Award

<PS10m

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

17 Jan 2024 at 12:14

Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth over £10 million for the maintenance, servicing, and deployment of Underwater Mobile Acoustic Targets (UMAT) at MoD British Underwater Test Evaluation Centre in Scotland. The procurement method used was a limited negotiation without publication of a contract notice. The contract has been awarded to QinetiQ Limited, and the buying organisation involved is the Ministry of Defence. The contract was signed on the 17th January 2024, and the main procurement category is goods related to unmanned underwater vehicles.

This tender opportunity for the maintenance and servicing of Underwater Mobile Acoustic Targets can provide significant business growth opportunities for businesses specializing in underwater technology and defence equipment. Companies with expertise in underwater robotics, acoustic target maintenance, and defence contracting would be well-suited to compete for this tender. The strategic importance of UMAT in submarine crew certification firing processes makes this contract critical for maintaining the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) capability, attracting businesses that can provide innovative solutions in underwater equipment maintenance and support services.

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Notice Title

<PS10m

Notice Description

<PS10M

Lot Information

Lot 1

Contract for the maintenance, servicing and deployment of Underwater Mobile Acoustic Targets (UMAT) at MoD British Underwater Test Evaluation Centre (BUTEC), Scotland.

Procurement Information

The Secretary of State for Defence intends to enter into a contract with QinetiQ Limited for the for deployment, maintenance and support of the Underwater Mobile Acoustic Targets (UMAT) programme. The UMAT is an underwater target used by submarine crews during Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo certification firings at MoD British Underwater Test Evaluation Centre (BUTEC), Scotland. In accordance with regulation 4 of the Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement is 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) ("DSPCR 2011"). 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 (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(d)(i)(aa) of the DSPCR 2011because the incumbent prime contractor and subcontractor undertaking the mandated upgrade programme of the UMAT are the only economic operators with the approved licencing and technical capability to upgrade the existing UMAT to maintain the Spearfish Firing Certification, based on the fact that their upgrade design programme is the only design approved and licenced by the US Department of Defence, the providers of the UMAT. The subcontractor will only maintain a contracting relationship with the current prime, and the shared ownership of the upgrade design makes too difficult to compete this requirement. Any change of contractor from QinetiQ would require a full reset of the upgrade programme creating a significant capability gap of up to 24 months, as any new contractor would require design approval for required upgrades, and ITAR certification from the United States Department of Defence. The upgrade requirement was an unknown requirement prior to the award of the current incumbent contract, this additional work was unforeseen. It is necessary to fulfil a strategic capability and it cannot for technical or economic reasons be carried out separately from the original contract without major inconvenience to the contracting authority or the Royal Navy. It is considered that the award of the 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 DSPCR 2011. This is because the design, created and owned between QinetiQ and Emeritus Solutions, is the only technical upgrade solution that has been given formal approval by the US DoD to upgrade their UMATs. Any alternative upgrade design programme would require review, approval, and certification from the US DoD and would also require ITAR licencing approval. This could incur a capability gap of up to 24 months. UMAT is mandatory in the submarine crew Spearfish certification firing process, which is a strategic national capability for maintaining Spearfish aboard the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD). Therefore for technical reasons only QinetiQ can provide the technical solution necessary to maintain this critical strategic capability.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-042de1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001597-2024
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
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

35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment


CPV Codes

35512400 - Unmanned underwater vehicles

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jan 20242 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
17 Jan 20242 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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Grant Jenkins
Contact Email
grant.jenkins122@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

QINETIQ

Further Information

Notice URLs

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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