Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
London
helen.murray-webster100@mod.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI - London
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-and-security-accelerator
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned 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
Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Business Acceleration Services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75220000 - Defence services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This Prior Information Notice is to announce an upcoming opportunity titled the ‘Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Business Acceleration Services’, which is expecting to launch a pre-qualification questionnaire followed by an invitation to tender in early 2024.
DASA is seeking an experienced partner (or partners through a consortium approach) to deliver business acceleration services to cohorts of high-tech SMEs for NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and UK defence and security innovation. This will include delivering business training and the provision of mentoring programmes and wider engagements with the goal of facilitating the development of SMEs’ products and businesses. The partner(s) will also manage a vibrant innovation space and its start-up community. In sum, these services will increase the range of advanced dual use capability available for civilian, defence, and security customers, providing strategic advantage for the UK and NATO.
To inform the procurement strategy for selecting the delivery partner, DASA plans to hold an Early Market Engagement webinar. At this session DASA plans to seek industry feedback on the requirement, contract framework and pricing, and provide more detail on the opportunity.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
Main site or place of performance
I-HUB Building, Imperial College White City Campus, Wood Lane, London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The service delivery period is for two years with the option to extend for a further three years, subject to allowable refinements.
Flexible cost services
1. A comprehensive, high-quality acceleration programme for DIANA. The acceleration curriculum will be designed by NATO DIANA in collaboration with all affiliated sites, but implemented by the partner(s). It will include training and mentoring activities, against curriculum requirements, delivered to a cohort of companies drawn from across the alliance, selected by NATO. It is expected that delivery will entail one annual cycle per year, including one 6-month Bootcamp accelerator programme followed by one 6-month Grow programme with a reduced cohort, as described on DIANA’s website.
2. DASA business acceleration services, which include, but are not limited to:
• Acceleration programmes and training modules of differing durations designed for the UK market (in addition to the DIANA programmes)
• Innovation activities including, for example, Hackathons, Investor Showcases, Customer Demonstration Days, and events, such as networking and sector-specific events (e.g. FinTech).
• Provision and maintenance of a mentor pool for UK programmes
Fixed cost services
3. Innovation space management.
• Full management and operation of an innovation space fitted out by MOD to a high specification, comprising approximately 40 open plan desks, flexible meeting rooms and event space
• Reception facilities for the full innovation space, including the NATO DIANA European Regional Office (the permanent office for NATO DIANA staff, which is collocated with the UK accelerator space that the successful partner(s) will operate)
• Provision of general administration services, marketing, communications and outreach to SMEs and defence and security stakeholders
4. Operations
• Budget management, security, governance and reporting to DASA
5. Facilities management
• Facilities management, including cleaning of the space (both the UK accelerator space and the NATO DIANA European Regional Office), maintaining provisions and supplies in keeping with an innovation space, and the ability to organise catering for events as required
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
31 December 2023
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
To inform the procurement strategy for selecting the delivery partner, DASA plans to hold an Early Market Engagement webinar. At this session DASA plan to seek industry feedback on the requirement, contract framework and pricing, and provide more detail on the opportunity.
The Early Market Engagement webinar is due to be held on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 01 November. If you are interested in taking part and would like to register your attendance, please email helen.murray-webster100@mod.gov.uk , by midday Monday 30 October. Event details will be sent to the email address used in registration.
After the Early Market Engagement exercise, MOD will issue a questionnaire to attendees seeking feedback on the requirement, contract framework and pricing. Questionnaires should be returned by Wednesday 15 November.
A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire will then follow inviting potential bidders to demonstrate their experience in this field.
After the responses to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire have been assessed selected organisations or consortia will be invited to tender.
Those bids submitted to the Invitation to Tender will then be evaluated against published criteria and the bidder with the highest score will be awarded a contract.