Notice Information
Notice Title
Modification of the FAAM Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) via Mid Life Upgrade.
Notice Description
Services for Atmospheric Research Aircraft. Provision of Mid Life Modification Upgrade services - the BAe 146 301 aircraft, serial number E3001
Lot Information
Lot 1
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency (VEAT) notice, indicating that the University of Leeds (UoL) intends to contract with BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd., for modification services for the Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA). BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd adapted this ARA for research purposes and provides ongoing operational and maintenance services pursuant to an existing contract entered into on 15 April 2019. These services, that are the subject of this new contract, relate to critical upgrades that are required to ensure the ARA is fit for purpose for up to the next two decades. The various services that are to be provided will include modification and upgrades to aircraft, aircraft systems and supported scientific systems. The value of the modification work is likely to be up to PS30m (excluding taxes) over a planned 5 year period starting in 2022 Additional information: The existing contract was published in the OJEU 2019/S 024 053759. The services will predominantly be carried out at the aircraft's Home Base and at BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd., where the support contract for the aircraft is managed although it is likely that such services may be carried out elsewhere as well.
Procurement Information
The University of Leeds has considered that this requirement can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of the contract notice pursuant to Article 31 of Directive 2014/24/EU and regulation 32(b) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015: when, for technical reasons, or for protection of exclusive rights, the contract can be awarded to a particular economic operator (BAE Systems). The Atmospheric Research Aircraft (msn 3001) is a unique aircraft type (BAE 146-301) whose type certificate is held by BAE Systems (Operations) Limited. BAE Systems adapted the aircraft for special atmospheric research use by the UK Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) between 2000 and 2003 and continues to have responsibility for configuration control of the aircraft and all major adaptations to it pursuant to an existing agreement with the University of Leeds. It therefore has a unique understanding of its operational characteristics, support requirements and modification status. The research aircraft contains extremely complicated scientific equipment and is highly modified. As such, any service provider carrying out further modifications will need to be extremely familiar with the specific scientific equipment and those modifications already in place. The research aircraft has an adapted BAE 146-301 airframe and so any service provider will need to hold relevant intellectual property rights relating thereto and have the technical expertise and the intellectual property rights required to provide further modification services on an already heavily modified airframe. The University of Leeds considers that only the Contractor has the technical knowledge to provide the modifications that are now required. In addition, the Contractor benefits from intellectual property rights to the research aircraft which it could not reasonably be expected to assign to a third party contractor without disclosing commercially confidential information. The Contractor is therefore the only viable contractor to provide these highly specialist upgrades and modifications.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-032348
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007342-2022
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- Award Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Limited
- Procurement Method Details
- Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Large
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
-
- CPV Codes
50210000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to aircraft and other equipment
50211100 - Aircraft maintenance services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- £30,000,000 £10M-£100M
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 17 Mar 20224 years ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 15 Mar 20224 years ago
- Contract Period
- Not specified - Not specified
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Not Specified
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- University of Leeds
- Contact Name
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Email
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Phone
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Buyer Location
- Locality
- LEEDS
- Postcode
- LS2 9JZ
- Postcode Area
- Leeds
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLE4 West Yorkshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLE42 Leeds
- Delivery Location
- TLJ37 North Hampshire
-
- Local Authority
- Leeds
- Electoral Ward
- Little London & Woodhouse
- Westminster Constituency
- Leeds Central and Headingley
Further Information
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.