Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence, Abbey Wood
BRISTOL
BS34 8JH
Contact
neena.sahauli100@mod.gov.uk
For the attention of
Neena Sahauli
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
Section two: Object of the contract
two.1) Description
two.1.1) Title attributed to the contract
Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) Mid Life Improvement (MLI)
two.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 1: Maintenance and repair services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance
FN UK LTD
Phoenix House
Slade Green Road
Erith
DA8 2HY
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
two.1.4) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The Dismounted Close Combat project team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence is placing a 10-year contract with FN UK Ltd for the Mid Life Improvement of the Heavy Machine Gun (HMG).
This is because FN UK Ltd are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) and are the only economic entity with access to the necessary technical information, knowledge and expertise, for the HMG comprised in this contract. FN UK Ltd are also the only economic entity with the capability and access necessary to provide the required technical support to ensure it complies with the Authority’s specification, maintains the operational performance and effectiveness of the weapon system, and ability to underwrite the integrity of the modifications to the weapons systems as a result of a safety investigation.
two.1.5) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 50620000 - Repair and maintenance services of firearms and ammunition
Additional CPV code(s)
- 50620000 - Repair and maintenance services of firearms and ammunition
Section four: Procedure
Type of procedure
Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
Justification for the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice
1) Justification for the choice of the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice
No tenders or no suitable tenders in response to: negotiated procedure competition
All tenders submitted in reply to an open procedure, a restricted procedure or competitive dialogue were irregular or inacceptable. Only those tenderers were included in the negotiations which have satisfied the qualitative selection criteria: no
The periods for the restricted procedure and the negotiated procedure with prior publication of a contract notice are incompatible with the urgency resulting from a crisis: no
Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority/entity: no
The works/goods/services can be provided only by a particular tenderer for reasons that are:
technical
The contract concerns research and development services other than those referred to in the regulations: no
The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development: no
Additional works/deliveries/services are ordered under strict conditions: no
For supplies quoted and purchased on a commodity market: no
New works/services, constituting a repetition of existing works/services: no
Contract related to the provision of air and maritime transport services for the armed forces deployed or to be deployed abroad: no
Explanation:
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 with Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons.
This is because FN UK Ltd are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) and are the only economic entity with access to the necessary technical information, knowledge and expertise, for the HMG comprised in this contract. FN UK Ltd are also the only economic entity with the capability and access necessary to provide the required technical support to ensure it complies with the Authority’s specification, maintains the operational performance and effectiveness of the weapon system, and ability to underwrite the integrity of the modifications to the weapons systems as a result of a safety investigation.
four.2) Award criteria
four.2.2) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: no
four.3) Administrative information
four.3.1) File reference number attributed by the contracting authority
704656450
four.3.2) Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Notice number: 2024/S 000-002456 of 24 January 2024
Section five: Award of contract
Contract No
704656450
five.1) Date of contract award decision
1 August 2025
five.2) Information about offers
Number of offers received
1
Number of offers received by electronic means
1
five.3) Name and address of economic operator in favour of whom the contract award decision has been taken
FN UK Limited
Phoenix House, Slade Green Road, Erith
Kent
DA8 2HY
Country
United Kingdom
five.4) Information on value of contract
Initial estimated total value of the contract
Value: £40,000,000
Excluding VAT
Total final value of the contract
Value: £40,000,000
Excluding VAT
If annual or monthly value
Number of months: 0
five.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be sub-contracted: No
Section six: Complementary information
six.1) Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
six.3) Procedures for appeal
six.3.1) Body responsible for appeal procedures
Ministry of Defence
Abbey Wood, FIR 1B
Bristol
BS34 8JH
Email(s)
DESLESTSP-DCC-ComrclTeam@mod.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom