Award

Multi-Mode Radio Post Design Support Contract

  • MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-006733

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04e682

Published 21 February 2025, 1:25pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS348JH

Contact

David Fox

Email

david.fox850@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.gov.uk

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

Multi-Mode Radio Post Design Support Contract

Reference number

711875455

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Tactical Systems (TacSys) Service Executive (SE) within Defence Digital, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to place with L3Harris Communications Systems UK Limited a 5 year contract for the provision of Post Design Services (PDS) for the different variants of Multi Mode Radios that were procured. These radio types are the Harris PRC-152 and PRC-152A Handheld radios and the Harris PRC-117F and PRC-117G Manpack radios.

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: £3,500,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The MMR PDS contract is being placed to sustain the integrity, safety and security of the MMR. The top-level tasks met by the PDS Contract are: Controlled Firmware releases, Obsolescence management (hardware and software), Maintenance of the MMR Safety and Environmental documentation, Incident and problem management, Ad Hoc PDS Tasking, Release and re-certification management, System level documentation and technical publications, advice, guidance and Help Desk, Technical assurance, Product, interface and system design, and the provision of System level knowledge and engineering expertise.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: 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 works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
    • absence of competition for technical reasons

Explanation:

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.

To address obsolescence impacting tactical communications the MMR project was initiated in 2022 to replace legacy systems with modern radios for man-portable Tactical Satellite (TacSat) and Ground-to-Air (G2A) capabilities. Awarded to L3Harris Communication Systems UK, the contract delivered MMR systems. However, the contract, set to expire in June 2025, did not include the provisions for post-design service support, which is now required to maintain the safety, operability, and availability of the MMR capability beyond the contract's expiration.

L3Harris are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and have the specific technical skills, know-how and experience in providing the necessary Contractor Technical Support and Services to support, maintain and upgrade the equipment when required. They are also the only supplier who has access to the product design information to enable them to undertake any support and design modifications to the MMR fleet. Choosing to compete this requirement would introduce the possibility of contravention of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) regulations as it would not be possible to ensure that another contractor could be sufficiently qualified within the requisite time frames to undertake design and manufacture activities without including an associated unacceptable level of risk. This would result in the Authority not being able to fulfil safety requirements which are required to ensure the safe functioning of the User community. Due to the above reasons the requirement will continue as a single source requirement.

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

21 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

L3Harris Communications Systems UK Limited

Unit 1 Dingley Way

Farnborough

GU14 6FF

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
Companies House

00173103

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: £3,500,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Ministry of Defence

MOD Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Email

David.Fox850@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom