Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2020-05-26
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, Land Equipment, Dismounted Close Combat (DCC)
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 35720000: Intelligence and surveillance systems
Estimated value: 15000000 GBP

Technical requirements: The Soldier Training and Special Programmes Team (‘STSP’), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (‘MoD’) intends to award a single source framework agreement to Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics GMBH (‘Rheinmetall’) for the supply of Laser Light Modules Mark 3 (‘LLM Mk3’). The framework agreement is for a duration of 5 years with a potential value up to an estimate of GBP 15 m (Exc VAT).
Rheinmetall are the only supplier of the LLM Mk3. The LLM Mk 3 cannot be purchased from a supplier other than Rheinmetall as this would oblige the MoD to acquire goods with different technical characteristics to those already in service. This would result in technical incompatibility with the existing goods; disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance of the existing goods and safety concerns.
The Soldier Training and Special Programmes Team (‘STSP’), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (‘MoD’) intends to award a single source framework agreement to Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics GMBH (‘Rheinmetall’) for the supply of Laser Light Modules Mark 3 (‘LLM Mk3’). The framework agreement is for a duration of 5 years with a potential value up to an estimate of GBP 15 m (Exc VAT).
It is considered that this framework agreement can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication pursuant to Article 28(1)(e) of Directive 2009/81/EC (Regulations 16 (1)(a)(ii) of the UK Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations 2011) for technical reasons.
This is because Rheinmetall are the only supplier of the LLM Mk3. The LLM Mk 3 cannot be purchased from a supplier other than Rheinmetall as this would oblige the MoD to acquire goods with different technical characteristics to those already in service. This would result in technical incompatibility with the existing goods; disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance of the existing goods and safety concerns.
Introducing a second laser light module which has different functionality to the existing fleet would carry unacceptable safety and technical risks, ultimately resulting in a potential risk to life. The introduction of a new laser into service which would have a different approach to laser safety would require a disproportionate management of two fleets of high powered lasers, with resultant safety risks compared to the management of a single fleet where a high level of control and assurance can be employed.
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-2020522-DCB-16603820


Winner: Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics GmbH
Award value: 15000000