Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Defence
Salisbury
SP4 0JQ
UK
E-mail: caflynn@dstl.gov.uk
NUTS: UKK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laboratory
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/r-cloud
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
Dstl – Competitive PhD Requirements – Prior Information Notice
II.1.2) Main CPV code
73410000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is part of the UK Ministry of Defence. Historically, Dstl has run a number of individual procurement calls for a variety of PhD requirements. Each of these calls has had a different theme and application process. Dstl currently run these calls through its R-Cloud: marketplace for defence science and technology research.
Following a review of how Dstl delivers its PhD calls, Dstl is planning to run a single call (via R-Cloud) covering a number of different themes, with a single application process, instead of running multiple calls.
It is intended that this call will be formally launched during July 2023. The call will cover a number of different Technology areas, including but not limited to:
Chemical, Biological and Radiological
Advanced Materials
Comms and Networks
Sensing
Additional PhD requirements may arise during the period of this Prior Information Notice, and therefore the scope may increase to further technology areas to those stated above.
As stated above, the PhD call will be launched via the Dstl R-Cloud: Marketplace for defence science and technology research.
The way that R-Cloud operates is that you have to initially apply to join R-Cloud. Crucially, only those suppliers who are successfully registered on R-Cloud on the date of call launch (planned for the 14th July 2023) will be eligible to participate. Failure to successfully register on R-Cloud before this date will mean you will be ineligible to participate in the call. You are therefore encouraged to submit any application to join R-Cloud at your earliest opportunity.
To find out more about R-Cloud, please visit www.gov.uk/guidance/r-cloud
To formally register to join R-Cloud, and be notified of both this specific PhD call and other Dstl research funding opportunities, you can click the link on the above web-page, or alternatively visit www.rcloud.dstl.gov.uk to begin the application process. A copy of the terms and conditions which apply to any task awarded under R-Cloud are linked on this page, and you are required to accept those terms as part of your application process.
Before submitting an application to join R-Cloud, you can check if your university/public institution is already registered on R-Cloud by discussing with your university commercial departments, or alternatively visiting www.rcloud.dstl.gov.uk/capability-area/suppliers. If in doubt, contact us.
Note – Dstl does not accept R-Cloud/PhD applications from individual students or academics; if you are a student or academic you will need to approach a relevant department at a university/public institution.
This notice is issued as a Prior Information Notice and announces are intention to potentially run a PhD call. This is not issued as a formal contract notice and is not inviting expressions of interest. If you are interested in participating in any future call, please apply to join R-Cloud as set out above.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
3 500 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 10
The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots:
Each PhD Requirement will be issued as a separate lot. Where the same tenderer wins PhDs across multiple lots, Dstl will seek to award a single contract covering all such PhDs.
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
PhD: Development and application of the Crystal Sponge (CS) method for chemical attribution in defense
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd Requirement 1 of 10
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Development of Novel Binding Partners for the Identification and Quantification of Small Molecules PhD
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 2
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
PHD3 - Molecular mechanisms affecting establishments, displacement, substitution or modification of commensal microorganisms
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 3
Lot No: 4
II.2.1) Title
PHD4 - Self-driving horizontal transfer of complex genetic circuits through microbiomes
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 4
Lot No: 5
II.2.1) Title
Immobilisation of molecular amplification chemistries on surfaces for the sensing of liquid chemical warfare agent contamination
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 5
Lot No: 6
II.2.1) Title
CBFUT Materials
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 6
Lot No: 7
II.2.1) Title
AMP - FAME - Communications PHDs
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 7
Lot No: 8
II.2.1) Title
AMP - FAME - Sensing PHDs
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 8
Lot No: 9
II.2.1) Title
AMP - FAME - Novel ElectroMagnetic Effects PHDs
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 9
Lot No: 10
II.2.1) Title
AMP - FAME - Morphing PHDs
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73410000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Phd 10
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
14/07/2023
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
This notice is issued as a Prior Information Notice and announces are intention to potentially run a PhD call. This is not issued as a formal contract notice and is not inviting expressions of interest. If you are interested in participating in any future call, please apply to join R-Cloud as set out above.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
25/05/2023