---
title: "Procurement of Link 16 Tactical Data Links with Technical Assistance"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-040d85"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-040d85"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-040d85.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-040d85.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE"
published: "2023-10-19"
---

# Procurement of Link 16 Tactical Data Links with Technical Assistance

Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-040d85

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## Summary

The Ministry of Defence, a UK government department responsible for defence matters, has recently completed the procurement process for "Procurement of Link 16 Tactical Data Links with Technical Assistance". This procurement falls under the goods category and involves the supply of Link 16 Tactical Data Links for the UK's Type 31 frigates. The procurement method used was a limited negotiation without publication of a contract notice. L3 Harris Communications Systems UK Limited was awarded the contract valued at £12m-£15m. The contract is for 5 years and aims to provide the specified goods along with technical support to meet the Authority's precise technical requirements.

This contract presents opportunities for businesses specializing in data and voice media products to engage in providing Link 16 Tactical Data Links. Companies with expertise in manufacturing equipment for research, development, or technical reasons may find this tender suitable for their capabilities. The contract award sets the stage for potential growth for businesses aiming to collaborate with the government's defence sector while meeting stringent technical requirements for the supply of specific goods. The awarded supplier, L3 Harris Communications Systems UK Limited, stands as the sole operator capable of meeting the Ministry of Defence's technical necessities, showcasing the specialised nature of this procurement process.

## Notice

Supply of Link 16 Tactical Data Link

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Procurement of Link 16 Tactical Data Link with technical support

Options: Additional quantities of Link 16 equipment if required

### Procurement Information

Ship Acquisition, which is part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), proposes to place a contract with L3 Harris Communications Systems UK Limited (L3 Harris) for the provision of Link 16 Tactical Data Links and ancillaries (the "Goods") for the Type 31 frigates with technical support. The term of the proposed contract is 5 years and has an estimated value (including options) of PS12m-PS15m. In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement falls to be 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). 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 is lawful in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons. This is because in accordance with the Authority's specific requirement, the Link 16 Tactical Data Links for the Type 31 frigates need to meet certain technical requirements. In particular, they need to be compatible and interoperate with the Type 31 Data Link Processor and Combat Management System. The Link 16 Tactical Data Link also needs to be embodied in the limited space envelope available and comply with REACH legislation regarding hazardous materials and be delivered to meet the Type 31 challenging build schedule. The L3 Harris Link 16 Tactical Data Link is the only product that is capable of meeting the Authority's technical requirements. L3 Harris owns the IPR in its Link 16 Tactical Data Link and is the only economic operator with the necessary know-how, proprietary processes, and equipment-specific tooling and test equipment to manufacture the Goods. L3 Harris is therefore the only economic operator that can meet the Authority's requirement.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030948-2023 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 19 Oct 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 18 Oct 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £15,000,000 |

## Status

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

## 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 | TLJ37 North Hampshire |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | L3 HARRIS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

### Codes

- 32583000 - Data and voice media

## Release History

- 19 Oct 2023 at 16:43 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030948-2023

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence

## 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-040d85. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-040d85.json.