Award

Provision of MEDEVAC, General Aviation Support and Aerial Firefighting at BATSUB

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

05 Aug 2022 at 09:35

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence is undertaking a procurement process for the 'Provision of MEDEVAC, General Aviation Support and Aerial Firefighting at BATSUB', classified under services and specifically the hire of helicopters with crew. The procurement method employed is a limited negotiation without prior publication of a contract notice, due to the unique technical requirements involved. Key dates include the anticipated contract start date of 1st October 2023, with a potential contract award likely to occur by mid-2023. The delivery of these services is essential for training operations in Belize, where the winning supplier must hold an Air Operators Certificate from the Belize Department for Civil Aviation.

This tender presents an excellent opportunity for aviation service providers, particularly those specialising in medical evacuation, general aviation support, and aerial firefighting. Companies with the capability to meet the necessary regulatory certifications, particularly those that are based in Belize or can obtain the required local certifications, are well-suited to compete. With a contract value of approximately £18.2 million, this project could significantly enhance the service offering of successful bidders, positioning them as key players in the aviation and defence sectors within the region.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of MEDEVAC, General Aviation Support and Aerial Firefighting at BATSUB

Notice Description

Provision of MEDEVAC, General Aviation Support and Aerial Firefighting at BATSUB

Lot Information

Lot 1

The services required are as follows: a. Aviation Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) with twin-engine capability b. General Aviation Support (GAS) c. Aerial Firefighting (AFF)

Procurement Information

1. The Authority intends to negotiate the award of a contract to Astrum Helicopters for the provision of MEDEVAC, General Aviation Support and Aerial Firefighting for British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) 2. It is considered that this contract can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations (DSPCR 2011) as competition is absent for technical reasons. There is a regulatory requirement, as laid down by the Belize Department for Civil Aviation (BDCA), that an economic operator within Belizean territory must obtain and maintain an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) to carry out commercial activity. It is also the BDCA's position that "foreign" certification (FAA/CAA/EASA recognised) is non-transferable. This certification must be in place by contract start date (1st October 2023). The process to start the certification application is triggered by a letter of intent from an economic operator to the Director of Civil Aviation in Belize, something which, due to the need for evidence of established processes for operations in Belize and cost implications, would be impractical and risk-laden to submit prior to contract award. It is likely that contract award will not take place until mid-2023. The current time-frame for certification is 12-18 months. The Authority cannot accommodate a break in service delivery as this will have a negative impact on training at BATSUB. MEDEVAC would have to be by land extraction, which does not meet medical planning guidelines due to risk to life (RTL) considerations. Ceasing training would also have a negative impact on the Authority's ability to deploy personnel. There is a potential reputational risk if the Authority cannot deploy an Aerial Firefighting capability. 3. Astrum Helicopters carry the requisite certification from the BDCA and can begin service delivery by the required contract start date. It is the Authority's belief that there are no alternate providers, either in Belize or elsewhere, who hold this certification and would be in a position to deliver these services by 1 October 2023.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-035938
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021520-2022
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
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£18,200,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20223 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
3 Aug 20223 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
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
armycomrcl-ni-mailbox@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
ANDOVER
Postcode
N/A
Post Town
Not specified
Country
Not specified
Major Region (ITL 1)
Not specified
Basic Region (ITL 2)
Not specified
Small Region (ITL 3)
Not specified
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Not specified
Electoral Ward
Not specified
Westminster Constituency
Not specified

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ASTRUM HELICOPTERS

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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. 

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