Award

Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) for Spirent Simulator Support

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-014368

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-045740

Published 3 May 2024, 2:26pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

Email

mollie.crossfield100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://contracts.mod.uk/go/17909515018F3E5DA6AF

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

Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) for Spirent Simulator Support

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 71356300 - Technical support services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Under the requirements of the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Project Office (PO), the testing of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)to support MoD programmes from research through to in-service performance assessment and system/equipment troubleshooting, is conducted using an existing suite of Spirent Simulators. UK PNT PO has two Spirent GNSS simulator systems, each providing a variety of testing capabilities/scenarios; a 9000-series and a 7000-series. Both simulators have beensupported by Spirent under a maintenance & support contract (Contract Number: 700421366) which expired on 31st March 2024. The Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Space Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a follow-on four-year contract to Spirent Communications Plc (“Spirent”) for the support & maintenance of Spirent Simulators (including the support of the SimINERTIAL software that is required for these simulators) owned by the Space Delivery Team. DE&S have acquired an additional 2 Spirent Simulators since the previous contract,

these simulators will also be added to the new contract. Support to these additional

simulators will be included as options and can be invoked at any point.

Justification For Non-Competitive Decision:

Spirent Communications Plc are the Originial Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for all (hardware and software) component parts of the simulators in question and therefore have all the technical know-how associated with the design, manufacture and support of the Spirent simulator product line, required to support and maintain the equipment and associated software. In addition, the software source code included in the hardware is Spirent copyright and confidential material, and as such cannot be support by another contractor.

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: £390,164

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Space Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a follow-on four-year contract to Spirent Communications Plc (“Spirent”) for the support & maintenance of Spirent Simulators (including the support of the SimINERTIAL software that is required for these simulators) owned by the Space Delivery Team. DE&S have acquired an additional 2 Spirent Simulators since the previous contract, these simulators will also be added to the new contract. Support to these additional simulators will be included as options and can be invoked at any point.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

DE&S have acquired an additional 2 Spirent Simulators since the previous contract, these simulators will also be added to the new contract. Support to these additional simulators will be included as options and can be invoked at any point.

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

  • No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to negotiated procedure with prior 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:

Spirent Communications Plc are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for all (hardware and software) component parts of the simulators in question and therefore have all the technical know-how associated with the design, manufacture and support of the Spirent simulator product line, required to support and maintain the equipment and associated software. In addition, the software source code included in the hardware is Spirent copyright and confidential material, and as such cannot be support by another contractor.

It is considered that the award of the contract 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)(b)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 for technical reasons. Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate.

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

3 May 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

Spirent Communications

Paignton

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - 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: £390,164

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

Defence Equipment & Support

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom