Award

c. £297m

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-006252

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04e514

Published 20 February 2025, 2:10pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

MOD Abbey Wood South, Neighbourhood 4 Fir 3C

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Email

grant.jenkins122@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence

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

c. £297m

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 50840000 - Repair and maintenance services of weapons and weapon systems

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Torpedo Maritime Strike (TMS) Delivery Team, as part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to extend a current contract, on a single source basis, with BAE Systems Surface Ships Ltd for up to 5 years duration from no later than July 2026 for the In Service Support of the Spearfish Heavyweight and Sting Ray Lightweight torpedoes.

The contract extension will be a CAT A requirement based on planned scope and duration. The current contract is a Category B but treated as a Category A operationally.

This notice is not a request for expressions of interest, so please do not apply to be invited to tender. This notice advises that the Authority has decided to negotiate a contract extension with the named supplier on a single source basis, and is published for reasons of transparency. If you are interested in becoming a sub-contractor to this requirement you should apply directly to the supplier named in this notice.

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: £297,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Torpedoes Repair and Maintenance Contract (TRAM) provides repair and maintenance services for the full torpedo arsenal of the Royal Navy. This contract was initially let on a 7 year basis in 2019. The Authority now intends to extend the provisions of this existing contract with no material change in scope for a further 3 years plus 2 x 1 option year periods.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

3 year core extension plus two 1 year extension options

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

  • No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to negotiated procedure with prior 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 Torpedo Maritime Strike (TMS) Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, is seeking to place a contract, by way of a contract amendment, with BAE Systems Surface Ships Ltd for the provision of in-service support to the Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes.

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 award of the contract using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011). This is due to technical reasons whereby BAE Systems is the only economic operator in the market with the necessary know-how, capacity and infrastructure that is able to provide the required level of expertise and support to meet the entire requirement without excessive or unacceptable risk.

BAE Systems are the Design Authority for both the Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes. Both types of torpedo will be required to be supported during the contract.

BAE, as the Design Authority, are therefore uniquely placed to undertake the requirement to support these torpedoes and incorporate the modifications having designed, certificated and supported the systems throughout their service life. The technical expertise within BAE Systems is key to the continued safety certification and maintenance to ensure a continued torpedo capability. BAE are the only organisation suitably qualified and experienced to provide the required level of support at an acceptable level of risk. Failure to implement suitable support would jeopardise the functionality of the systems and thus the safety of deployed personnel.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2016/S 138-250957


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

TTHC/0017

Title

Torpedoes Repair and Maintenance Contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

20 February 2025

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

BAE Systems Surface Ships Limited

Portsmouth

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)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £297,000,000

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

Defence Equipment & Support

MOD ABBEY WOOD SOUTH

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Defence Equipment & Support, Ministry of Defence

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Email

Grant.Jenkins122@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom