--- title: "Project Aether" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" published: "2021-12-09" --- # Project Aether Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a.json) ## Summary The Ministry of Defence is currently soliciting tenders for "Project Aether," which focuses on military research and technology, specifically related to unmanned aerial vehicles and intelligence services. Located in Bristol, this procurement is in the tender stage and is set to close on 17 January 2022. The contract, valued at £100 million, will involve a framework agreement with a maximum participant duration of 540 days and includes the possibility of renewal on a 12-month basis, pending future approvals. This framework will last for an initial period of two years, with potential extensions up to a maximum of seven years. ## Notice Project AETHER (Identification of systems that can perform Ultra-Persistent Wide Area Communications with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) The Contracting Authority has a developing requirement to demonstrate Ultra-Persistent Wide Area Communications with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance using Stratospheric Uncrewed Air Systems that can be rapidly manoeuvred to an area of interest that is anywhere in the world. The Contracting Authority requires a capability that can be rapidly manoeuvred to any area of interest in the world to provide ultra-persistent wide-area communications in addition to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. The information must be available in near real time and be exploited using a range of existing resources. The capability must be on task for several months at a time with minimal resupply or maintenance effort. The Authority intends to invite all eligible companies who pass the PQQ to tender for the Framework. Note that while there is no down-selection to any specific numbers of bidders at this stage, only companies who can demonstrate relevance to the subject matter of the lots within the Framework through their previous or existing portfolio of work (of which examples are requested via the PQQ) will pass the PQQ and be considered eligible to receive an Invitation to Tender at the next stage of the competition. Potential bidders may bid to join a single lot or multiple lots. Please provide evidence in a maximum of 4 sides of A4 per lot. As with any framework, whilst there can be no guarantee of any particular quantity of work being put through it, the Authority intends to conduct further mini-competitions to select successful framework contractors or collaborative teams of framework contractors within individual lots or across a number of Lots in any combination, and expects that the work will be conducted progressively in spirals giving ongoing opportunities to many of the framework participants. The lots will include, but may not be limited to, the following subject matter themes: * Platform - a rapidly deployable uncrewed platform capable of working at stratospheric altitudes to carry out uninterrupted ISR activities * Payload - capable of being fitted to a platform to carry out uninterrupted and secure ISR activities and communications over an extended period of time * Integrator - to oversee the integration of the payload onto a platform to enable the processing, exploitation and dissemination of information * Customer Advisory Network (may include but not be limited to assurance, operationalisation, third party security testing, testing and evaluation). * Optional lot - Fully accredited air system (including payload). The Authority must ensure that where access is required to classified information in the course of any tasking or Working Group activity, then this access will only be granted to framework participants with suitable security clearance in place at the time a task is raised. Whilst a particular level of security clearance is not essential for initial entry to the framework following the Invitation to Tender process, the Authority reserves the right to refuse inclusion of any framework participant who does not possess the required clearance level at the time a mini-competition for a task is initiated or a classified Working Group is scheduled. IPR will be discussed on a task by task basis but the Authority would expect to take ownership of Trials & Demonstrations results and raw data (use of DEFCON 703/705). All framework participants will be kept updated with progress of this project on a quarterly basis subject to security caveats. Once the PQQ phase has been completed and we move to ITT stage an event will be held in order to discuss the requirement and future direction. Please note this framework will be initially for up to 2 years from publication of this PQQ and pending future approvals, the framework would be re-opened on a 12 monthly basis. The Cyber Risk Assessment code is DCPP- RAR-406930362 and has been rated as Moderate Risk. Quantity or scope: Divided into Lots, re-opened at 12 month intervals, and subject to future approvals for Options (up to a maximum of 7 years duration, including the initial 18 months from contract award). ### Lot Information All Lots as described in the CN Additional information: The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030755-2021 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Restricted | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 9 Dec 2021 | | Submission deadline | 17 Jan 2022 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 May 2022 - 31 Dec 2023 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | 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 | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 35613000 - Unmanned aerial vehicles - 35720000 - Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance - 73410000 - Military research and technology ## Release History - 9 Dec 2021 at 22:45 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030755-2021 ## 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-h6vhtk-02ff9a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ff9a.json.