Award

Resonant Acoustic Mixer (OmniRAM)

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2021/S 000-016849

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-02c943

Published 16 July 2021, 10:45pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Dstl Porton Down

Salisbury

Email

scarlisle@dstl.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKK15 - Wiltshire CC

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laboratory

Buyer's 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

Resonant Acoustic Mixer (OmniRAM)

Reference number

1000164497

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 38810000 - Industrial process control equipment

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

The Dstl Counter Terrorism and Security Division, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place a Contract for the purchase of a Resodyn OmniRam (Resonant Acoustic Mixer) System with associated training and maintenance services from The Falcon Project (the ‘Contractor’).

The Contract will be for a term of 5 years and has an estimated contract value of £1,000,000 GBP (ex VAT).

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: £1,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
  • 38430000 - Detection and analysis apparatus
  • 38436000 - Shakers and accessories
  • 38436100 - Mechanical shakers
  • 38800000 - Industrial process control equipment and remote-control equipment
  • 42000000 - Industrial machinery
  • 42900000 - Miscellaneous general and special-purpose machinery
  • 42990000 - Miscellaneous special-purpose machinery
  • 42993000 - Chemical industry machinery

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK15 - Wiltshire CC

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

It is anticipated that this contract will be awarded under DSPCR Regulation 16 (negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice) on technical grounds (Regulation 16(a)(ii)) due to the unique features of the equipment specification and the need to ensure compatibility with collaborative research.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Criterion: Price 50%

Criterion: Compliance with the Authority's Technical Requirements 50%

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:

It is considered that this Contract can be placed using the Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons.

This is because the Resodyn OmniRAM is the only RAM platform of its scale available worldwide to support the manufacture of energetic materials as required by the Authority. A detailed assessment of market capability in the energetics sector – both nationally and internationally – including extensive interaction with international research partners, has been undertaken by Authority subject matter experts to confirm the technical exclusivity of the equipment.

The OmniRAM will be an enabler for several international research collaboration projects and is an essential requirement in undertaking comparable processing activity that guarantees compatibility in both existing and future research.

The OmniRAM is an essential requirement to ensure that the end-to-end process required by Dstl research programmes is achieved. This process will support the efficient delivery of research projects whilst also providing an increased level of safety in dealing with hazardous materials.

Research of market capability in the energetics sector (as detailed above) has confirmed that there are no alternative solutions which could achieve the required processes. The Contractor is the sole UK/European reseller of the Resodyn OmniRAM system and is therefore the only Contractor that can deliver this requirement for the Authority.

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

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

16 July 2021

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

The Falcon Project Limited

25 Withington Drive, Astley

Manchester

M29 7NW

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKD3 - Greater Manchester
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

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

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,000,000

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

Salisbury

SP4 0JQ

Country

United Kingdom