Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
            Directive 2009/81/EC
          
Section I: Contracting 
        authority        
      
I.1) Name and addresses
  Ministry of Defence
  Portsmouth
  UK
  
            E-mail: Lauren.Terry103@mod.gov.uk
  
            NUTS: UK
  Internet address(es)
  
              Main address: www.gov.uk
 
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
  II.1.1) Title
Project Mojave
            Reference number: 707965453
  II.1.2) Main CPV code
  73435000
 
  II.1.3) Type of contract
  Services
  II.1.4) Short description
  The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a Single Source Non-Qualifying Defence Contract valued at up to £1,500,000 (ex VAT) with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited ("the Contractor") for a period of [7] months for the delivery of work to undertake trials/experiments in order to demonstrate a threshold capability for a Short Take off and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV).
  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 (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) because the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited as competition is absent for technical grounds. The contract will enable work to be undertaken as a proof of concept utilising existing technology/services provided by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited in order to carry out experiments that will determine the future scope to address a number of capability problem sets and will support future investment decisions. In addition and in the alternative, the contract is for research and development services within regulation 16(1)(c).
  II.1.6) Information about lots
  
            This contract is divided into lots:
            
        No
      
  II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
  Value excluding VAT: 
				1 250 000.00 
				  GBP
 
II.2) Description
  
    II.2.3) Place of performance
    NUTS code:
    UK
    II.2.4) Description of the procurement
    The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a Single Source Non-Qualifying Defence Contract valued at up to £1,500,000 (ex VAT) with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited ("the Contractor") for a period of [7] months for the delivery of work to undertake trials/experiments in order to demonstrate a threshold capability for a Short Take off and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV).
    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 (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) because the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited as competition is absent for technical grounds. The contract will enable work to be undertaken as a proof of concept utilising existing technology/services provided by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited in order to carry out experiments that will determine the future scope to address a number of capability problem sets and will support future investment decisions. In addition and in the alternative, the contract is for research and development services within regulation 16(1)(c).
    II.2.5) Award criteria
    Criteria below:
    
                    Price
                    
    II.2.11) Information about options
    
            Options:
            
              No
            
    II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
    
            The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
            
              No
            
   
 
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
  IV.1.1) Type of procedure
  Negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice
  Justification for selected award procedure:
  The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development under the condition stated in the Directive (for supplies only)
  Explanation:
  The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a Single Source Non-Qualifying Defence Contract valued at up to £1,500,000 (ex VAT) with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited ("the Contractor") for a period of [7] months for the delivery of work to undertake trials/experiments in order to demonstrate a threshold capability for a Short Take off and Landing Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV).
  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 (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) because the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited as competition is absent for technical grounds. The contract will enable work to be undertaken as a proof of concept utilising existing technology/services provided by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited in order to carry out experiments that will determine the future scope to address a number of capability problem sets and will support future investment decisions. In addition and in the alternative, the contract is for research and development services within regulation 16(1)(c).
  IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
  
                The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
                
        No
      
 
Section V: Award of contract/concession
          Contract No: 707965453
          Title: Project Mojave
V.2 Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession
19/05/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
              The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
              
        No
      
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Limited
  Poway
  CA 92064
  US
  
            NUTS: US
  The contractor is an SME:
        No
      
 
V.2.4) Information on value of the concession and main financing terms (excluding VAT)
Total value of the concession/lot:
            1 250 000.00 
              GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
                The contract/concession is likely to be subcontracted
              
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
  VI.4.1) Review body
  
    Ministry of Defence, Navy Command Commercial
    4 Deck, Navy Command Headquarters, Leach Building, Whale Island
    Portsmouth
    PO2 8BY
    UK
   
 
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
19/05/2023