Ministry of Defence

MOD Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

UK

Contact person: Harvey Webber

E-mail: Harvey.Webber100@mod.gov.uk

NUTS: UKK11

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-digital

II.1.1) Title

II.1.2) Main CPV code

50660000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

The TacSys Service Executive (SE) within Defence Digital, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), has placed a 9 month contract with Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd for the provision of technical support services to Gentex Headsets .

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement

Value excluding VAT: 369 600.00  GBP

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition

Justification for selected award procedure:

The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons

Explanation

A Single Source Contract with Gentex Europe Ltd for the Gentex Amp Ops Core Headset is justified as competition is absent for the following reasons:

Design Support: Gentex Europe Ltd is the only approved Co-ordinating Design Organisation for the Gentex headset in UK and they are the only contractor with access to the relevant drawings and qualification evidence required to undertake design and manufacture activities of this headset type. The reason for this is that they are the only approved supplier and have access to the product design information to enable them to undertake any design modifications and repairs to the Gentex headsets. (2) Gentex Corporation who own the Intellectual Property Rights of the Gentex Amp Ops Core Headset system have appointed Gentex Europe Ltd as their UK partner and are not prepared to licence other suppliers to support or supply the equipment.

Repair: Due to the complexity of the equipment, Gentex Europe Ltd as the Co-ordinating designer, are the only supplier with the technical ability to undertake repair, maintenance and overhaul activities as they are the only company that supply this equipment. Any other contractor would require a licence from Gentex Corporation to obtain the drawings and list of spare parts required to undertake design and manufacture activities. This would take time for any other supplier to obtain but may not be granted by Gentex Corporation who own the IPR in this headset.

Safety: To compete this requirement would introduce the possibility of contravention of the CNAWR and the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) regulations as it would not be possible to ensure that another contractor would be sufficiently qualified, within the requisite timeframes, to undertake design and manufacture activities without including an associated unacceptable level of risk. This would result in the Authority not being able to fulfil CNAWR safety requirements which must be fulfilled to ensure the safe functioning of the forces. To comply with the CNAWR the principles of As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) must be adhered to. Reasonably practicable involves weighing a risk against the trouble, time and money needed to control it. Thus, ALARP describes the level to which the Authority expect to see workplace risks controlled.

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd (Trading as Gentex Europe)

Unit 3, Focus 4 Fourth Avenue

Letchworth Garden City

SG6 2TU

UK

NUTS: UKH23

The contractor is an SME: Yes

VI.4.1) Review body