Scope
Description
TWE is a temporary structure designed to provide a safe and ambient working environment including extreme and austere weather conditions. TWE can house a fully armed Attack Aircraft in temperatures ranging from -10 Celsius up to 50 Celsius whilst maintaining an internal temperature of 26 Celsius. TWE can also withstand wind speeds of up to 90mph and snow load of up to 80kg/m2
TWE shelters are flexible in their approach allowing a wide spectrum of capabilities to be housed and maintained within them varying from fast jets, Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) to the CH-47 Chinook heavy lift rotary wing aircraft to ordnance of varying profiles and dimensions, and varying characteristics.
The current capability consists of;
· 25M x 40m RES (21.7m Heli Door width) (16) - Are typically fitted with a Heli-door, Roller Shutter Door at the rear and are 40m long. These typically house helicopters and UAVs.
· 25M x 40m RES (18.75m Heli Door width) (2) - Are typically fitted with a Heli-door, Roller Shutter Door at the rear and are 40m long. These typically house helicopters and UAVs.
· 25M x 100m RES (1) - Are typically fitted with a Heli-door, Roller Shutter Door at the rear and are 100m long. These typically house helicopters and UAVs.
· 20M RES (67) - Typically support fast jet aircraft and are fitted with Trident doors which open and close like an eyelid
· 25M Sunshade (4) - A hangar with no side walls or door ends, these are used to shelter helicopters and UAVs from the elements when sitting at the end of a runway on high readiness
· 18M Sunshade (14) - A hangar without side walls or door ends, these are used to shelter fast jets from the elements when sitting at the end of a runway on high readiness.
· ECASS (8) - These Environmentally controlled armament storage shelters are 9.1m x 16m in size and are used for armament storage; they are fitted with large heavy metal doors.
The shelters are currently in service predominantly in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, supporting various operations.
The scope of this procurement is:
1. Design services - The contractor is required to manage all aspects of component obsolescence, requirements for redesign/modification/upgrade of the systems and safety and legislative governance to meet the required ALARP status.
2. Repair and Refurbishment Activity - The Contractor is required to conduct repairs on the equipment that are beyond the capacity or capability of the maintainer (RAF 5001 Squadron) and to conduct routine scheduled refurbishment activity.
3. Provision and maintenance of Technical Documentation - The Contractor is required to provide technical data and drawings for the TWE capability to enable unit lines repairs in support of on-going operational deployments.
4. Option for the provision of additional equipment. - The contract is required to provide a commercial mechanism for purchases from wider defence.
Contract 1. 715124450 TWE 3
Supplier
Contract value
- £8,000,000 excluding VAT
- £9,500,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
24 December 2025
Contract dates (estimated)
- 29 January 2026 to 29 January 2029
- 3 years, 1 day
Main procurement category
Services
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
3 x 1 year options to allow for continuation of services beyond the end of the initial contract term.
CPV classifications
- 50710000 - Repair and maintenance services of electrical and mechanical building installations
- 45216230 - Military shelter construction work
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Direct award justification
- Single supplier - technical reasons
- Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement
Logistics, Services and Commodities (LSC), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place a new single source contract with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority DA, Rubb Buildings Ltd. The contract shall be for a period of up to 3 years + 3 year options, with an estimated value of £9.5M to provide in-service support, including an option for additional equipment, for the current Technical Working Environment (TWE) capability.
TWE is a temporary structure designed to provide a safe and ambient shelter system to provide a weatherproof working environment, including protection from extreme and austere weathers. TWE can house a fully armed Attack Aircraft in a range of temperatures. TWE can also withstand high wind speeds and heavy snow loads.
TWE shelters are flexible in their approach allowing a wide spectrum of capabilities to be housed and maintained within them, including fast jets, Unmanned Air Systems (UAS), and helicopters.
It is considered that this contract can be placed with Rubb Buildings Ltd using the Direct Award in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 Schedule 5 Paragraph 6 for technical reasons. The requirement for in-service support and additional equipment can only be placed with Rubb Buildings Ltd for the following reasons
1. Rubb Buildings Ltd are the OEM and the DA for the TWE equipment. An alternative supplier, nor the Authority would have access to the necessary technical documentation or the requisite knowhow to have a sufficient technical understanding of the equipment and to be able to understand or support the safety case for repairs and modifications. LSC do not have access to this technical documentation.
2. To conduct MRO Level 4 repairs the contractor requires a considerable number of jigs and specialist tools for the TWE equipment which have been manufactured as required by the OEM throughout the lifetime of the capability. The Authority does not own, nor have user rights to any information pertaining to these jigs and specialist tools. Any redesign of such jigs and tools by an alternative supplier would be considered to increase potential risks associated with the equipment. The Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) would not undersign the specifications and safety certifications of parts and components manufactured or sourced by other economic operators. The OEM would not undersign the Safety Case for its TWE structures with the input from other suppliers. The OEM would not provide IPR or technical information and know-how to other economic operators, or collaborate with other manufacturers that aimed to provide alternative designs to the authority. The authority would be at risk of operating TWE outside the safety case if other economic operators were to provide non-OEM TWE components. In addition the installing and maintaining RAF Squadron (5001) would not receive training or technical updates from the OEM if components from other suppliers were to be included in TWE installations, which would add to the safety risks.
Supplier
Rubb Buildings Limited
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQYR-3478-JLMM
246 Dukesway
Gateshead
NE11 0QE
United Kingdom
Region: UKC22 - Tyneside
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1. 715124450 TWE 3
Contracting authority
Defence Equipment and Support
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVRL-5831-GLMM
MOD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
United Kingdom
Contact name: Hadyn Townley
Email: hadyn.townley101@mod.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-equipment-and-support
Region: UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government