Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Bristol
UK
E-mail: thomas.redmore100@mod.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
I.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
10000000
II.1.2) Main CPV code
50000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
VTN for the placement of the In Service Support of Queen Elizabeth Carrier (QEC) Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF) equipment
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (the “Authority”) intends to place a support solution with Thales UK (the “Company”) for the In-Service Support, including maintenance, repair and replacement component spares for the Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF) equipment. The term of the support is envisaged to be nine years. The anticipated value of the support will be circa £5 million (Five Million Pounds Sterling).
Equipment items included in the scope of the proposed support are:
Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)
High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF)
The reasons for placing the requirement with Thales UK are:
TACAN & HRDF equipment performs the essential functions as aids to Air Traffic Controllers for the Air Traffic management of aircraft in proximity to the ship, or fixed wing recovery of aircraft during attempts to land on board a ship at sea. As such, the Authority requires absolute confidence that repairs and maintenance are carried out in accordance with design specifications, ensuring the equipment is fit for purpose and enabling the Armed Forces to function safely. The safety mitigation that this equipment provides is a key tenet of the Certificate of Safety (Aviation) issued to each aviation-capable platform.
In respect of TACAN & HRDF equipment, there is a strict technical impracticability for a candidate other than the Company to achieve the required goals of maintaining and repairing the equipment. This is because only the Company has at its disposal the specialist know-how, extensive technical knowledge and maintenance history of the products concerned and the characteristics of the system(s) being maintained.
In respect of the TACAN & HRDF equipment, the Company is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for these systems. This range of equipment is designed to mitigate safety risks associated with Air Traffic Management and Fixed wing Recovery of aircraft on ships at sea. The Company is responsible for the overall system integrity and safe installation and operability, ensuring form fit for function is maintained and certifying that this safety-critical equipment remains fit for purpose, at both component and system level.
In respect of the TACAN & HRDF equipment, the Company is the OEM and holds all IPR rights as these equipment items were designed as a sole venture. There is a strict technical impracticability for a candidate other than the Company to achieve the required goals of maintaining and repairing the equipment. This is because only the Company has at its disposal the specialist know-how, extensive technical knowledge and maintenance history of the products and the characteristics of the system(s) being maintained.
There is a need to mitigate obsolescence issues within the TACAN equipment on the current antenna and components within the beacon transponder. The current OEM has identified the solution where there is an intent to embody, whereby any interoperability issues of other ships fitted equipment will be mitigated based on using the existing OEM of the equipment.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
VTN for the placement of the In Service Support of Queen Elizabeth Carrier (QEC) Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF) equipment
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (the “Authority”) intends to place a support solution with Thales UK (the “Company”) for the In-Service Support, including maintenance, repair and replacement component spares for the Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF) equipment. The term of the support is envisaged to be nine years. The anticipated value of the support will be circa £5 million (Five Million Pounds Sterling).
Equipment items included in the scope of the proposed support are:
Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)
High Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF)
The reasons for placing the requirement with Thales UK are:
TACAN & HRDF equipment performs the essential functions as aids to Air Traffic Controllers for the Air Traffic management of aircraft in proximity to the ship, or fixed wing recovery of aircraft during attempts to land on board a ship at sea. As such, the Authority requires absolute confidence that repairs and maintenance are carried out in accordance with design specifications, ensuring the equipment is fit for purpose and enabling the Armed Forces to function safely. The safety mitigation that this equipment provides is a key tenet of the Certificate of Safety (Aviation) issued to each aviation-capable platform.
In respect of TACAN & HRDF equipment, there is a strict technical impracticability for a candidate other than the Company to achieve the required goals of maintaining and repairing the equipment. This is because only the Company has at its disposal the specialist know-how, extensive technical knowledge and maintenance history of the products concerned and the characteristics of the system(s) being maintained.
In respect of the TACAN & HRDF equipment, the Company is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for these systems. This range of equipment is designed to mitigate safety risks associated with Air Traffic Management and Fixed wing Recovery of aircraft on ships at sea. The Company is responsible for the overall system integrity and safe installation and operability, ensuring form fit for function is maintained and certifying that this safety-critical equipment remains fit for purpose, at both component and system level.
In respect of the TACAN & HRDF equipment, the Company is the OEM and holds all IPR rights as these equipment items were designed as a sole venture. There is a strict technical impracticability for a candidate other than the Company to achieve the required goals of maintaining and repairing the equipment. This is because only the Company has at its disposal the specialist know-how, extensive technical knowledge and maintenance history of the products and the characteristics of the system(s) being maintained.
There is a need to mitigate obsolescence issues within the TACAN equipment on the current antenna and components within the beacon transponder. The current OEM has identified the solution where there is an intent to embody, whereby any interoperability issues of other ships fitted equipment will be mitigated based on using the existing OEM of the equipment.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/10/2025
End:
30/09/2028
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
option years may be added
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
Competitive procedure with negotiation
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
18/07/2025
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
07/07/2025