Award

710845451 - In-Service Support (ISS) for Legacy Internal Communications Systems

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-013916

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-045628

Published 30 April 2024, 3:05pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Communication & Situational Awareness, Maritime Combat Systems MOD Abbey Wood, #3213, Ash 2C, Bristol, BS34 8JH

MOD Abbeywood

Contact

Chloe Agg

Email

chloe.agg100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.contracts.mod.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

710845451 - In-Service Support (ISS) for Legacy Internal Communications Systems

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 50334400 - Communications system maintenance services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Communications & Situational Awareness (CSA) Project Team within Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, (“the Authority”) intends to place a new support contract with Total Integrated Solutions Limited (TIS Ltd) (the “Company”) for continued in-service support of a range of legacy master equipment encompassing CCTV, PABX, Flight Deck Comms, RICE 1&2, Main Broadcast and IR comms deployed on RN, RFA surface platforms as well as subsurface platforms.

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: £10,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 50334400 - Communications system maintenance services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The replacement contract will provide continued in-service support of the systems and legacy equipment currently satisfied under the CSA/1097 Contract. There is a requirement for continuation of OEM spares, repairs and technical support for equipment covered by the extant CSA/1097 contract. CCTV, PABX, Flight Deck Comms, RICE 1&2, Main Broadcast and IR comms are deployed on RN, RFA surface platforms as well as subsurface platforms.

The replacement contract has an estimated value of up to £10 million (Ten Million Pounds Sterling, ex VAT) and will have a term of 5 (five) years with 2 (two) option years to align with the Authority’s obsolescence management plan and technical refreshes in respect of the equipment.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

2 (two) option years to align with the Authority’s obsolescence management plan and technical refreshes in respect of the equipment.

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 Communications & Situational Awareness (CSA) Project Team within Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, (“the Authority”) intends to place a new support contract with Total Integrated Solutions Limited (TIS Ltd) (the “Company”) for continued in-service support of a range of legacy master equipment encompassing CCTV, PABX, Flight Deck Comms, RICE 1&2, Main Broadcast and IR comms deployed on RN, RFA surface platforms as well as subsurface platforms.

In accordance with Regulation 4 of the Defence and Security Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) 2019 Regulations (SI 2019/697) this procurement is regulated under the provisions of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 as amended (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 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 Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons.

The replacement contract will provide continued in-service support of the systems and legacy equipment currently satisfied under the CSA/1097 Contract. There is a requirement for continuation of OEM spares, repairs and technical support for equipment covered by the extant CSA/1097 contract. CCTV, PABX, Flight Deck Comms, RICE 1&2, Main Broadcast and IR comms are deployed on RN, RFA surface platforms as well as subsurface platforms.

The replacement contract has an estimated value of up to £10 million (Ten Million Pounds Sterling, ex VAT) and will have a term of 5 (five) years with 2 (two) option years to align with the Authority’s obsolescence management plan and technical refreshes in respect of the equipment.

It is considered that for technical reasons this contract can be placed with TIS Limited as only TIS has the required technical knowledge, expertise and the specific know-how that is necessary to meet this requirement which they have gained over many years in order to support, manufacture, repair and maintain the legacy equipment’s that are within the end of life stage and will be taken out of service iaw the Fleet programme. TIS have produced and own the proprietary rights to their own drawings, procedures, job instructions, work instructions, wiring loom boards, test interfaces, casting patterns and jigs that have been produced and are necessary in order to fulfil the Authority’s requirements. The Authority does not have a right to obtain the necessary information/documentation from TIS Ltd. TIS Ltd are the only company with the capability to manufacture the majority of the internal communications as they are the Original Equipment Manufacturer and Design Authority for some equipment and the legacy drawings and technical documentation available to the authority is mostly out of date, incomplete and lacking in maturity.

In order to maintain continuity and support, TIS has procured drawings, jigs & tools from other OEMs who cease to exist to retain the Design Authority support to key components such as watertight communication units and own artworks for hundreds of PECs that require manufacture. TIS are the only company who can support the current PABX systems with the specific knowledge of the programming software and encryption to allow the ability to configure the systems and are in the middle of a technical refresh programme to overcome obsolescence to keep the existing platforms operational. TIS has the accumulated technical data and specific knowledge required to support aged and legacy communication technology, in accordance with the technical requirements of the contract. Placing the replacement contract with TIS is critical to ensure that support equipment is secure by design and safe to operate.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

710845451

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

14 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

Total Integrated Solutions Ltd

Hamilton Way, Oakham Business Park, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 5BU

Mansfield

NG18 5BU

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKF14 - Nottingham
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £10,000,000

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £10,000,000

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

Communication & Situational Awareness, Maritime Combat Systems

MOD Abbey Wood, #3213, Ash 2C, Bristol, BS34 8JH

MOD Abbeywood

BS34 8JH

Country

United Kingdom