Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2022/S 000-026787/EN)
Nature of contract: Service contract
Procedure: Negotiated without a call for competition
Type of bid required: Not applicable

Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Services

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Ministry of Defence
Postal address: Rowan 0c #8207, MoD Abbeywood, Bristol, BS34 8JH
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Maia Harris
Telephone: +44 3001585583
Email: maia.harris135@mod.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address:

I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: ASH In-Service Support

Reference number: 703980455
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 72300000
II.1.3) Type of contract Services
II.1.4) Short Description:
This Contract is for the In-Service Support of ASH which is a repository for safety critical information on unexploded ordinance (UXO) for use in the support of the Armed Services of the United Kingdom, in the rendering safe and disposal of UXO worldwide.
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:2200000.00
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
Main CPV code: 48731000
Main CPV code: 48732000
Main CPV code: 48750000
Main CPV code: 48771000
Main CPV code: 48781000
Main CPV code: 48782000
Main CPV code: 48783000

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Contract is for the In-Service Support of ASH which is a repository for safety critical information on unexploded ordinance (UXO) for use in the support of the Armed Services of the United Kingdom, in the rendering safe and disposal of UXO worldwide.

II.2.5) Award criteria
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: no
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice(in accordance with Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU)
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information

Section V: Award of contract/concession
Contract No: 703980455
Title: ASH In-Service Support

V.2) Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:2022-09-23
V.2.2) Information about tenders
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: DXC Technology
Postal address: 7 Bartley Wood Business Park, Bartley Way
Town: Hook
Postal code: RG27 9XA
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 7710926027
Email: Nigel.Bailey@dxc.com
Nuts code:
Internet address:
The contractor is an SME: no

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession(excluding VAT)
for framework agreements – total maximum value for this lot
for contracts based on framework agreements, if required – value of contract(s) for this lot not included in
previous contract award notices
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties

Section VI: Complementary informationVI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: Specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search (EOD&S), Exploitation & Countermeasures (SEEC)
Postal address: Rowan 0C #8207 MoD Abbeywood
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS348JH
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 3001585583
E-mail: maia.harris135@mod.gov.uk

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2022-09-23

Justification for the award of the contract without prior publication of a call for
competition in the Official Journal of the European Union
1.Justification for the choice of the negotiated procedure without publication of a call for competition in accordance with
Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU

The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment,study or development under the conditions
stated in the directive(for services and supplies only)
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
absence of competition for technical reasons

3.Explanation
Please explain in a clear and comprehensive manner why the award of the contract without prior publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
is lawful, by stating the relevant facts and, as appropriate, the conclusions of law in accordance with the directive:
The Specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search (EOD&S), Exploitation & Countermeasures (“SEEC”) Delivery Team, part of Defence Equipment & Support (“DE&S”) within the UK Ministry of Defence (“MoD”), intends to award a three-and-a-half-year contract to DXC Technology (“DXC”) for the In-Service Support of Command & Control Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Identification System, named “ASH”, with an estimated contract value of £2m. ASH is a repository for safety critical information on UXO for use in the support of the Armed Services of the United Kingdom, in the rendering safe and disposal of unexploded ordinance (UXO) worldwide. The requirement for ASH is OFFICIAL SENSITIVE but the physical computer-based system and its incorporated information operates at SECRET UK EYES ONLY. It is considered that this contract shall be placed using the regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR) 2011 for technical reasons as when, for technical reasons, the contract may be awarded only to a particular economic operator.
It is impractical to contract for this work with any supplier other than DXC, who have managed the in-service support of ASH since its introduction to service in 1996. As the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and as the designers and developers of the electronic architecture that underpins the system, DXC have a unique technical know-how and understanding of the electronic architecture that underpins the system. Contracting with a third party to undertake support to this requirement would introduce an unacceptable level of technical risk that will negatively impact the successful delivery of Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Military Aid to Civilian Authorities (MACA) and Contingent Operations. DXC are the only suppliers with the technical expertise to deliver the ASH system to the required technical specification to the satisfaction of the Authority.
The Authority is in the early stages of understanding the scope for a replacement capability beyond the ASH Out of Service Date (OSD) of 31 March 2026. Further information on that requirement shall be issued in due course.