Scope
Description
Procurement of 2 x Corpuls C3 Hyperbaric patient monitoring systems for UMD-INM.
Contract 1
Supplier
Contract value
- £140,750 excluding VAT
- £168,900 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
18 February 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 18 February 2026 to 17 February 2031
- 5 years
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 33195000 - Patient-monitoring system
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Special regime
Defence and security
Direct award justification
- Single supplier - technical reasons
- Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement
- Defence and security - necessary to enhance or maintain operational capability, effectiveness, readiness for action, safety or security of the armed forces
There is a requirement to contract for the purchasing of 2 new Corplus 3 Hyperbaric Monitors, associated maintenance and 4 additional years of Telemedicine for each monitor through Missionlive.
The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (“the Authority”), intends to award a 5-year contract to Ortus Technology Limited (d/b/a Ortus Group) who are able to fulfil the requirement. The estimated value of the contract is £140,750 excluding VAT (£168,900 including VAT).
In accordance with the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 (“PA 2023”), a Direct Award is justified under section 41 PA 23, under the following applicable grounds:
(1) Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 PA 23 which states:-
“The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract—
(a)due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and
(b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.”
(2) Schedule 5, Paragraph 7 PA 23, which states:-
The public contract concerns the supply of goods, services or works by the existing supplier which are intended as an extension to, or partial replacement of, existing goods, services or works in circumstances where—
(a) a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works, and
(b) the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance.
These justifications apply because Ortus Technology Limited (. d/b/a Ortus Group) are the only manufacturer able to provide specialist hyperbaric rated medical equipment and maintenance that will be compatible with existing military hyperbaric systems held by the Royal Navy. If different monitors were purchased elsewhere, there would be interoperability issues across partner NATO allies involved with Submarine Escape and Rescue who also use the same monitors. A change in supplier would therefore result in the MOD receiving goods and services which are incompatible with the existing military hyperbaric systems at St Richards Hospital, Chichester and NSRS in Glasgow. This incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance with the Institute of Naval Medicine being unable to use any equipment in a hyperbaric chamber to monitor patients.
Additionally, if the MoD endorsed the use of non-hyperbaric monitors against manufacturer’s recommendations, this would result in a significant explosion risk from the use of electronic equipment in a pressurised, oxygen-rich environment and a lack of evidence that any monitoring will be accurate at increased atmospheric pressures.
Supplier
Ortus Technology Limited
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLYN-4917-TPZT
Skyview Business Centre
Sudbury
CO10 2YA
United Kingdom
Email: hello@ortus.co.uk
Region: UKH14 - Suffolk
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1
Contracting authority
Ministry of Defence
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ
Leach Building
Portsmouth
PO28BY
United Kingdom
Email: Olivia.Bevel100@mod.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Region: UKJ31 - Portsmouth
Organisation type: Public authority - central government