Award

Spatial Disorientation Trainer 3 Support and Maintenance

  • Ministry of Defence

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-036511

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0424e5

Published 12 December 2023, 12:46pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

MOD Abbey Wood, Walnut 2B

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Contact

FsAST Project Team

Email

DESFsAST-ComrclMailbox@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence

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

Spatial Disorientation Trainer 3 Support and Maintenance

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80660000 - Training and simulation in military electronic systems

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Flight Simulation and Synthetic Training (FsAST) Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 5-year contract to AMST-Systemtechnik GmbH (AMST) for the Spatial Disorientation Trainer (SDT) Support Contract with an additional 5 option years. This will include an option for the complete relocation of the equipment during the contract duration, and ongoing support.

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: £1,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Flight Simulation and Synthetic Training (FsAST) Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 5-year contract to AMST-Systemtechnik GmbH (AMST) for the Spatial Disorientation Trainer (SDT) Support Contract with an additional 5 option years. This will include an option for the complete relocation of the equipment during the contract duration, and ongoing support.

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). Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service is lawful in accordance Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons. This is because AMST is the design authority, is the only company to have access to the SDT source code, data and other necessary technical information to enable it to meet the RAF’s synthetic training needs.

To be successful in maintaining the functionality of the equipment, the supplier must have suitable experience and detailed knowledge of the system as a whole including both hardware and software which is only available within AMST. It is critical that the SDT device remains fully operational and contracting with another contractor would pose a high risk to its critical functionality, thereby jeopardising the training of pilots and the safety of the Armed Forces.

For these reasons, AMST is the only supplier able to meet the requirement.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Option 1: Maintenance and Support to the Spatial Disorientation Trainers from 01 April 2029 - 31 March 2032

Option 2: Maintenance and Support to the Spatial Disorientation Trainers from 01 April 2032 - 31 March 2034

Option 3: DISO Equipment relocation from Site A to Site B

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 Flight Simulation and Synthetic Training (FsAST) Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 5-year contract to AMST-Systemtechnik GmbH (AMST) for the Spatial Disorientation Trainer (SDT) Support Contract with an additional 5 option years. This will include an option for the complete relocation of the equipment during the contract duration, and ongoing support. 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).

Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service is lawful in accordance Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons. This is because AMST is the design authority, is the only company to have access to the SDT source code, data and other necessary technical information to enable it to meet the RAF’s synthetic training needs.

To be successful in maintaining the functionality of the equipment, the supplier must have suitable experience and detailed knowledge of the system as a whole including both hardware and software which is only available within AMST. It is critical that the SDT device remains fully operational and contracting with another contractor would pose a high risk to its critical functionality, thereby jeopardising the training of pilots and the safety of the Armed Forces. For these reasons, AMST is the only supplier able to meet the requirement.

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

708365451

Title

Spatial Disorientation Trainer 3 - Repair and Maintenance Contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

12 December 2023

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

AMST-Systemtechnik GmbH

Lamprechtshausener

Country

Austria

NUTS code
  • AT - Austria
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,000,000

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

Ministry of Defence

Bristol

Country

United Kingdom