VLA VTN contracts finder opportunity

The Communications and Situational Awareness Team (MCS-CSA PT) which is part of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (the "Authority") intends to place a contract with Trident Maritime Systems [UK Limited] (the "Company") for the In-Service Support, including maintenance, repair and replacement component spares for communications and situational awareness equipment fitted to current [and future*] platforms including but not limited to QEC, LPD, T45, T23, RFA, T26, T31. The term of the proposed contract is envisaged to be five years (with an option for the Authority to extend the contract for an additional two years). The anticipated value of the contract [including options] will be circa £12.5 million (Twelve Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling).

Equipment items included in the scope of the proposed contract are:

i. Improved Approach Lighting (IAL). ii. Mark 3 Glide Path Indicator (GPI MK3). iii. Visual Landing Aids (VLA) systems iv. Legacy Flight Deck Lighting. v. Electro-Magnetic (EM) and Digital LOG systems. vi. AGIMET

In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 as amended (by SI 2019/697 and SI 2020/1450). 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 (in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons. In respect of GPI Mk3, IAL, AGILOG and AGILOG 2, VLA and AGIMET, these equipment items were all originally supplied in each case as complete systems by AGI Ltd involving either original development or commercial off-the-shelf purchases with subsequent modification by AGI Ltd. As the Authority does not have rights in the relevant information in the systems provided by AGI Ltd sufficient for it to provide to a third party to repair and maintain the equipment it is obliged to contract with the successor business of AGI Ltd, namely TMS UK Ltd. Only TMS UK Ltd as successor business has the expertise and know how and experience necessary to undertake the work and only they can provide the relevant safety cases on which the Authority can reasonably rely and which are sufficient for the Authority to discharge its obligations under relevant Aviation Operating Orders and Defence Standards. Furthermore even if a third party were capable of providing the services TMS UK Ltd is unwilling to licence out the ability to undertake the repairs, maintenance and spares provision to a third party. In addition, in relation to certain equipment (GPI Mk3 and IAL) TMS UK Ltd has developed bespoke testing equipment which only they