---
title: "Project BOSKER"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE"
published: "2023-09-25"
---

# Project BOSKER

Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb

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## Summary

The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract for the project 'Project BOSKER' to Smiths Detection Watford Ltd. The procurement involves designing, enhancing, and manufacturing next-generation chemical detection equipment for airborne and deposited hazards, with a contract value of £87,589,565. The procurement method was competitive negotiation, and the contract period is 5 years, with subsequent option years. The tender stage has concluded, with the contract period starting on 1st October 2023 and ending on 30th September 2028.

This procurement opportunity, led by the Ministry of Defence, is in the goods category for nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological protection equipment. Businesses with List X status and technology capabilities to meet high-level user needs are well-suited to compete. The contract provides opportunities for the design, manufacture, supply, and in-service support of chemical sensing equipment. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate, with suppliers from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand eligible to apply due to national security reasons.

## Notice

A Contract has been awarded for industry to design/enhance, develop & manufacture the Next Generation Chemical Detection Chemical Sense capability for airborne hazards, (including vapour and aerosol) & deposited hazards (including liquids and solids) known as 'Project BOSKER'. This procurement is exempt from the Defence & Security Public Contract Regulations on Grounds of National Security & is 'Secret 5 Eyes Only'. Only Suppliers from within UK, US, Canada, Australia & New Zealand may apply. However this does not stop companies with foreign ownership from applying if they have a UK registered business or subsidiary. Suppliers should have the ability & technology to meet the following high-level user needs: - Timely indication of toxic chemicals airborne in vapour & aerosol physical states, & then alert personnel to chemical threats within local areas. - Develop person worn capability for Hazard Warning (HW) & Residual Hazard Warning (RHW) for military personnel and potentially through modularisation of the person worn capability provide a hand-held capability to provide Hazard Location (HL) & Contamination of Assessment to military personnel. - Develop a base sense capability for HW & RHW to military personnel. - Provide chemical threat presumptive identification & the amount of hazard present allowing this data to report the event to Commaders. This information will support integrated warning, increase situational awareness, and improve battlefield management. - Obtain both a high level of chemical sensitivity & minimise the potential for false alarms (both false positive & false negative) to provide the user with confidence in their equipment. - Deliver an integrated aerosol & vapour sense capability. - Both the equipments are required to be network enabled. Suppliers need to hold List X status prior to contract award. The contract period is 5 years +1 +1 +1 +1 option years & include the following: a. Demonstration Phase to develop a prototype to be approved by the Authority, in conjunction with Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL) testing, that meets the requirement prior to during Y1 of the contract. b. Manufacture, supply, & delivery of specified chemical sensing equipment. c. Repair and Spares support for the remainder of the contract covering procurement of the full systems, part piece spares and component level spares. d. Technical support which includes, but not limited to, updates to technical documentation and responding to technical queries from the users via CBRN DT Operations Manager (OM). e. Provision of training equipment and/or training packages as agreed with the Authority. In Service Support (ISS) to be a range of specialised DIM & sense equipment likely to require consumable items & may have servicing, repair & calibration requirements

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2a735898-efa1-4560-a946-def3d4786c09 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - Exempt. Competitive negotiated. |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 25 Sep 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 30 Sep 2023 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 24 Sep 2023 |
| Contract period | 30 Sep 2023 - 30 Sep 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £87,589,565 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £87,589,565 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS34 8JH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England |
| ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire |
| Local authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Electoral ward | Stoke Park & Cheswick |
| Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | SMITHS DETECTION WATFORD |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 35113200 - Nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological protection equipment

## Release History

- 25 Sep 2023 at 08:20 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2a735898-efa1-4560-a946-def3d4786c09

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2a735898-efa1-4560-a946-def3d4786c09
  25th September 2023 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b3b9b6d1-9737-44af-83e6-a8e66f2abcfb.json.