Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-02-27
Buyer: Ministry of Justice
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
CPV classification: 35124000: Metal detectors
Estimated value: 400000 GBP

Technical requirements: Supply of handheld security metal detectors for the Ministry of Justice (Prisons) and other participating authorities within the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is exploring the capability and capacity of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market for the supply of handheld security metal detection wands or suppliers who can demonstrate a willingness and capability to develop a product with dual tone audio, visual and vibration alerts capable of detecting ferrous, non-ferrous, stainless steel and other metals, so that it meets our requirements.
The MoJ are taking this approach in order to support our estate for the duration of the planned agreement.
Metal detection hand held wands form an important part of front end security in prisons at staff, prisoner and visitor gates. The wands are part of a wider capability which looks to prevent contraband from entering prisons through multiple routes.
The requirement for wands which can detect both ferro and non-ferro magnetic metals is important due to the type of contraband that target individuals attempt to smuggle into the prison estate. We require this capability because:
— counter-measures must be capable of mitigating multiple threat types which include both a range of metallic threat types as well as mobile phones which contain ferro-magnetic metals. The smuggling of mobile phones into our estate, is a major threat to the security, safety and stability of prisons. Our requirements are designed to address this and provide flexibility in being able to manage discrimination levels independently,
— our requirements are designed to support our staff in performing their duties, included through dual tone audio, visual and vibration alerts, to detect the location of the potential threat,
— our strategy is to deploy equipment which maximises the capacity of our staff resource and our requirements support this by minimising the number of solutions deployed at targeted gates,
— our requirements and approach supports the development of updated and new HMPPS Custodial technical and procedural standards.
MoJ would require related services including: general and project support, delivery and training which conforms to MoJ requirements and include transparency of lead times and pricing.
Business demands and funding means that should there be evidenced market capability that acquisition can be completed, delivered to the UK and ready for delivery of a bulk purchase of the equipment no later than the end of December 2020.
MoJ invites interested OEM’s to make contact at Mojprocurementsecurity@justice.gov.uk by 17.00 6.3.2020, providing data sheets of their available wands. It is anticipated that a procurement for a multi supplier framework will commence April 2020. Technical data and evidence for a product which meets the outline requirement of this notice or the draft specification MoJ will issue
MoJ reserves the right to conduct further engagement activity with suppliers who can demonstrate the required product capability.
Nothing within the notice commits the MoJ to conduct a tender exercise or enter into an agreement and all information is indicative until and subject to change.


Award value: 400000