Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Ministry of Defence
Stoke Gifford
Bristol
BS34 8JH
For the attention of
Buxton Bethany
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
one.3) Main activity
Defence
one.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities:
No
Section two: Object of the contract
two.1) Description
two.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority
Roundless Tactical Engagement Simulation (RTES)
two.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Supplies
Purchase
NUTS code
- UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between £6,800,000 and £79,200,000
two.1.5) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The Training & Simulation System Programme (TSSP) team, part of Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) within the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), is considering the potential procurement of a requirement for the provision of a Roundless Tactical Engagement System (RTES). RTES will enhance the delivery of Battlecraft Syllabus (BCS) training through the realistic representation of personal weapon operation and effects, increased ability for Force Elements to access measurement and evaluation systems, and a reduced dependency on blank ammunition and training estate resources. RTES will bring a capability into service from 2022.
Should, following completion of the Dynamic Pre-qualification Questionnaire exercise, the MoD wish to take forward the potential requirement then it will be expected that the preferred supplier would be able to implement and maintain a solution over a period of up to ten (10) years consisting of an initial five (5) year contract duration for the equipment delivery and Contractor Logistic Support (CLS), and a further five (5) x one (1) year contract options. The Authority reserves the right to change and take the option years as a combination, or as one (1) year increments.
In issuing this Contract Notice and engaging with the Market, the Authority is not committing to carrying out any procurement in relation to the requirements stated in this notice. If third parties are interested in engaging with the Authority in relation to the requirements stated here, they must do so without sharing information that is protected by copyright or patents.
RTES is an innovative solution which forms part of the Collective Training Transformation Portfolio (CTTP). There may be a potential for the RTES contract to transfer to a 'Managing Agent' during the life of the contract.
two.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 34152000 - Training simulators
Additional CPV code(s)
- 34152000 - Training simulators
- 35700000 - Military electronic systems
two.1.7) Information about subcontracting
The tenderer has to indicate in the tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractor, as well as the subject-matter of the subcontracts for which they are proposed
two.1.8) Lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.9) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2) Quantity or scope of the contract
two.2.1) Total quantity or scope
The RTES requirement will support training exercises conducted at training locations initially in the UK, with potential for deployment overseas. The capability is intended for use as widely as possible (the service may be provided in a variety of environments and climates) without the need for fixed infrastructure. The RTES capability initially intends to deliver equipment units of a training system (quantity to be determined) through live instrumented training. The RTES system will require After Action Review capability which is anticipated to be delivered by the user. A change in the quantity of RTES equipment may or may not occur throughout the duration of the Contract.
The Authority reserves the right to withhold or extend the capability and/or add additional training needs in relation to the events, which may include but not be limited to:
• Incremental increase in the number of training exercises;
• Additional requirements to enable an event to be distributed over multiple locations;
• Additional requirements to enable an increased scope of weapon types.
• A reduction or increase in the quantity of RTES systems
• Additional requirements to enable the RTES system to be deployed to worldwide locations.
• Increasing scope to other forms of training event and use in experimentation; and
• Contractual options to extend the contract, which if required shall be exercised at the Authority's discretion .
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between £6,800,000 and £79,200,000
two.2.2) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of these options: This contract shall be over a period of up to ten (10) years consisting of an initial five (5) year contract duration for the equipment delivery and Contractor Logistic Support (CLS), and a further five (5) x one (1)-year contract options. The Authority reserves the right to change and take the option years as a combination, or as one (1) year increments.
Please note that currently the Authority anticipates the estimated value of the initial 5-year contract duration will be approx. £6,800,000 (Ex VAT) . The value range advertised within this contract notice is for the full duration of this contract including all potential options and the Authority anticipates that this will be between £6,800,000 and £79,200,000 (Ex VAT ) (subject to change).
The Authority is under no obligation to exercise the right to the options if it deems inappropriate to do so.
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions relating to the contract
three.1.1) Deposits and guarantees required
The Authority reserves the right to ask for an Indemnity, guarantee or bank bond if the supplier does not meet the standard for economic and financial standing. A parent company guarantee may also be required dependent on the formation and financial standing of the contracting business.
three.1.2) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
The Contract and Services provided will be made against an agreed payment plan. Payments will follow successful delivery and acceptance of services. The end to end process for the afore mentioned conditions shall be handled within the CP&F system (The DE&S Procurement and Payments software). Financing and payment conditions shall be included in the ITN.
three.1.3) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
If a group of economic operators submits a bid, the group must nominate a lead organisation to deal with the Authority. The Authority shall require the group to form a wholly legal entity before entering into the contract.
three.1.4) Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject, in particular with regard to security of supply and security of information
The Authority reserves the right to amend any condition related to security of information to reflect any changes in national law or government policy. If any contract documents are accompanied by a Security Aspects Letter, the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of the Security Aspects Letter to reflect these changes in national law or government policy whether in respect of the applicable protective marking scheme, specific; protective markings given, the aspects of which any protective marking applies or otherwise.
Candidates may be required to have the necessary Personal Security Clearances (PSCs) and may need to have access to facilities with security clearance (Facility Security Clearance “FSC’s”) e.g. on the list X register in the UK. Candidates which do not yet hold security clearance may obtain such clearance prior to the anticipated Contract award. This requirement will be detailed further at ITN.
The Cyber Risk Assessment for the procurement is VERY LOW, as defined in DEFSTAN 05-138.
The Cyber Risk Profile for this requirement identified by the Cyber Risk Assessment is Very Low (Reference – RAR-Q86X7NJM). As the Assessment has been deemed as Very Low potential suppliers will need to verify their identity before they are able to complete an Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ). This is a requirement which may take up to a week to complete before being able to access the SAQ.
All suppliers must complete a SAQ, via the Supplier Cyber Protection Service, to demonstrate their level of compliance against the required Cyber Risk Level. The reference number is RAR-Q86X7NJM
Tenderers must, as a minimum, have Cyber Essentials Plus and conform to the Very Low DEFSTAN 05-138 controls.
If the tenderer cannot meet the level of security controls required by the contract start date it does not mean an immediate fail. The tenderer should submit a Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP) as part of their tender submission detailing the steps they would take to meet the necessary controls, together with associated timescales, details of any equivalent standards they have, or reasons why they are unable to comply.
For note, the requirement for compliance with the cyber security controls is being extended to apply throughout the Defence supply chain. Where the prime contractor intends to sub-contract any part of the requirement, they must assess the cyber risk for that sub-contract and ensure their supply chain has the appropriate controls, or an agreed implementation plan, in place prior to sub-contract award.
Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employees (TUPE) may apply
three.1.5) Information about security clearance
Candidates which do not yet hold security clearance may obtain such clearance until: 1 December 2021
three.2) Conditions for participation
three.2.1) Personal situation
Criteria regarding the personal situation of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: The Authority will apply all the offences listed in Article 39(1) of Directive 2009/81/EC (implemented as Regulation 23(1) of the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR) 2011 in the UK) and all of the professional misconducts listed at Article 39(2) of Directive 2009/81/EC (see also Regulation 23(2) in the DSPCR 2011) to the decision of whether a Candidate is eligible to be invited to tender.
A full list of these criteria are at http://www.contracts.mod.uk/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#dspr
Candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming whether they do or do not have any of the listed criteria as part of the pre-qualification process.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 39(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest (including defence and security factors) for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 39(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
Criteria regarding the personal situation of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: .
three.2.2) Economic and financial ability
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: a) Appropriate statements from the economic operator's bankers or where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance;
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: evidence of appropriate professional risk indemnity; at least 2 years certified audited accounts in statutory form, profit and loss account and balance sheet; statement of overall turnover to be provided with DPQQ. A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass/fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: The estimated average annual contract value is between £1,000.000 GBP - £2,000,000 GBP. If the estimated average annual contract value is greater than 40 % of the supplier’s turnover, the Authority reserves the right to exclude the supplier from being selected to tender except where the supplier provides, to the satisfaction of the Authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability, e.g. such evidence may include:
1) Any additional information proving it has sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement; and
2) State whether the supplier is willing to provide the Authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond.
A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass/fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of subcontractors (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: (a) appropriate statements from the economic operator's bankers or where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance;
(b) the presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established;
(c) where appropriate, a statement, covering the 3 previous financial years of the economic operator, of:
(i) the overall turnover of the business of the economic operator; and
(ii) where appropriate, the turnover in respect of the work, works, goods or services which are of a similar type to the subject matter of the contract.
Evidence of appropriate professional risk indemnity; at least 2 years certified audited accounts in statutory form, profit and loss account and balance sheet; statement of overall turnover to be provided with DPQQ. A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass/fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: The Authority reserves the right to exclude the supplier from being selected to tender except where the supplier provides, to the satisfaction of the Authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability, e.g. such evidence may include:
1) Any additional information proving it has sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement; and
2) State whether the supplier is willing to provide the Authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond.
A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass/fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the Parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
three.2.3) Technical and/or professional capacity
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: (a) in the case of a supply contract requiring the siting or installation of goods, a services contract or a works contract, the economic operator's technical ability, taking into account in particular that economic operator's skills, efficiency, experience and reliability;
(c) a statement of the principal goods sold or services provided by the supplier or the services provider in the past five years, or during a shorter period if necessary, and: (i) the dates on which the goods were sold or the services provided; (ii) the consideration received; (iii) the identity of the person to whom the goods were sold or the service were provided; (iv) any certificate issued or countersigned by that person confirming the details of the contract for those goods sold or services provided; and (v) where - (a)that person was not a contracting authority, and (b)the certificate referred to in sub-paragraph (c)(iv) is not available, any declaration by the economic operator attesting the details of the goods sold or services provided;
(d) a statement of the technicians or technical services available to the economic operator to: (i) carry out the work under the contract, or (ii) be involved in the production of goods or the provision of services under the contract, particularly those responsible for quality control, whether or not they are independent of the economic operator;
(e) a statement of the economic operator's: (i) technical facilities; (ii) measures for ensuring quality; (iii) study and research facilities; and (iv) internal rules regarding intellectual property;
(f) a check carried out by the contracting authority or on its behalf by a competent official body of the member State in which the economic operator is established: (i) on the technical capacity of the economic operator; and (ii) if relevant, on the economic operator's study and research facilities and quality control measures;
(g) in the case of works contracts, services contracts or supply contracts also covering siting and installation operations or services, the economic operator's educational and professional qualifications where the economic operator is an individual and: (i) if any, those of the economic operator's managerial staff; and (ii) those of one or more persons who would be responsible for providing the services or carrying out the work or works under the contract;
(h) the environmental management measures, that the economic operator is able to apply when performing the contract, but only where it is necessary for the performance of that contract;
(m) in the case of contracts involving, entailing or containing classified information, evidence of the ability to process, store and transmit such information at the level of protection required by the contracting authority;
(n) a certificate: (i) attesting conformity to quality management systems standards based on the relevant European standard; and (ii) from an independent accredited body established in any member State conforming to the European standards concerning accreditation and certification;
(o) any other evidence of conformity to quality management systems standards which are equivalent to the standards referred to in sub-paragraph (n)(i);
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: This and any other information required for evaluation will be sought through the associated Dynamic Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (DPQQ).
The main contractor will be required to provide evidence of its subcontractor’s ability to process, store and transmit classified information at UK Official.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: (if applicable)
The Authority reserves the right under Article 21(5) of Directive 2009/81/EC to reject any subcontractor chosen by the main contractor at any stage of the contract award procedure or during performance of the contract if that subcontractor:
1) Requires access to classified information at UK Official; and
2) Fails to provide evidence to the satisfaction of the Authority that it has the capability to protect that level of classified information in accordance with Article 42.1(j) of Directive 2009/81/EC.
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
The main Contractor will be required to provide evidence of its subcontractor’s ability to process, store and transmit classified information at UK Official by describing the required Facility Security Clearance (FSC) granted by its National or Designated Security Authority.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: The Authority reserves the right under Article 21(5) of Directive 2009/81/EC to reject any subcontractor chosen by the main contractor at any stage of the contract award procedure or during performance of the contract if that subcontractor:
1) Requires access to classified information at UK Official; and
2) Fails to provide evidence to the satisfaction of the Authority that it has the capability to protect that level of classified information in accordance with Article 42.1(j) of Directive 2009/81/EC.
Section four: Procedure
four.1) Type of procedure
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated
Some candidates have already been selected (if appropriate under certain types of negotiated procedures): no
four.1.2) Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Envisaged minimum number 2 and maximum number 6
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Full details of the evaluation procedure for selecting the candidate tenderers to be invited to the ITN stage of the competition process will be set out in the dynamic PQQ.
The Authority reserves the right to increase the maximum number of candidates invited to tender from 6 in accordance with the "20210321_TSSP_136_DPQQ_DSP_Supporting Documets.pdf" attached within the Dynamic PQQ.
The Authority reserves the right to reduce the number of candidates during the negotiation phase, full details will be set out in the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN).
four.1.3) Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated: yes
four.2) Award criteria
four.2.1) Award criteria
the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
four.2.2) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: no
four.3) Administrative information
four.3.1) File reference number attributed by the contracting authority
701547413 - TSSP/136
four.3.2) Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Prior information notice
Notice number: 2020/S 222-547598 of 13 November 2020
Other previous publications
no
four.3.4) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
28 April 2021
four.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English
Section six: Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.
Defence Opportunity link: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=50963
six.4) Procedures for appeal
six.4.1) Body responsible for appeal procedures
Ministry of Defence (MoD)
Cedar 2B, Mail Point #3260, MoD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.1) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Ministry of Defence (MoD)
Cedar 2B, Mail Point #3260, MoD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
Ministry of Defence (MoD)
Cedar 2B, Mail Point #3260, MoD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom