PRIOR INFORMATION NOTICE FOR CONTRACT IN THE FIELD OF DEFENCE AND SECURITY - OFFICIAL JOURNAL

Section I: Contracting Authority / Entity

I.1)

Name, Address and Contact Point(s)

I.2)

Type of contracting Authority and Main Activity or Activities

Section II: Object of the Contract

II.1)

Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority/entity

713217453 Underwater Mobility (UWM) In-Service Support (ISS)

II.2)

Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

II.3)

This notice involves a framework agreement

II.4)

Short description of nature and scope of works or nature and quantity or value of supplies or services

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise Industry that Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO) team are undertaking market research for the provision of Underwater Mobility (UWM) In-Service Support (ISS).

The SALMO Delivery Team (DT) have a requirement for the provision of ISS to the UWM portfolio of equipment.

The UMW portfolio, maintained by SALMO, provides UK Strategic Command (UKSC), Royal Navy and Army end Users with critical underwater manoeuvre capabilities for specialist Military Diving Teams. In order to maintain this capability, each of the Master Equipments (MEs), listed below, must be supported and sustained with through-life support. This contract will see the continued support of the UWM portfolio.

This contract will provide In-Service Support (ISS) for the UWM equipment as listed below:

• Medium Range Diver Propulsion Devices (MRDPD)

• Short Range Diver Propulsion Devices (SRDPD)

• Handheld Sonars (HHS), including SeaTrac

• Other equivalent or similar UWM assets that move into service as directed by the commands, including replacement systems and upgrades.

The proposed contract will require ISS as well as the ability to procure replacement equipment at the direction of the Authority.

Organisations must be able to provide sole UK National Security Cleared (SC) staff to deliver the contract.

The proposed UWM ISS contract will be for five (5) years, with two (2) additional one (1) year options to extend. If all the options to extend are exercised by the Authority, the contract duration will be a total of seven (7) years.

Estimated value of overall procurement (including options) is £14.9M (ex VAT).

This PIN is open to responses from companies that have suitable experience in the ISS of UWM equipment. This PIN is not a means to seek formal expressions of interest; the opportunity for such may become available when the SALMO DT has an improved understanding of the market. If you are interested in this procurement, please submit responses to desshipscomrcl-salmo-multiuser@mod.gov.uk by Friday 14th February 2025.

Tentative dates to note (subject to change):

Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) – September 2025

Contract Award –January 2026

In issuing this PIN and engaging with the market, neither SALMO nor the Ministry of Defence are committing to carry out any procurement in relation to the information stated in this PIN.

II.5)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

II.6)

Scheduled date for start of award procedures and duration of the contract

II.7)

Additional information

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)

Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions regulating them

III.2)

Conditions for participation

III.2.1)

Reserved contracts

Section VI: Complementary Information

VI.1)

Contract related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds

VI.2)

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.

VI.3)

Information on general regulatory framework

VI.4)

Date of dispatch of this notice