Award

Procurement of 2 ASTUTE Class Reactor Fresh Water-Cooling Heat Exchangers

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-008619

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0449c9

Published 18 March 2024, 11:39am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

Contact

Mark Marshall

Email

Mark.Marshall120@mod.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3001613789

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK11 - Bristol, City of

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/submarine-delivery-agency

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

Procurement of 2 ASTUTE Class Reactor Fresh Water-Cooling Heat Exchangers

Reference number

711121451 - PEDT/030 - A Class Coolers

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 42122161 - Cooling-water pumps

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

Reactor Fresh Water-Cooling Heat Exchangers/Coolers are fundamental to the operation of platforms and are linked directly to delivery of submarine outputs and platform availability: they also fulfil a key nuclear reactor safety function. The Platform Equipment Delivery Team which is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a contract to Naval Group Limited (“Naval Group”) for the purchase of two additional Fresh Water Cooling Heat Exchanger (HEATEX) units to be installed on ASTUTE class submarines as part of the on-going Deep Maintenance Programme.

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: £8,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 35512200 - Attack submarine nuclear fuelled

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK41 - Plymouth

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The intent is to procure 2 modified Heat Exchangers from Naval Group UK, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (the OEM) to meet the requirement for the ASTUTE Class Deep Maintenance Period (DMP) while an enduring support strategy for Coolers is developed.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

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 Platform Equipment Delivery Team which is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a contract to Naval Group Limited (“Naval Group”) for the purchase of two additional Fresh Water Cooling Heat Exchanger (HEATEX) units (“Units”) to be installed on ASTUTE class submarines as part of the on-going Deep Maintenance Programme.

In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this contract 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 this contract can be awarded without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons.

This is because Naval Group is the Original Equipment Manufacturer of the Units, which are a bespoke design for the ASTUTE class submarine. The Units provide Sea Water cooling to the Boat’s Fresh Auxiliary Water Cooling System and the Reactor Compartment Fresh Water Cooling System. They are a vital part of the nuclear safety function and must work with and be compatible with the other systems on the Boat. Only Naval Group has the necessary technical drawings, specialist tooling, knowledge and experience to supply these replacement Units, which will be manufactured to an improved specification, allowing the Units currently installed on the Boats to be removed and refurbished.

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

13 March 2024

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

Naval Group

La Montagne

Country

France

NUTS code
  • FR - France
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: £8,000,000

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

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom