Award

Support Services for the Type 31 Combat Management System (CMS) installed on the Type 31 frigates and Shore Integration Facility (SIF).

  • Defence Equipment and Support

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-040276

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04c7f5

Published 13 December 2024, 1:52pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Defence Equipment and Support

Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Contact

Danielle Arbrey

Email

danielle.arbrey100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.contracts.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

Support Services for the Type 31 Combat Management System (CMS) installed on the Type 31 frigates and Shore Integration Facility (SIF).

Reference number

713268450

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72700000 - Computer network services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Defence Equipment and Support, part of the Ministry of Defence, intends to award a “Procurement of support services for the Type 31 Combat Management System” contract to Thales UK Limited (Thales) for in-service support to the Thales TACTICOS combat management system installed on five Royal Navy Type 31 Frigates and at the Portsdown Technology Park Shore Integration Facility.

TACTICOS is a proprietary combat management system, combining sensor control, picture compilation and weapon control. The contract will ensure system-designer support for future software integration, defect rectification, updates and future hardware changes, maintenance and obsolescence management.

The contract will be for six (6) years, with options to extend for a further two (2) years and have an estimated value of £116,000,000 exclusive of VAT.

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: £116,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Defence Equipment and Support, part of the Ministry of Defence, intends to award a “Procurement of support services for the Type 31 Combat Management System” contract to Thales UK Limited (Thales) for in-service support to the Thales TACTICOS combat management system installed on five Royal Navy Type 31 Frigates and at the Portsdown Technology Park Shore Integration Facility.

TACTICOS is a proprietary combat management system, combining sensor control, picture compilation and weapon control. The contract will ensure system-designer support for future software integration, defect rectification, updates and future hardware changes, maintenance and obsolescence management.

The contract will be for six (6) years, with options to extend for a further two (2) years and have an estimated value of £116,000,000 exclusive of VAT.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The contract will include the options to be extended for a further two (2) years.

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:

- In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this contract 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 this contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons.

This is because Thales is the TACTICOS system designer, manufacturer and installer.

Thales owns the proprietary information, including software and detailed design documentation, needed and is the only economic operator with knowledge of the system, the technical expertise and know-how 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

713268450

Title

Support Services for the Type 31 Combat Management System (CMS) installed on the Type 31 frigates and Shore Integration Facility (SIF).

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

13 December 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

Thales UK

Reading

RG2 6GF

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)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £116,000,000

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £116,000,000

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

This notice is not a request for expressions of interest so please do not apply to be invited to tender. This notice advises that the Authority has decided to negotiate a contract with the named supplier on a single source basis, and is published for reasons of transparency.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Defence Equipment and Support

Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

Email

danielle.arbrey100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom