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• Needs to be dust tight and waterproof/submerged.
- Please provide evidence / details of any certification
• The method of image generation must be passive (the device does not emit energy to capture an image, other than a light source to illuminate dark spaces). Active methods, such as radioactive sources are not in scope.
• Be robust, portable and light enough to be used and operated by a single person.
• Sufficient battery life to enable the camera to be used continuously for 5hrs or have a swappable battery pack.
Border Force would also be interested in ATEX (or equivalent) rated electrical equipment that can achieve all of the above excluding non-electrical elements.
-This can be achieved by the use of non-electrical equipment or suitably ATEX rated equipment. For ATEX rated equipment entering the fuel tank, it should be Cat 1 (Suitable for use on a Zone 0), Gas Group IIC. For non-electrical equipment parts, the manufacturer should confirm that the device could not give rise to a potential ignition source.
o Please provide evidence / details of any certification
- For ATEX rated equipment operating around the fuel tank, it should be Cat 3 (Suitable for use on a Zone 2), Gas Group IIC.
o Please provide evidence / details of any certification
Please provide an estimate of the Capability’s useful life expectancy, including any and all maintenance services required for the Capability to ensure devices are safely maintained.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
29 August 2022
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
BF require a supplier who can provide this as a commercial system to meet an aspirational order for late 22/23FY.
Companies which are able to offer a solution and provide the required goods and services are requested to send an expression of interest to Vinny Gibbs by 17:00 GMT on 25/03/2022.
Home Office Commercial at Detectiontechnologyprocurement@homeoffice.gov.uk
The Supplier is requested to clearly state which Lot/Lots they can provide a solution to within their expression of interest (EOI).
We would also request that the Supplier include reference/details to any existing or historic Public Sector contracts where similar products to those proposed within the EOI are to be provided.
It is anticipated that there will be a Supplier Engagement Event in due course. Please contact Vinny Gibbs as per the EOI instructions above to register your interest.