Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2023/S 000-021970/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
Town: Kings Lynn
Postal code: PE33 9NP
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Elaine Shelford
Email: Elaine.Shelford750@mod.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address: www.contracts.mod.uk

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: Procurement of Common Access Cards
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 72611000
II.1.3) Type of contract Services
II.1.4) Short Description:
Procurement contract to provide Common Access Cards.
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:192000.00
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Supplies contract for the procurement of Common Access Cards

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 prior publication(in accordance with Article 32 of Directive 2014/24/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: 708561451
Title: Procurement of Common Access Cards

V.2) Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:2023-07-28
V.2.2) Information about tenders
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: IdenTrust
Postal address: 5225 Wiley Post Way
Town: Salt Lake City
Postal code: UT 84116
Country: United States
Nuts code:
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: Lightning Delivery Team
Town: Kings Lynn
Postal code: PE33 9NP
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: elaine.shelford750@mod.gov.uk

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2023-07-28

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 prior publication of a call for competition in accordance with Article
32 of Directive 2014/24/EU
No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to
restricted procedure
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 Lightning II Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to place a 4 year contract with IdenTrust for the procurement of common access cards (CACs) enabling access to F-35 software applications hosted by the US Government. The contract has an estimated total value of £192,000 VAT inclusive. In accordance with the provisions of The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 SI No. 2020/1319, this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 as amended (in particular by SI 2020/1319). Prior publication of a Contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with Regulation 32(b)(ii) of the PCR 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons.
The F-35 Program utilises a number of aircraft maintenance tools, provided as software applications, for which the UK Lightning Delivery Team (LDT) needs access via the Partner Nation Supplier, Lockheed Martin. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is required to access these applications and the 2FA is provided by the ECA Medium Token Assurance Certificate on a CAC supplied by Identrust, as one of only two U.S. DoD approved suppliers. Purchase of the CACs from IdenTrust provides a digital profile and user certificate which is associated with a user profile for the associated Program application. Previously with fewer applications and associated users CACs were purchased in low value batches. Work was also undertaken separately by UK MOD to update the MOD Official Network to test and install IdenTrust’s ActivClient software to provide approved users direct access via the IdenTrust CACs to the F-35 maintenance applications. A change away from IdenTrust would block access to the maintenance applications and leave UK MOD unable to fulfil its obligations under the F-35 Program and create a significant capability gap in performing key functions required to support F-35 operations.