Award

The Provision of Spares and Post Design Service for Headsets Contract Amendment

  • Defence Equipment and Support

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-054062

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05947d

Published 4 September 2025, 4:26pm



Scope

Reference

708493450 - ACDECA/021

Description

The DE&S Deca Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place (by amending contract 708493450) a contractual requirement ("the Contract") with Invisio Communications Limited (formerly Racal Acoustics Ltd) for The Provision of Spares and Post Design Service for Headsets. The estimated value of the requirement being placed is circa £739,000 VAT inc, for a duration of 12 months.

It is considered that the award of the Contract as a Direct Award is lawful in accordance paragraph 20 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 on grounds that it is a defence authority contract, a defence and security contract not solely by virtue of s7(1)(g) of the Procurement Act and it is necessary to award the contract directly in order to enhance or maintain the operational capability, effectiveness, readiness for action, safety or security of the armed forces.

The Army Inspector's completed an urgent review into Noise Governance and Assurance resulting in The British Army initiating a Hearing Protection and Communications Situational Awareness project to provide an enduring solution to Close Combat Communications and Hearing Protection (CC CHPS) Pan-Defence.

The equipment used by (Armoured Fighting Vehicle) AFV crews having the Commanders Pressel unit was modified to accept a second in-ear communications hearing device, the Racal RA7500 Communications Ear Piece (CEP) which upgrades the existing system to a dual layer capability.

The Contract needs to be placed as a matter of urgency to ensure the continued safety and operational capability of the armed forces.

Invisio Communications Ltd is the only Design organisation and Original Equipment Manufacturer for the RA7500 CEP range of spares in the UK and they are the only contractor with access to the relevant designs.


Contract 1. Provision of Spares and Post Design Service for Headsets

Supplier

Contract value

  • £615,833 excluding VAT
  • £739,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

17 October 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 20 October 2025 to 30 September 2026
  • 11 months, 12 days

Main procurement category

Goods

CPV classifications

  • 35642000 - Electronic and electrical spare parts for military aerospace equipment

Other information

Description of risks to contract performance

The Contract needs to be placed as a matter of urgency to ensure the continued safety and operational capability of the armed forces.

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Direct award justification

Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement

The DE&S Deca Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place (by amending contract 708493450) a contractual requirement ("the Contract") with Invisio Communications Limited (formerly Racal Acoustics Ltd) for The Provision of Spares and Post Design Service for Headsets. The estimated value of the requirement being placed is circa £739,000 VAT inc, for a duration of 12 months.

It is considered that the award of the Contract as a Direct Award is lawful in accordance paragraph 20 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 on grounds that it is a defence authority contract, a defence and security contract not solely by virtue of s7(1)(g) of the Procurement Act and it is necessary to award the contract directly in order to enhance or maintain the operational capability, effectiveness, readiness for action, safety or security of the armed forces.

The Army Inspector's completed an urgent review into Noise Governance and Assurance resulting in The British Army initiating a Hearing Protection and Communications Situational Awareness project to provide an enduring solution to Close Combat Communications and Hearing Protection (CC CHPS) Pan-Defence.

The equipment used by (Armoured Fighting Vehicle) AFV crews having the Commanders Pressel unit was modified to accept a second in-ear communications hearing device, the Racal RA7500 Communications Ear Piece (CEP) which upgrades the existing system to a dual layer capability.

The Contract needs to be placed as a matter of urgency to ensure the continued safety and operational capability of the armed forces.

Invisio Communications Ltd is the only Design organisation and Original Equipment Manufacturer for the RA7500 CEP range of spares in the UK and they are the only contractor with access to the relevant designs.


Supplier

Invisio Communications Limited

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQHR-9678-DTTG

Waverley Industrial Park,

HAILSHAM

HA1 4TR

United Kingdom

Region: UKI74 - Harrow and Hillingdon

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1. Provision of Spares and Post Design Service for Headsets


Contracting authority

Defence Equipment and Support

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVRL-5831-GLMM

Welsh Road

Deeside

CH5 2LS

United Kingdom

Region: UKL23 - Flintshire and Wrexham

Organisation type: Public authority - central government