713095450 - MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply - Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN)

{
  "awards": [
    {
      "hasSubcontracting": true,
      "id": "013796-2025-713095450-1",
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ],
      "status": "active",
      "subcontracting": {
        "competitive": true
      },
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-143339",
          "name": "Thales UK Limited"
        }
      ],
      "title": "MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply"
    }
  ],
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-143338",
    "name": "Ministry of Defence"
  },
  "contracts": [
    {
      "awardID": "013796-2025-713095450-1",
      "dateSigned": "2025-04-08T00:00:00+01:00",
      "id": "013796-2025-713095450-1",
      "status": "active",
      "title": "MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply",
      "value": {
        "amount": 100000000.0,
        "currency": "GBP"
      }
    }
  ],
  "date": "2025-04-08T17:35:56+01:00",
  "description": "This notice is not a request for expressions of interest so please do not apply to be invited to tender. This notice advises that the Authority has decided to negotiate a contract with Thales UK Ltd on a Single Source QDC basis and is published for the purpose of transparency. If you are interested in becoming a sub-contractor for this requirement, you should apply directly to the supplier named in this notice.",
  "id": "013796-2025",
  "initiationType": "tender",
  "language": "en",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-04ff2e",
  "parties": [
    {
      "address": {
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "postalCode": "BS34 8JH",
        "region": "UKK12",
        "streetAddress": "Mine Hunting Capability Team, SPRUCE 3C, NH1, MoD Abbey Wood, Filton"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "garry.ogborne100@mod.gov.uk",
        "name": "Mr Garry Ogborne"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "description": "Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions",
            "id": "MINISTRY",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE"
          },
          {
            "description": "Defence",
            "id": "02",
            "scheme": "COFOG"
          }
        ],
        "url": "http://www.des.mod.uk"
      },
      "id": "GB-FTS-143338",
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Ministry of Defence"
      },
      "name": "Ministry of Defence",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ]
    },
    {
      "address": {
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "locality": "Reading",
        "postalCode": "RG2 6GF",
        "region": "UKJ11",
        "streetAddress": "350 Longwater Avenue, Green Park"
      },
      "details": {
        "scale": "large",
        "url": "https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/countries/europe/united-kingdom"
      },
      "id": "GB-FTS-143339",
      "identifier": {
        "id": "00868273",
        "legalName": "Thales UK Limited"
      },
      "name": "Thales UK Limited",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ]
    },
    {
      "address": {
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "locality": "Bristol",
        "postalCode": "BS34 8JH",
        "streetAddress": "Spruce 3C, NH1, MoD Abbey Wood, Filton"
      },
      "id": "GB-FTS-143340",
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Mine Hunting Capability Delivery Team"
      },
      "name": "Mine Hunting Capability Delivery Team",
      "roles": [
        "reviewBody"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "tender": {
    "classification": {
      "description": "Command, control, communication and computer systems",
      "id": "35710000",
      "scheme": "CPV"
    },
    "description": "A contract for the supply of up to a maximum of 8 (eight) Remote Command Centre(s) (\u201cRCCs\u201d) as part of the Authority\u2019s Mine Hunting Capability (\u201cMHC\u201d), to be procured under the DSPCR 2011 Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice.",
    "id": "713095450 VTN",
    "items": [
      {
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKK23"
          }
        ],
        "deliveryLocation": {
          "description": "Thales UK Ltd, Throop Road, Templecombe, BA8 0DH"
        },
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      }
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32009L0081",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "lots": [
      {
        "awardCriteria": {
          "criteria": [
            {
              "description": "100",
              "name": "compliance with requirements of tendering and agreement of appropriate terms and conditions."
            }
          ]
        },
        "description": "The requirement for the Authority\u2019s MHC team covers: \n1.\tThe requirement to integrate the currently disparate and separately controlled range of key MHC platforms and autonomous capabilities into the Thales MMCM RCC to deliver a single, unified RCC, thereby allowing integrated command, control and operation of the full range of MHC platforms, systems and sub-systems. \n2.\tThe potential provision of additional unified RCCs \u2013 to the same or slightly amended specification.\n3.\tThe provision of associated software, training and SME technical advice in support of the integration activities and wider MHC capability delivery.",
        "hasOptions": true,
        "id": "1",
        "options": {
          "description": "The proposed contract will include 3 options for an additional 12 months each in duration."
        }
      }
    ],
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
    "procurementMethod": "limited",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Negotiated without publication of a contract notice",
    "procurementMethodRationale": "The Secretary of State for Defence, acting through DE\u0026S (the \u201cAuthority\u201d) intends to award Thales UK Limited (\u201cThales\u201d) a direct contract for the supply of up to a maximum of 8 (eight) [Remote Command Centre(s) (\u201cRCC \u201d)] as part of the Authority\u2019s Mine Hunting Capability (\u201cMHC\u201d). The proposed contract duration will be for a maximum of 72-months, comprising a fixed 36-month period with three 12-month (consecutive) options. The total value of the proposed contract is up to a maximum of \u00a3100,000,000.00 (one hundred million pounds).\nThe requirement for the Authority\u2019s MHC team covers: \n1.\tThe requirement to integrate the currently disparate and separately controlled range of key MHC platforms and autonomous capabilities into the Thales MMCM RCC to deliver a single, unified RCC, thereby allowing integrated command, control and operation of the full range of MHC platforms, systems and sub-systems. \n2.\tThe potential provision of additional unified RCCs \u2013 to the same or slightly amended specification.\n3.\tThe provision of associated software, training and SME technical advice in support of the integration activities and wider MHC capability delivery.\nIn 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 (in particular 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. \nIt is considered that the award of a contract to Thales using the negotiated procedure 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 DSPCR 2011 (as amended) for technical reasons. \nThis is because the Authority has identified a strict technical impracticality for a supplier other than Thales to achieve the Authority\u2019s technical requirements as it is necessary to use specific knowledge, tools or means which only Thales currently has at its disposal. More specifically, the Thales RCC has been developed as part of the International collaborative Maritime Mine Counter Measures (\u201cMMCM\u201d) programme and makes extensive use of Thales\u2019 background Technical information and know-how, to deliver a technically complex and mature capability, providing the essential safe-to-operate and operationally-secure remote command and control for the complex MMCM system of systems.  This pre-existing RCC will form the basis for the new combined RCC, into which other hardware and software elements will be integrated. \nThe absence of the specific knowledge, tools or means to achieve the Authority\u2019s technical requirements prohibits other potential suppliers from effectively delivering the requirement and thus also prohibits meaningful competition. Subsequently, given the high degree of technical and safety-related complexity involved within the scope of the proposed RCC integration, and the necessity for the modification of Thales\u2019 existing RCC to ensure all software and hardware operates safely and collaboratively, Thales are the only commercial entity that possess both the relevant expertise and suitably qualified \u0026 experienced personnel to effectively deliver the totality of this requirement.",
    "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
      {
        "description": "The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development under the conditions stated in the directive",
        "id": "D_MANUF_FOR_RESEARCH",
        "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL"
      },
      {
        "description": "The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons",
        "id": "D_TECHNICAL",
        "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL"
      }
    ],
    "status": "complete",
    "title": "713095450 - MHC Block 2 Remote Command Centre (RCC) Integration and Supply - Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN)"
  }
}