Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2018-08-09
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, Air Support, Flight Simulation and Synthetic Trainers Project Team (FSAST PT)
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Restricted procedure
CPV classification: 48131000 | 72610000: Computer support services | 72611000: Technical computer support services
Estimated value:  GBP
Submission deadline: 2018-09-07
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Avionics System Trainer (AST) & Aircraft Propulsion Systems Trainer (APST) Maintenance and Support Contract
Aviation ground support software package. Computer support services. Technical computer support services. The requirement is for a 5 year maintenance and support Contract and is expected to commence on 01 April 2019, which will provide support to both systems at RAF Sultan and RAF Cosford. The support element is to apply to all hardware and software. Details of the requirements can be found below.
The Avionic system trainer (AST) is a computer based training (CBT) system which is used by DSAE to provide Ph 3 avionics training to Trade Gp (TG) 1 Aircrew. In addition, the system is used to enable Petty Officer Air Engineer Technician (POAET) training on behalf of Fleet and International Defence Training (IDT). The AST is used to deliver some 42 % of Avionics technician training through an aircraft diagnostic simulation which allows instructors to compartmentalise avionics components for phased learning and simulate multiple aircraft avionics faults and enables students to fault diagnose with progressive complexity and autonomy. Physically, the system is hosted on desktop User access devices (UADs) linked to a master terminal which controls the software.
The Aircraft propulsion systems trainer (APST) consists of a Generic aircraft model (GAM) and a CBT suite and is used to deliver procedural training on aircraft engine systems to Ph3 Aircraft mechanical technicians and their IDT counterparts. The APST CBT system comprises 4 gps of student UADs, each controlled by an instructor UAD, which together simulates an engine ground running team. Here the students learn basic aircraft propulsion techniques in a closely controlled environment and are exposed to role interaction and dependencies with simulated consequences. Following the initial CBT package students move onto the GAM, a Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft mock-up containing the operating system of a Rolls-Royce RB199 engine and functioning switches and gauges that simulate aircraft start-up, running and shut-down.
The exact specifications of the computer system will be confirmed at ITT stage, the Authority is currently exploring upgrades for the systems under the current Contractual arrangements.
The Authority reserves the right to to request an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond if, following its financial assessment, the Authority has concerns with a tenderer's economic and financial standing.
If a group of economic operators submits a bid, the group must nominate a lead organisation to deal with the Authority. The Authority shall require the group to form a legal entity before entering into the contract.
The Authority reserves the right to amend any condition related to security of information to reflect any changes in national law or government policy. If any contract documents are accompanied by a Security aspects letter, the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of the Security aspects letter to reflect any changes in national law or government policy whether in respect of the applicable protective marking scheme, specific protective markings given, the aspects to which any protective marking applies or otherwise.
The Authority will apply all the offences listed in Article 39(1) of Directive 2009/81/EC (implemented as Regulation 23(1) of the Defence and security public contract regulations (DSPCR) 2011 in the UK) and all of the professional misconducts listed at Article 39(2) of Directive 2009/81/EC (see also Regulation 23(2) in the DSPCR 2011) to the decision of whether a Candidate is eligible to be invited to tender.
A full list of the Regulation 23(1) and 23(2) criteria are at http://www.contracts.mod.uk/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#dspr
Candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming whether they do or do not have any of the listed criteria as part of the pre-qualification process.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 39(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest (including defence and security factors) for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 39(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
(b) The presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established.
Information necessary for the Authority to conduct an assessment of financial standing must be provided alongside DPQQ response and will be evaluated in accordance with the DPQQ evaluation guide.

Eligibility requirements: (b) The presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established. Information necessary for the Authority to conduct an assessment of financial standing must be provided alongside DPQQ response and will be evaluated in accordance with the DPQQ evaluation guide.
The estimated contract value is 1 500 000 GBP. If the estimated annual contract value is greater than 40 % of the supplier’s turnover, the Authority reserves the right to exclude the supplier from being selected to tender except where the supplier provides, to the satisfaction of the Authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability, eg evidence may include: (1) Any additional information proving it has sufficient economical and financial resource to deliver the requirement; and (2) State whether the supplier is willing to provide the Authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond. A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass / fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the Parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation may be utilised as part of this process.
(d) a statement of the technicians or technical services available to the economic operator to: (i) carry out the work under the contract, or (ii) be involved in the production of goods or the provision of services under the contract, particularly those responsible for quality control, whether or not they are independent of the economic operator; (e) a statement of the economic operator's: (i) technical facilities; (ii) measures for ensuring quality; (iii) study and research facilities; and (iv) internal rules regarding intellectual property; (g) in the case of works contracts, services contracts or supply contracts also covering siting and installation operations or services, the economic operator's educational and professional qualifications where the economic operator is an individual and: (i) if any, those of the economic operator's managerial staff; and (ii) those of one or more persons who would be responsible for providing the services or carrying out the work or works under the contract; (h) the environmental management measures, that the economic operator is able to apply when performing the contract, but only where it is necessary for the performance of that contract (i) a statement of the services provider's or contractor's average annual number of staff and managerial staff over the previous 3 years; (j) a description of the tools, material, technical equipment, staff numbers, know-how and sources of supply (with an indication of their geographical location when it is outside the territory of the EU) available to the economic operator to perform the contract, cope with any additional needs required by the Contracting Authority as a result of a crisis or carry out the maintenance, modernisation or adaptation of the goods covered by the contract; (m) in the case of contracts involving, entailing or containing classified information, evidence of the ability to process, store and transmit such information at the level of protection required by the Contracting Authority; (n) a certificate: (i) attesting conformity to quality management systems standards based on the relevant European standard; and (ii) from an independent accredited body established in any member State conforming to the European standards concerning accreditation and certification; (o) any other evidence of conformity to quality management systems standards which are equivalent to the standards referred to in sub-paragraph (n)(i) Information / evidence necessary for the Authority to conduct an assessment of the criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) must be provided alongside DPQQ response and will be evaluated in accordance with the DPQQ evaluation guide. The Authority reserves the right to exclude a supplier from being selected to tender where that supplier fails to demonstrate achievement of the minimum level(s) required.