Defence Online

Type of document: Tender issued
Country: United Kingdom

MOD Contract Bidders Notice
GB-BRISTOL: CESTIUS Phase 1

Region Codes:: UKK11 UKK1

Section I: Contract Title
Contract Title: GB-BRISTOL: CESTIUS Phase 1

Section II: Identification Numbers
MOD Contract Notice Nr: 701005378
ITT Number: 701005378

Section III: Relevant Dates
Proposed/Estimated ITT Issue Date: 18/12/2020
Proposed/Estimated ITT Return Date: 05/02/2021
Proposed Issue Date of Contract: 07/04/2021
Proposed Completion Date of Contract: 08/04/2022

Section IV: Issuing Branch / Organisation Details
Notice Address
Official Name: Ministry of Defence, Combat Air, Combat Air Strategy Team (CAST)
Address: Combat Air Strategy Team (CAST), Spruce 2A #1202, MOD Abbey Wood
Town: Bristol
Telephone: 030 015 86259
Email: DESCAST-PYRAMID@mod.gov.uk
For attention of: Emma Hart
Postcode: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
Fax:
Internet Address:

Section V: Product / Service Descriptor Code
Industry Codes:
72231000 – Development of software for military applications.

Section VI: Summary of Requirements / Description of Work
Summary of Requirements / Description of Work: Development of software for military applications. PYRAMID was designed to transform the way that avionics mission systems are developed and supported. It provides a route to increase resilience to threat evolution, agility of capability, and enables rapid software upgrades. PYRAMID is the fundamental pillar of the Air Mission Systems Strategy, built on the principle of systematic reuse of extensible and modifiable software. It is through PYRAMID that a reusable and open core mission system architecture is being developed by the UK for both current and future systems. This approach will enable systematic re-use, reducing cost of software development, support and time to implement capability enhancements while enabling greater interoperability across systems.
A PYRAMID Reference Architecture (PRA) and PRA Exploiter’s Pack is currently being designed and developed for an Open Mission Systems solution to support the development of deployment architectures and components. The PYRAMID Reference Architecture is being exploited through several UK MOD projects.
CESTIUS is a concept-validation exercise within PYRAMID that is designed to provide feedback on the usability and ‘openness’ of the technical solution by assessing the PRA Exploiter’s Pack through an experiment in component development.
CESTIUS will comprise three (3) elements:
a. Develop PYRAMID-Compliant Software Component
b. Provide Lessons Learned on Experience/Feedback on the PRA Exploiter’s Pack
c. Deliver Component for Integration Testing and Support System Integration Activities

1. The purpose of this advert is to identify a component developer who can develop one (1) PYRAMID-Compliant software component from the three (3) candidates below, using the PYRAMID Reference Architecture Exploiter’s Pack:

a. Interlocks – This component in the weapon-release chain determines if interlocks are active or inactive to allow weapon release.
b. Time Determination – This component is used to provide absolute and relative time to the system from a time-source.
c. Simple Sensors (GPS, LINS, Temperature, Pressure) – This component is used to interface directly with the sensors and output the sensed data. Each type of sensor has a specific instance of a simple sensor designed for it.

2. Upon completion of the component development, the winning Contractor will be required to provide a feedback report to the Authority, the output of which will be vested in the Authority on the following areas of interest. The Authority wishes to test:

a. The usability of the PRA Exploiter’s Pack,
b. The need for the PRA Exploiter’s Pack for a Component Developer,
c. The benefits that the PRA Exploiter’s Pack has in setting requirements on the supplier,
d. The appropriateness of business and commercial rules, and
e. The appropriateness of compliance guidance.

3. Finally, the developed software component will be delivered for testing within a simulated environment, hosted in the Air Integration Labs at BAE Systems Warton. The system integrator will test the following:

a. The Component Developer’s compliance with PYRAMID
b. The ability to integrate the PYRAMID-Compliant component into the target environment

Section VII: Contract Strategy
Contract Strategy:

Section VIII: Contractors Invited to Bid
Contractors Invited to Bid:

Official name: Thales UK Limited
Postal Address: 350 Longwater Avenue, Green Park
City:
Postcode: RG2 6GF
Country:
ContactPoint:
For Attention Of: George Butler
Telephone: N/A
Email:
Fax:
Is a contractor classed as a SME? Not Provided
Official name: General Dynamics UK Limited
Postal Address: Castleham Road, St Leonards-on-Sea
City: Hastings
Postcode: TN38 9NJ
Country: United Kingdom
ContactPoint:
For Attention Of: Mike Shanahan
Telephone: N/A
Email:
Fax:
Is a contractor classed as a SME? Not Provided
Official name: Leonardo MW Ltd
Postal Address: Box 203, Lysander Road
City:
Postcode: BA20 2YB
Country: United Kingdom
ContactPoint:
For Attention Of: John Clarke
Telephone: N/A
Email:
Fax:
Is a contractor classed as a SME? Not Provided
Official name: ALTRAN UK Limited
Postal Address: 22 St Lawrence Street
City: Southgate
Postcode: BA1 1AN
Country: United Kingdom
ContactPoint:
For Attention Of: Ian Maciver
Telephone: N/A
Email:
Fax:
Is a contractor classed as a SME? Not Provided