Award

For the Combined Support of V/UHF Communications Equipment

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-006657

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03aedc

Published 7 March 2023, 5:03pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Ships Maritime Combat Systems (MCS) team, Communications and Situational Awareness (CSA), #3213 Ash 2C Abbey Wood South

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Contact

Vikki Bessell

Email

vikki.bessell100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK11 - Bristol, City of

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-equipment-and-support

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

For the Combined Support of V/UHF Communications Equipment

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 50333000 - Maintenance services of radio-communications equipment

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Contract for the repair and technical support of the legacy very high frequency and ultra high frequency (VUHF) equipment for the LPD class.

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: £2,566,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Contract for the repair and technical support of the legacy very high frequency and ultra high frequency (VUHF) equipment for the LPD class.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The option of 1+1 sequential option years

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 Communications & Situational Awareness (CSA) Project Team within Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, (“the Authority”) intends to award a contract (the Contract) to Park Air Systems Ltd (“the Contractor”) for the combined support of very high frequency and ultra high frequency (VUHF) communications equipment. The Contract will extend the services currently provided to the Authority by the Contractor for a further period of two years to 31st March 2025 with a further two option years included to 31 March 2027.

A separate contract (CSA/1093) for V/UHF Capability Replacement (VCR) project is rolling out to MCMV’s, Type 23s and RFA Platforms however the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) class (HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark) is not included in the scope. Therefore, the purpose of the Contract is for repair and technical support of the legacy V/UHF equipment for the LPD class.

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 in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 because the Contract may be awarded only to the Contractor for technical reasons.

This is on the basis that the Contractor, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), for this equipment, have sole capability of performing the contract. No other supplier has access to the specific repair moulds or any information to reverse engineer as these are bespoke to Contractor. Replacement of the existing legacy equipment is now done through repair and parts salvaged from items deemed beyond economical repair with no spares supply available on the market. The Contractor owns the IPR imbedded in the software within the legacy equipment, own all supporting documentation/manuals needed to maintain it and possess the SQEP technical expertise to carry out the repair activity at the sole repair facility.

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

16 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

Park Air Systems Ltd

Northfields, Market Deeping

Peterborough

PE6 8UE

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKH11 - Peterborough
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: £2,566,000

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

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom