Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2016-10-22
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, Land Equipment, Other
Country: UK
Region: Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 35410000: Armoured military vehicles

Technical requirements: The Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV) provides the British Army's Heavy Armoured repair and recovery capability and currently has an OSD of 2035, expected to be extended to 2040. The vehicle is fitted with the Atlas 6000M8 crane system which has the capability to lift 6.5 tonnes allowing engine swaps for Heavy Armoured platforms in the field. The crane has been in-service on the CRARRV platform since 1982 and, due to growing obsolescence issues, there is a requirement to undertake a programme of work to identify replacements for the obsolete items whilst introducing increased safety to the crane system through a series of minor upgrades.
The Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV) provides the British Army's Heavy Armoured repair and recovery capability and currently has an OSD of 2035. The vehicle is fitted with the Atlas 6000M8 crane system which has the capability to lift 6.5 tonnes allowing engine swaps for Heavy Armoured platforms in the field. The crane has been in-service on the CRARRV platform since 1982 and, due to growing obsolescence issues, there is a requirement to undertake a programme of work to identify replacements for the obsolete items whilst introducing increased safety to the crane system through a series of minor upgrades.
The CRARRV crane system is manufactured and supported by Atlas Cranes UK Ltd, who are the prime suppliers and repairers for the system and associated equipments. The crane is a complete standalone system.
The Armoured Vehicles Programmes-In Service Platforms Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence intends to place a contract with Atlas Cranes UK Ltd for the modification of the Challenger Armoured Repair & Recovery Vehicle (CrARRV) Crane System, commencing after April 2017.
It is considered that this Contract can be placed using the Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication pursuant to Article 28(1)(e) of Directive 2009/81/EC (Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011) for technical reasons. This is because Atlas Cranes UK Ltd is the Design Authority for, and Original Equipment Manufacturer of, the crane system used on the CrARRV. The main equipments being replaced within the scope of this project are the key equipments within the control system, which are vital to the safe operation of the crane system. Only Atlas Cranes UK Ltd has access to the technical information, expertise, and know-how necessary to provide this modification.
If a third party was to carry out this work it would add disproportionate technical and safety risks to the modification and, future management and supportability of the equipment.
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-20161020-DCB-8980031.