Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2018-08-14
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, DSTL, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 73110000
Estimated value: 100 GBP

Technical requirements: Research services. In order to maximise the impact of Science and Technology for the Defence and Security of the UK, Dstl’s role includes the responsibility for leading the formulation, design and delivery of a coherent and integrated MOD S&T programme using industrial, academic and government resources. In particular, the Cyber and Information Systems Division stewards both the Cyber and the Command, Control, Communications and Computers intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities (including Space). The Serapis framework aims to provide an expedient mechanism for Dstl to access industrial and academic expertise both within the UK and wider, in support of the Division’s S&T programmes, and potentially wider MOD and Partner Across Government organisations (PAGs). The construct should allow the supply base to be refreshed throughout the contract lifespan, ensuring that Dstl has access to innovative solutions and robust technical support. Such a construct will allow for the rapid response to emerging capability needs, Urgent Operational Requirements and surge requirements emanating from operations.
Based on the structure and contents of the programmes and the aggregation of wider requirements across the portfolios, the framework has been categorised into the following Lots:
Covers the development and integration of new and emerging ISTAR ‘Collect’ technology and techniques into the wider defence and cross-government ISTAR enterprise. Includes a broad range of conventional and novel sensing technology (incl. gravity and biometric sensing) but also Open Source (OSINT) and HUMINT data and information collection capabilities.
Covers all aspects of Defence and Security (D&S) space systems from underpinning enabling services such as space-specific analysis; fundamental and applied space research for areas such as the space environment; design and manufacture of space equipment and sub-systems; space launch and range; through-life operation of satellites (including groundstation), or terrestrial-based space systems like those used for the surveillance of space; through to the application of space systems for defence and security exploitation/benefit.
Covers the development, testing, and evaluation of novel command and control (C2) systems to improve decision making, including the human and autonomous (machine) system elements. Includes the development of novel agile, adaptive and resilient C2 concepts for operation in constrained, degraded, or denied environments.
Covers the development of C4ISR Communications and Networks. Will aim to exploit and drive emerging concepts and technology in military and civilian communications infrastructure and include the development of policy, technology and architectural options for the provision of assured information, Information Management and Exploitation (IM/IX).
Covers the development of Synthetic Environments, Modelling and Simulation, associated tools and assessment processes to allow defence to train, exercise and prepare for operations, and to test, evaluate and assess the performance of military capabilities and the C4ISR enterprise, as well as to enhance and sustain capability to exploit of SSEs across all Defence applications.
Covers the development of Data Analytics and Information Processing tools and techniques in support of Defence’s Decision Making processes and techniques (covered in Lot 3). Includes the development and application of Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, information and visualisation and Man-Machine Interface development.
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 instructions on safeguarding classified information (e.g. a Security Aspects Letter), the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of these instructions 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 link below to the Gov.uk website provides information on the Government Security Classification.
Advertising Regime OJEU: This contract opportunity is published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the MoD Defence Contracts Bulletin and www.contracts.mod.uk GO Reference: GO-201889-DCB-12979582


Award value: 100