Award

707961450 - In Service Support of Detector Special Purpose DSP34

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-034026

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04afd8

Published 21 October 2024, 5:59pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

MoD Abbeywood

Bristol

Email

DESLESTSP-SEEC-Commercial@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

707961450 - In Service Support of Detector Special Purpose DSP34

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

In Service Support of the Detector Special Purpose (DSP).

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: £888,203

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

In Service Support of the Detector Special Purpose (DSP).

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

  • 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 Specialist EOD&S, Exploitation and Countermeasures Project Team, part of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (The Authority) intends to award a 17 Month contract to Roke Manor Research Limited for a new contract for the support of Detector Special Purpose (DSP) No. 34 (DSP34 In-Service Support Contract) with an estimated value of £888,203.00 (Ex VAT).

The DSP34 System is part of the Infrastructure Search detection suite. It allows Through Barrier Detection (TBD). DSP34 was developed under a partnership between Dstl, and Roke Manor Research Limited in 2014. DSP34 is only used by UK Armed Forces and is not In-Service with any other NATO Country. DSP34 works using a high-end transmitter as it’s radiation source for the detector. It is a bespoke equipment with risk of radiation exposure to maintainers and users if incorrectly maintained and supported.

The previous contract expired in June 2021 and therefore a new maintenance, support, and repairs contract is required to continue servicing the detectors. The contract will be required until 31 March 2026. Roke Manor Research Ltd have been involved with DSP34 since 2014 contract (SPSCM/00863) to take the Dstl Concept Demonstrator and develop it to Technical Readiness Level 9 and on to manufacture and into Service.

Only Roke Manor Research Limited have the necessary expertise, knowledge, and experience to Service, Maintain and Repair DSP34. A Safe System of work is critical for DSP34 with its radiation transmission, which is subject to periodic Hazardous Effects of Radiation to Ordnance (HERO) assessments for its safety working conditions. They are the only Suitably Qualified and Experienced Person (SQEP) Contractor that can safely maintain and calibrate the system to ensure it is safe to use for its Users, as outlined in the Single Source Justification. At present certain spares and parts within DSP34 are 3D printed. Only Roke Manor Research Ltd possess the blueprints, knowledge, and programming to allow these to be reprinted to the correct specification.

The Authority does not hold a Manufacturers Data Pack (MDP) for DSP34 which means that a third party would be required to reverse engineer the equipment. This is not a viable option as the Authority cannot provide another Contractor with a Safe System of Work around the Gamma radiation source to protect either themselves or Users of the equipment. A Safe Systems of Work are the procedures according to which work must be carried out where hazards cannot be eliminated, and some risk still exists.

It is considered that this contract can be awarded to Roke Manor Research Limited 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.

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

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

707961450

Title

707961450 - In Service Support of Detector Special Purpose DSP34

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

21 October 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

Roke Manor Research Limited

Romsey

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: £888,203

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

SEEC

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom