Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2020-05-15
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: 35300000: Weapons, ammunition and associated parts
Estimated value: 4500000 GBP
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The authority requires the provision of a combined support contract for the in-service C8 Rifles and Ancillaries for an initial term of 3-years, with an option to extend for a further 2-years.
The authority intends to place a combined support contract that will include the ability to procure C8 Rifles and Ancillaries currently in-service across the UK Commands to meet any additional requirements.
Options will be available on the contract to extend the term of the contract for a further 2-years. Options will be available on the contract to procure additional Rifles and Ancillaries from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
The Dismounted Close Combat programme team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place a 3-year contract with one 2-year option, for the Combined Support and Supply of the C8 Rifle and Ancillaries with Colt Canada Corporation.
It is considered that this contract can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice 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. Colt Canada Corporation are the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) for the in-service C8 Rifles and hold exclusive rights to the IPR, technical data, knowledge and expertise, and proprietary documentation maintained by the DA necessary to provide the required support and modification to the in-service fleet of weapons. This includes; technical drawings, tooling and test equipment, and specific manufacturing processes that includes software programming, and undertake any post design services to underwrite any changes or modifications that ensures the operational performance and effectiveness of the weapon is not compromised or invalidates the safety case for the weapon system.
Without access to the proprietary documentation, knowledge and expertise, any technical support and advice provided by another supplier would require new testing, new verification and validation to ensure that the safety and suitability for service of the systems and the interoperability with both the weapons and platforms is not compromised. A change of supplier would also oblige the authority to acquire goods having different technical characteristics which would result in incompatibility between the existing platforms and weapons and the goods to be included under the contract. There would also be disproportionate cost, time and technical difficulties incurred to the authority associated with introducing new items into the authority’s supply chain and inventory that would affect the support, technical publications and documentation, training and logistics (of a multiple platform fleet) from that already provided in current service.
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-2020513-DCB-16547686


Winner: Colt Canada Corporation
Award value: 4500000