Award

Combat Systems Highway

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-021978

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-035a84

Published 10 August 2022, 11:21am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Contact

Chris Selway

Email

chris.selway814@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.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

Combat Systems Highway

Reference number

703990450

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 50330000 - Maintenance services of telecommunications equipment

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

In Service Support for Combat System Highway

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: £3,800,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

In Service Support for Combat System Highway

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

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

  • 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:

The Ministry of Defence (‘the Authority’), intends to place a 5 year contract with SEA Limited (‘SEA’) for Combat System Highways In Service Support.  The estimated value of this contract is £3.8m.  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 UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons.  SEA is the Design Organisation (DO) for the Combat Systems Highway (CSH), a legacy safety critical system and has provided support to the CSH since 1984.  As such, SEA is the only entity with the requisite in-depth technical knowledge, expertise and specific know-how as well as the tools, test equipment and means necessary to fulfil this requirement. It is considered that to utilise another contractor which does not have access to these resources could present significant safety risks for the Ministry of Defence. Without access to the proprietary documentation, technical drawings, tooling and test equipment, specific manufacturing processes and knowledge and expertise, any goods provided by another entity would require new testing, new verification and validation to ensure that the Safety and Suitability for Service of the system, operational performance and effectiveness, and the interoperability is not compromised and that the Safety Case for the system is not invalidated.  This would all be at a disproportionate cost and time to the Authority.  

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

703990450

Title

Combat System Highway

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

10 August 2022

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

System Engineering Assessment (SEA) Ltd

Riverside Road, Pottington Business Park

Barnstaple

EX31 1LY

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: £3,800,000

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

MOD Abbey Wood, Filton

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Email

chris.selway814@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom