Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Mine Hunting Capability Team, SPRUCE 3C, NH1, MoD Abbey Wood, Filton
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Contact
Mr Garry Ogborne
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Internet address(es)
Main address
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
713095450 - MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply - Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN)
Reference number
713095450 VTN
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 35710000 - Command, control, communication and computer systems
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
A contract for the supply of up to a maximum of 8 (eight) Remote Command Centre(s) (“RCCs”) as part of the Authority’s Mine Hunting Capability (“MHC”), to be procured under the DSPCR 2011 Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice.
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: £100,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK23 - Somerset
Main site or place of performance
Thales UK Ltd, Throop Road, Templecombe, BA8 0DH
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The requirement for the Authority’s MHC team covers:
1. The requirement to integrate the currently disparate and separately controlled range of key MHC platforms and autonomous capabilities into the Thales MMCM RCC to deliver a single, unified RCC, thereby allowing integrated command, control and operation of the full range of MHC platforms, systems and sub-systems.
2. The potential provision of additional unified RCCs – to the same or slightly amended specification.
3. The provision of associated software, training and SME technical advice in support of the integration activities and wider MHC capability delivery.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Criterion: compliance with requirements of tendering and agreement of appropriate terms and conditions. 100
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The proposed contract will include 3 options for an additional 12 months each in duration.
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 Secretary of State for Defence, acting through DE&S (the “Authority”) intends to award Thales UK Limited (“Thales”) a direct contract for the supply of up to a maximum of 8 (eight) [Remote Command Centre(s) (“RCC ”)] as part of the Authority’s Mine Hunting Capability (“MHC”). The proposed contract duration will be for a maximum of 72-months, comprising a fixed 36-month period with three 12-month (consecutive) options. The total value of the proposed contract is up to a maximum of £100,000,000.00 (one hundred million pounds).
The requirement for the Authority’s MHC team covers:
1. The requirement to integrate the currently disparate and separately controlled range of key MHC platforms and autonomous capabilities into the Thales MMCM RCC to deliver a single, unified RCC, thereby allowing integrated command, control and operation of the full range of MHC platforms, systems and sub-systems.
2. The potential provision of additional unified RCCs – to the same or slightly amended specification.
3. The provision of associated software, training and SME technical advice in support of the integration activities and wider MHC capability delivery.
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 a contract to Thales using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 (as amended) for technical reasons.
This is because the Authority has identified a strict technical impracticality for a supplier other than Thales to achieve the Authority’s technical requirements as it is necessary to use specific knowledge, tools or means which only Thales currently has at its disposal. More specifically, the Thales RCC has been developed as part of the International collaborative Maritime Mine Counter Measures (“MMCM”) programme and makes extensive use of Thales’ background Technical information and know-how, to deliver a technically complex and mature capability, providing the essential safe-to-operate and operationally-secure remote command and control for the complex MMCM system of systems. This pre-existing RCC will form the basis for the new combined RCC, into which other hardware and software elements will be integrated.
The absence of the specific knowledge, tools or means to achieve the Authority’s technical requirements prohibits other potential suppliers from effectively delivering the requirement and thus also prohibits meaningful competition. Subsequently, given the high degree of technical and safety-related complexity involved within the scope of the proposed RCC integration, and the necessity for the modification of Thales’ existing RCC to ensure all software and hardware operates safely and collaboratively, Thales are the only commercial entity that possess both the relevant expertise and suitably qualified & experienced personnel to effectively deliver the totality of this 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
Contract No
713095450
Title
MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
8 April 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
Thales UK Limited
350 Longwater Avenue, Green Park
Reading
RG2 6GF
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ11 - Berkshire
National registration number
00868273
Internet address
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/countries/europe/united-kingdom
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: £100,000,000
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
All or certain subcontracts will be awarded through a competitive procedure
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This notice is not a request for expressions of interest so please do not apply to be invited to tender. This notice advises that the Authority has decided to negotiate a contract with Thales UK Ltd on a Single Source QDC basis and is published for the purpose of transparency. If you are interested in becoming a sub-contractor for this requirement, you should apply directly to the supplier named in this notice.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Mine Hunting Capability Delivery Team
Spruce 3C, NH1, MoD Abbey Wood, Filton
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom