Award

Halo Project

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-020394

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-047a82

Published 4 July 2024, 10:30am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

Email

mayann.ho101@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://des.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

Halo Project

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 31100000 - Electric motors, generators and transformers

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

There is a requirement to provide a generational technology shift in high power electrical generating, propulsion, and distribution, with appeal to the Maritime sector due to the; high power density, high resilience, and reduced maintenance (seagoing workforce suppression) opportunities it presents. It is considered to have high applicability to military maritime users in crewed and uncrewed vehicles against an expectation that the future military surface and sub-surface maritime requirement will drive high levels of electrical power for air-independent endurance, low acoustic and EMF signatures, long range sensors, directed energy weapons and a reduction in crew numbers. End User support to sustain the essential capability.

Electrification (including propulsion, switching, distribution and services) can drive the ship design spiral virtuously to offer reductions in signatures, susceptibility, space / weight / cost / crew, and the hotel services overheads that accompany them. Electrification also presents choice in the energy source for generation with a view to restrictive environmental compliance as a restraint for access or adoption of alternate fuels that may power alternate prime movers

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.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

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). It is considered that the Contract Award without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 for technical reasons and Regulation 16(1)(c)(i) for research and development services to which these Regulations apply. The contract may be awarded only to the Company for technical reasons. It has been assessed that the Company is the Design Authority and possesses the unique technical knowhow, tooling and test equipment to deliver this requirement. The Company owns and has sole rights to use a significant body of information and intellectual property which is required for performance of the requirement, and to which the Authority does not have the relevant rights or access. Furthermore, the contract may only be awarded to the Company for safety reasons and in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(c)(i) for research and development services to which these Regulations apply. The Company possesses specialist equipment, tooling, unique background knowledge to meet the Authority’s technical requirements under the contract.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

the option to exercise an extension for an additional 12 (twelve) months

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:
    • protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights

Explanation:

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), (the “Authority”) intends to place a joint collaborative contract with GE Vernova Power Conversion Limited (Company Number 05571739) (“the Company”) from 1 July 2024 to 31 March 2027, with the option to exercise an extension for an additional 12 (twelve) months to 31 March 2028. The estimated value of the Contract will be £10,000,000 (Ten Million Pounds Sterling).

There is a requirement to provide a generational technology shift in high power electrical generating, propulsion, and distribution, with appeal to the Maritime sector due to the; high power density, high resilience, and reduced maintenance (seagoing workforce suppression) opportunities it presents. It is considered to have high applicability to military maritime users in crewed and uncrewed vehicles against an expectation that the future military surface and sub-surface maritime requirement will drive high levels of electrical power for air-independent endurance, low acoustic and EMF signatures, long range sensors, directed energy weapons and a reduction in crew numbers. End User support to sustain the essential capability.

Electrification (including propulsion, switching, distribution and services) can drive the ship design spiral virtuously to offer reductions in signatures, susceptibility, space / weight / cost / crew, and the hotel services overheads that accompany them. Electrification also presents choice in the energy source for generation with a view to restrictive environmental compliance as a restraint for access or adoption of alternate fuels that may power alternate prime movers.

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). It is considered that the Contract Award without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 for technical reasons and Regulation 16(1)(c)(i) for research and development services to which these Regulations apply. The contract may be awarded only to the Company for technical reasons. It has been assessed that the Company is the Design Authority and possesses the unique technical knowhow, tooling and test equipment to deliver this requirement. The Company owns and has sole rights to use a significant body of information and intellectual property which is required for performance of the requirement, and to which the Authority does not have the relevant rights or access. Furthermore, the contract may only be awarded to the Company for safety reasons and in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(c)(i) for research and development services to which these Regulations apply. The Company possesses specialist equipment, tooling, unique background knowledge to meet the Authority’s technical requirements under the contract.

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 July 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

GE Vernova

Rugby

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: £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

Defence Equipment & Support

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom