PIN- Naval Design Partnering - Successor (NDP-S)

The Innovation and Future Capability (IFC) Team within DE&S, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking to establish a Naval Design Partnering - Successor (NDP-S) arrangement to support its continued need for a multi-disciplinary framework of organisations to provide cost effective, adaptive, industry support to conduct pre-concept, concept and through life capability insertion studies within both Navy Develop Directorate and the wider Ships domain.

The NDP-S will provide a Core Task service that is funded directly from Navy Develop Directorate but also aims to provide a Non-Core task service to sponsors within DE&S and from other government departments.

The NDP-S arrangement shall act as a technical and commercial enabler to delivering Authority led outputs and activities that mature the requirements, design, manufacture, commissioning, and acceptance aspects required for the initiation of pre-concept, concept, assessment, production, in service and disposal phases of projects whilst being centred around delivering the Navy Develop Directorates key priorities.

The NDP-S scope will not include the procurement or through life support of any items.

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to invite the supply chain to participate in a NDP Industry Day via MS Teams prior to the commencement of a future competition for the requirement. The IFC Team will present the forward plan and objectives for the NDP-S as well as the means by which all tiers of industry can contribute to the Navy Develop Directorate's key priorities.

The IFC Team is eager to attract all tiers of the supply chain including those who may be interested in fulfilling a Prime role, as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), academic institutions and other product and service providers who are interested in being part of the NDP-S framework. In this sense, the IFC Team is seeking to engage with a diverse range of industry experts across various areas of Naval Design with the aim of exploring equal opportunity for all enterprises that may form part of the NDP-S framework. The aim of the NDP Industry Day is to provide a briefing to industry, during which the IFC Team will describe the requirement, proposed timescales and commercial approach of the NDP-S programme. We will also cover proposed changes to the current NDP framework and the mandate for the NDP-S framework to form the backbone for the evolution of concept work in the maritime domain in line with Navy Develop Directorate priorities and aspirations of the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Additional information: The session will consist of a presentation to industry with the opportunity to ask questions briefly at the end. The IFC Team intends to release a second RFI following this initial NDP Industry Day in order to collate feedback on the presentation and offer an additional opportunity to attend a variety of NDP Market Engagement sessions in person with the IFC Team. The IFC Team will also use the feedback from the NDP Industry Day to inform development of the NDP-S framework and requirement in line with our schedule.

The IFC Team intends to hold this NDP Industry Day via MS Teams on Tuesday 13th June 2023.

Attendance from Navy Develop Directorate is also expected on the day and will be chaired by IFC Director RAdm Paul Carroll.

The follow up RFI to Industry will be issued shortly after the NDP Industry Day which will provide more detail on the opportunity to attend a series of NDP Market Engagement sessions with the Authority in person in July/August 2023, location TBC. Our intent is that these sessions will present a series of pressing challenges that our RN customer currently faces to prompt meaningful dialogue with industry with a view to discussing how the NDP-S framework can contribute towards countering those challenges. Industry responses to the follow up RFI after the NDP Industry Day will help shape the format of the subsequent NDP Market Engagement sessions. As such, we are grateful for your considered feedback.

Those who are interested in participating in the NDP Industry Day on June 13th 2023 should write to the Authority at [email protected] to confirm their interest. With your expression of interest, please include:

a) Details of your company name; and

b) Point of Contact details (name, phone number, email address and postal address); and

c) Contact details of attendee's (name, phone number, email address); and

d) Confirmation of extant Security Clearance for all proposed attendees.

The deadline for expressions to participate in this Industry Day is Wednesday 07th June 2023 at 23:59. Any expression of interest received after this time may be rejected at the Authority's sole discretion. Whilst the initial NDP Industry Day is being held over MS Teams, we kindly request that no more than two representatives from each supplier are proposed to join to ensure the call and Q&A session are manageable on the day.

Following completion of the NDP Industry Day and subsequent NDP Market Engagement sessions, the Authority intends to commence a competitive procurement for NDP Prime to support NDP-S objectives. The Authority does not bind itself to enter into any contract(s) arising out of the proceedings envisaged by this PIN and the Authority will not bear any associated costs. It is also to be noted that all information that is to be supplied by the Authority is DRAFT and subject to change.