Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

Notice Type:MOD Contract Notice

GB-Corsham: DICE System Integrator
Region Codes: UK

Section I: Contract Title
1. Contract Title: GB-Corsham: DICE System Integrator
2. Section (DIO only):

Section II: Identification Numbers
1. MOD Contract Notice Nr: 701097377

Section III: Relevant Dates
1. Deadline for Expression of Interest: 12/03/2021
2. Proposed/Estimated ITT Issue Date: 19/04/2021
3. Proposed/Estimated ITT Return Date: 25/06/2021
4. Proposed Issue Date of Contract: 13/08/2021
5. Proposed Completion Date of Contract: 31/08/2023

Section IV: Issuing Branch / Organisation Details
1. Notice Address
Defence Digital Commercial, Security Infrastructure
Room F1, Building 405, Westwells Road, MOD Corsham, Corsham, SN13 9NR, United Kingdom
Tel. 03067701848, Email: ISSComrcl-SyInfra-Group@mod.gov.uk
Contact: Mrs Lisa Jones, Attn: Lisa Jones

Section V: Product / Service Descriptor Code
1. Industry Codes:
72000000 – IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.

72222300 – Information technology services.

72260000 – Software-related services.

Section VI: Summary of Requirements / Description of Work, Goods and Services
1. Summary of Requirements / Description of Work: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support. Information technology services. Software-related services. As a part of MOD’s acknowledgement of Cyber as a Tier One risk to UK interests, a 10-year funding stream was provisioned for Defensive Cyber Capabilities (DCC). DCC Core, developed through the MOD Cyber Programme (MODCyP). This seeks to enhance MOD’s cyber capabilities in predicting, detecting and defending against cyber threat vectors across the Defence enterprise. An OFFICIAL and SECRET instance of DCC is in place within the Fixed domain, and is maturing rapidly. To further realise the DCC Vision, the MODCyP has invested in DCC in Complex Environments (DICE), the delivery project for an Above Secret (AS) instance of DCC.

1.1. In alignment with the approach taken for DCC at other tiers, DCC-AS adopts a loosely coupled, service-oriented architecture, allowing MOD-wide system and security event logging information to be centrally and subsequently exploited through a range of flexible and adaptable tools in support of a wide variety of stakeholders in DCO. The near-term aim for DCC-AS is to provide the Cyber Security Operations Capability (CSOC) with a capability that will allow DCO to benefit from the analysis of AS data alongside that from lower classifications.

1.2. The System Integrator (SI) Industry Partner will bring in SQEP resource to undertake design, new working environment (dev, data, pre-prod, prod) implementation, and testing of an extant DCC build into an AS Architecture as the core DICE architecture, followed by integration into a private cloud service, support data feed integration into a newly established DICE and subsequently support the live operational core support team.

2. Security

2.1. Delivery of DICE will require the supplier to process and have access to classified Authority information, up to and including information classified TS STRAP UKEO. In order to participate in the PQQ applicant’s attention is drawn to the requirement for Bid Team personnel to have Security Check (SC) Clearance with UK Nationality (dual British nationality is acceptable where the individual’s secondary nationality is not a country to which special security regulations apply. Please contact the Authority for further advice if required).

2.2. Information about the types of personnel security clearance and the process for obtaining these can be found at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmg-personnel-security-controls

2.3. A contract will not be awarded in respect of this procurement for the provision of the DICE unless the successful supplier’s contracting entity is:

2.3.1. Registered and operating in the UK and;

2.3.2. An entity with at least 50% of its directors (or equivalent) who are both UK nationals and resident in the UK.

3. Contract duration

3.1.   The term of the DICE – SI contract will run from 13 Aug 21 to 31 Aug 23 with an additional 1 x 12 month option from 1 Sep 23 to 31 Aug 24.

3.2. The Authority will, as a part of the evaluation (further details of this process is contained in section XII below) assess the economic and financial standing of potential suppliers of the System Integrator.

3.3. Full guidance on how the selection will be made will be given in the PQQ document.
2. Main Place of Performance or Delivery: UNITED KINGDOM
3. Can a supplier bid alone for only a part of the contract?: No
Section VII: Reverse Auction
1. Reverse Auction: No. A Reverse Auction, conducted using electronic means, will not be used as part of the procurement process for this requirement.

Section VIII: Estimated Value of Requirement
1. Estimated Value of Requirement: Category E1: 4.5M – 10M GBP

Section IX: QA Standards
1. QA Standards: Other
2. If Other please specify: All QA Standards applicable to the PQQ are included in the associated document
Section XII: Additional Information
1. Additional Information:
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.

1. Exemption and security requirements relating to the procurement

1.1. Participation in the procurement is also subject to certain security requirements. Without limiting the security conditions set out in the PQQ, a potential supplier will need to meet UK Government security and information handling requirements in accordance with the Government Security Classifications Policy.

1.2. Members of a potential Applicants bid team will also be subject to certain security clearance requirements, including (in the case of members of the bid team who will access certain classified materials) requirements relating to nationality and holding a valid UK Government security clearance. Further information will be set out in the PQQ.

2. Confidentiality requirements

2.1. In order to participate in the PQQ the Authority will require interested Applicants to enter into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) (Confidentiality Agreement Defform 94) prior to receiving the PQQ. The NDA will be made available to PQQ applicants on registration with AWARD.

2.2. The process to register is as follows:

2.2.1. Applicants wishing to register interest for the DICE SI PQQ can register via the PQQ Award Portal by following URL and completing a short registration process.

2.2.2. Before moving to the next stage, Applicants should download and complete the NDA from the documents section of the Data Room with a digital signature. A copy of the signed NDA should be uploaded into the documents section of the AWARD Data Room.

2.2.3. Applicants should also post a Signed copy of the NDA to the address detailed at Section IV.

2.2.4. Upon receipt of an acceptable copy of a correctly signed NDA from the Applicant within AWARD, the Authority will authorise access to the Applicant to the Procurement’s project room, where the PQQ is available for download.

2.2.5. The supplier should complete the PQQ in accordance with the instructions set out therein. Any clarification questions which a supplier may have in relation to the PQQ will be managed in accordance with the process (including timescales and deadlines) detailed in the PQQ.

2.2.6. The deadline for applying to the procurement by submitting a PQQ response is 1200hrs 12/03/21.

2.2.7. Details regarding how selection will be made is contained within the PQQ. At the date of this Contract Notice, the Authority intends to select up to a maximum of five (5) Applicants to participate in the next phase of the procurement.

2.2.8. All communication should be made through the PQQ AWARD Portal.

3. Other information

3.1. From 2 April 2014, the Government introduced its new Government Security Classifications Policy (GSC) to replace the previous Government Protective Marking Scheme. A key aspect of this new Policy is the reduction in the number of security classifications used. All Applicants to the Authority are encouraged to make themselves aware of the changes as they may impact on this requirement. The link below to the Gov.uk website provides information on the new GSC.

3.2. Applicants are to note that the Authority has engaged external consultants to support the procurement. These external consultants are supporting the Authority and have roles throughout the procurement process, both in drafting the procurement documentation, including selection criteria, and in evaluating applications. Appropriate Ethical Walls and Conflict of Interest regimes are in place.

3.3. Electronic Trading – the Authority has a mandatory requirement for electronic trading using the Contracting, Purchasing and Finance (CP&F) electronic procurement tool. All payments for the provision DICE SI services under the any contract awarded shall only be made via CP&F. You can find details on CP&F at

3.4. The Cyber Risk Profile associated with the procurement is “High”. The Risk Assessment Reference is: RAR-B5VDQ8DB.

3.5 Please note the PQQ will be managed through the AWARD portal as outlined in Section XII: Additional Information and reference to use of the DCO portal/Access Code below should be disregarded.
Suppliers must read through this set of instructions and follow the process to respond to this opportunity.
The information and/or documents for this opportunity are available on
You must register on this site to respond, if you are already registered you will not need to register again, simply use your existing username and password. Please note there is a password reminder link on the homepage.
Suppliers must log in, go to your Response Manager and add the following Access Code: 8JTR79JXQ4.

Please ensure you follow any instruction provided to you here.
The deadline for submitting your response(s) is detailed within this contract notice, you will also have visibility of the deadline date, once you have added the Access code via DCO as the opening and closing date is visible within the opportunity.
Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time when responding to this opportunity prior to the closing date and time, especially if you have been asked to upload documents.
If you experience any difficulties please refer to the online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) or the User Guides or contact the MOD DCO Helpdesk by emailing support@dcocontracts.mod.uk or Telephone 0800 282 324.