--- title: "Modification of the FAAM Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) via Mid Life Upgrade." ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-032348" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-032348" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032348.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032348.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS" published: "2022-03-17" --- # Modification of the FAAM Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) via Mid Life Upgrade. Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-032348 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-032348) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032348.json) ## Summary The University of Leeds is overseeing a tender titled "Modification of the FAAM Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) via Mid Life Upgrade," related to the services industry, specifically focusing on aircraft repair and maintenance. This procurement process is currently at the Award stage, with the contract having been signed on 15 March 2022, valued at £30 million over a planned five-year period. The services will primarily be conducted at the aircraft's Home Base, located in North Hampshire, and include critical modifications to ensure the aircraft remains operational for the next two decades. The procurement was conducted as a Limited Procedure, negotiating with BAE Systems (Operations) Limited without prior publication of a contract notice, justified by the unique technical requirements of the services needed. This contract presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in aerospace and aircraft maintenance services, particularly those with expertise in complicated scientific equipment and modifications on heavily altered airframes. Given that BAE Systems is the designated contractor for these specialist upgrades, firms with relevant intellectual property rights and a deep familiarity with the BAE 146-301 aircraft type may be well-positioned to either partner as subcontractors or pursue future opportunities in similar domains. This is a strategic chance for businesses looking to grow within the niche market of atmospheric research and aircraft modification services. ## Notice 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. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007342-2022 | | 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 | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 17 Mar 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 15 Mar 2022 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £30,000,000 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS | | Locality | LEEDS | | Post town | Leeds | | Postcode | LS2 9JZ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber | | ITL 2 | TLE4 West Yorkshire | | ITL 3 | TLE42 Leeds | | Local authority | Leeds | | Electoral ward | Little London & Woodhouse | | Westminster constituency | Leeds Central and Headingley | | Delivery location | TLJ37 North Hampshire | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 50 - Repair and maintenance services ### Codes - 50210000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to aircraft and other equipment - 50211100 - Aircraft maintenance services ## Release History - 17 Mar 2022 at 16:14 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007342-2022 ## Notice URLs - https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=627716725 - https://www.leeds.ac.uk ## 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-032348. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-032348.json.