Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

Notice Type:MOD Contract Notice

GB-Bristol: Project ASPARKLE
Region Codes: UKG21

Section I: Contract Title
1. Contract Title: GB-Bristol: Project ASPARKLE
2. Section (DIO only):

Section II: Identification Numbers
1. MOD Contract Notice Nr: 700020294

Section III: Relevant Dates
1. Deadline for Expression of Interest: 28/02/2020
2. Proposed/Estimated ITT Issue Date: 15/05/2020
3. Proposed/Estimated ITT Return Date: 15/09/2020
4. Proposed Issue Date of Contract: 01/02/2021
5. Proposed Completion Date of Contract: 31/03/2031

Section IV: Issuing Branch / Organisation Details
1. Notice Address
Ministry of Defence, Land Equipment, Soldier Training and Special Programmes
#8207, Rowan 0c, MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, BS34 8JH, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 3067982475, Email: DESLESTSP-SPCME-TENDERS@mod.gov.uk
Contact: DES LE STSP-Comrcl-Offr5b, Attn: DES LE STSP-Comrcl-Offr5b

Section V: Product / Service Descriptor Code
1. Industry Codes:
35730000 – Electronic warfare systems and counter measures.
CB27-2 – Integrated

Section VI: Summary of Requirements / Description of Work, Goods and Services
1. Summary of Requirements / Description of Work: Electronic warfare systems and counter measures. Project ASPARKLE
a. DE&S SPCME DT ‘the Authority’ has a requirement for a through-life integrator to procure, integrate, modify and provide through-life software and other technical support to an agile, modular, flexible suite of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Electronic Countermeasures (ECM). It is intended that the capability will be deployed with the future EOD ECM vehicle, for use in the UK Mainland and Northern Ireland
b. The requirement is classified, thus further information will be held in AWARD® Software (see below for further details on AWARD®). A link to self-register for access and details of the response protocol is provided at serial b. in the section below.
c. The supplier will be responsible, in full, for delivering against the Statement of Requirement. Roles and responsibilities are:
• Deliver the capability: Perform the role of integrator, bringing together best-in-class techniques, hardware and software solutions from across the market, and applying P3M, engineering and ILS management expertise to deliver the capability.
• Capability Assurance: Work collaboratively with UK MoD, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and the current ECM portfolio providers to demonstrate that the capability meets the Statement of Requirement.
• System Integration and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): Integrate the capability with the EOD ECM vehicle, and where required other complimentary EOD capabilities (including provision of interfaces). Work collaboratively with UK MoD, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and the current ECM portfolio providers to ensure continuing coherence across the electromagnetic environment (EME)
• Capability Modification: As required and authorised by the DT, modify the capability in accordance with the Statement of Requirement, sourcing the market by way of competitive tendering to achieve Value for Money (VfM).
• Capability Management: Apply through-life engineering and ILS management best-practice to regularly review system components, and facilitate updates if necessary, to ensure that overall, the capability maintains coverage against the targets for the duration of the contract. Finally, to provide a suitable handover service to a future capability provider.
d. The through-life integrator and any sub-contractors or partners may require facility security clearance at SECRET UK EYES ONLY (List X). The security requirements for List X must be complied with. This is available to view in the ASPARKLE dataroom.
e. All protectively marked information and equipment must be handled appropriately in accordance with JSP 440. The SAL provides guidance on how project and equipment will be marked. This is available to view in the ASPARKLE dataroom.
f. The Authority intends to award a contract for four years, for the delivery of the requirement and initial in-service period; with an optional period of three priced, separate, two-year options (up to a total of ten years).

ASPARKLE Dataroom and Tendering Process:
a. The Authority are using Commerce Decisions’ AWARD® solution to manage the PQQ and contract tendering process. Any question or clarification relating to the use of AWARD® should be directed to the AWARD Help Desk: 0845 652 0252/01235 431100 OR email: support@commercedecisions.com
b. A link to self-register for access to the ASPARKLE documentation is at:
The Authority will be responsible for approving access to the tender pack; decisions on access will be processed within two (2) working days of self-registration. The closing date for self-registration will be aligned to the closing date for the PQQ. In considering the submission of a PQQ, the potential respondent should note the window for submission of clarification questions, noted at serial h.
c. To support the consideration of bids and provide updates to all potential respondents, the Authority has compiled a range of supporting information available in an ASPARKLE dataroom, which is available once registration has been approved.
d. Should companies bid as part of a consortium or joint venture, the PQQ response should be submitted by a lead bidder, at the discretion of those companies.
e. All fully compliant PQQ responses will be marked. The highest scoring six responses will be taken forward to the next stage in the tendering process. where an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) will be sent to successful respondents.
f. The selection criteria in the PQQ contains both pass/fail questions and scored questions. A PQQ response that scores a fail against any pass/fail question will be deemed non-compliant. A breakdown of the confidence criteria and associated weighting is in the ASPARKLE Project area on AWARD®
g. In addition to assessing potential suppliers’ economic and financial standing, the Authority will expect financial transparency from the contracted supplier.
h. Once their registration to the ASPARKLE project area has been approved, companies will be able to ask clarification questions of the Authority. The window for submission of clarification questions will close at 17:00 GMT on 17/01/20. The Authority will process these clarification questions and respond during the window 20/01/20-31/01/20. All clarification questions will be responded to by no later than close of business 31/01/20. Where companies intend to form a consortium or joint venture, the lead bidder should confirm whether the clarification contains proprietary information. In absence of any such statement, the Authority will issue a response to all companies.
i. Version 1.0 of the capability System Requirements Document (SRD) will be provided with the ITN.

The estimated annual Contract value is circa £15m over the initial 3 year period, reducing during the in-service phase, if the estimated annual contract value is greater than 25% of the supplier’s turnover, the authority reserves the right to exclude the supplier from being selected to tender except where the supplier provides, to the satisfaction of the authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability, for example, such evidence may include:
(1) any additional information to prove sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement; and
(2) stating if the supplier is willing to provide the authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond.

How to express interest:
Interested suppliers are required to complete the PQQ by 17:00 GMT on 28/02/2020, to provide the Authority with information to evaluate the supplier’s capacity and capability against the selection criteria.
The Authority will use the PQQ response to create a shortlist of tenderers who:
(1) are eligible to participate;
(2) fulfil any minimum economic, financial, professional and technical standards; and
(3) best meet in terms of capacity and capability the selection criteria set out in the PQQ.
Full details of the method for choosing the tenderers will be as set out in the PQQ.”

In relation to the PQQ, please note that:
• A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier’s financial status. An overall pass / fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation may be utilised as part of this process.
• In the event that part of your PQQ response relies on evidence relating to an intended sub-contractor, that your response to the QMS question must include not only the certification information relating to the legal entity responding to the PQQ, but also relating to the sub-contractors whose evidence is being relied upon.
• where the suppliers response is limited to a certain number of words or pages, diagrams are permitted within the page count.
• Suppliers successful at PQQ will be issued an Invitation to Negotiate document by the Authority, responses will be evaluated and supplier who meet minimum criteria will be invited to negotiate their bid prior to a final evaluation and the award decision. Full details of the Authority’s evaluation criteria will included in the ITN document.
Potential suppliers are to note that subject to the Cyber Security Model set out in Def Stan 05-138 “Cyber Security for Defence Suppliers” this requirement has been assigned a cyber risk profile of MODERATE and security controls will be required.

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 a Security Aspects Letter, the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of the Security Aspects Letter 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.
2. Main Place of Performance or Delivery: Telford and Wrekin
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 C: 20M – 100M GBP

Section IX: QA Standards
1. QA Standards: BS EN ISO 9001 with appropriate scope

Section XII: Additional Information
1. Additional Information:
Suppliers interested in working with the MOD should register on its Supplier Information Database (SID), available at www.contracts.mod.uk. The SID is a catalogue of potential suppliers available to all MOD procurement staff, and is the main supplier database used by MOD. Please note that the registration and publication of a company profile on the SID does not mean or imply that the supplier has in any way been vetted or approved by the MOD. Suppliers wishing to compete for a contract opportunity must respond to any specific call for competition by submitting a separate expression of interest in accordance with the instructions in the contract notice.

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.

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