Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Bristol
darren.brice-taylor100@mod.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Internet address(es)
Main address
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
ACCOMM2B/0059-18 Month Extension
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Amendment 11 to ACCOMM2B/0059 -18 Month Extension to existing capability for Test Fuchs Hydraulics Contract.
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: 757,000 EUR
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Amendment 11 to ACCOMM2B/0059 -18 Month Extension to existing capability for Test Fuchs Hydraulics Contract.
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 Air Commodities Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (“the Authority”) intends to extend the existing contract ACCOMM2/0059 with Test Fuchs GmbH for the In-Service Support of Test Fuchs Hydraulic Equipment from 31 Dec 21 to 31 Jun 23, in order to maintain an interim solution whilst negotiating a Single Source future contract. The VTN for the future contract will be published under separate cover via the Defence Sourcing Portal prior to 31 Jun 23.
It is considered that the contract can be extended 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, the contract may be awarded only to this particular economic operator. The reasons for this are as follows:
Test Fuchs GmbH is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for a range of hydraulically operated ground support and test equipment that is currently in service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The company’s range of equipment is used to operate and maintain aircraft hydraulic systems, pre and post-flight, and to test the suitability of hydraulically driven aircraft components and assemblies before they are returned to service following maintenance. The contract for the in-service support of this range of equipment covers annual maintenance, calibration, physical repairs and the updating of proprietary firmware and software, however, it does not cover the release of any proprietary information to third parties and hence the Authority does not have access to the data-packs associated with the equipment this OEM has in service with the RAF. Test Fuchs have confirmed they are not prepared to grant any such licences, therefore the Authority does not have access to the necessary proprietary information to carry out or compete this requirement.
Test Fuchs GmBH also maintains the complementary safety cases. There is a significant risk that if a third party took over the contract for in-service support that the functionality of the equipment would decline in-line due to the loss of proprietary information in the form of firmware and software upgrades that can only be provided by Test Fuchs GmBH. This means that the safety cases would, over time. Deteriorate. Maintaining the risk to human life at As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) and ‘tolerable’ would become increasingly unpredictable and hence accelerate the equipment’s removal from service. Placing a contract with Test Fuchs GmBH is the only means of maintaining the integrity of the equipment through to its natural Out of Service Date (OSD).
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
15 October 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
Test Fuchs GMBH
Unit 30 King Street Industrial Estate, King Street, Langtoft
Peterborough
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: 757,000 EUR
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 and Support
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Country
United Kingdom