Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2024/S 000-040276/EN)
Nature of contract: Service contract
Procedure: Negotiated without a call for competition
Type of bid required: Not applicable

Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Services

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Defence Equipment and Support
Postal address: Abbey Wood
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Danielle Arbrey
Email: danielle.arbrey100@mod.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address: www.contracts.mod.uk

I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.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
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 72700000
II.1.3) Type of contract Services
II.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.
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:116000000
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.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.

II.2.5) Award criteria
II.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.

II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice(in accordance with Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU)
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information

Section V: 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).

V.2) Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:2024-12-13
V.2.2) Information about tenders
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: Thales UK
Town: Reading
Postal code: RG2 6GF
Country: United Kingdom
Nuts code:
The contractor is an SME: no

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession(excluding VAT)
for framework agreements – total maximum value for this lot
for contracts based on framework agreements, if required – value of contract(s) for this lot not included in
previous contract award notices
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.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.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: Defence Equipment and Support
Postal address: Abbey Wood
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: danielle.arbrey100@mod.gov.uk

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2024-12-13

Justification for the award of the contract without prior publication of a call for
competition in the Official Journal of the European Union
1.Justification for the choice of the negotiated procedure without publication of a call for competition in accordance with
Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU

The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment,study or development under the conditions
stated in the directive(for services and supplies only)
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
absence of competition for technical reasons

3.Explanation
Please explain in a clear and comprehensive manner why the award of the contract without prior publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
is lawful, by stating the relevant facts and, as appropriate, the conclusions of law in accordance with the directive:
– 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.