Voluntary Transparency Notice - Procurement of One (1) PFMTF (Pre Flight Message Test Facility) Rig and Two (2) STF (System Test Facility) Rig

Tender description

The Apache Project Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence ("MoD"), intends to place a single source, Qualifying Defence Contract (QDC) with Leonardo MW Ltd by May 2020 to deliver on aspects of the Apache Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) in manufacturing a UK Apache AH 64E PFMTF rig. The Contract will be awarded on the basis of a 54-month contracting period (18-month manufacturing including a 36 month telephone support package). It is considered that this Contract can be placed using the Negotiated Procedure Without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice pursuant to Article 28(1)(e) of Directive 2009/81/EC (Regulation 16(1) (a) (ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011) for technical reasons. This is because of the nature of the DAS being a commercially available Modified off-the-shelf (MCOTS) item that goes into the flight management system. The Authority could not work within the airworthiness and safety case if we contracted a non-authorised and accredited person to work on this requirement. Leonardo MW Ltd are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Design Organisation (DO) for the DAS system, Apache AGP and Mk1 HIDAS system so are in a unique position to conduct the development and validation activity required on this requirement. They are the only supplier with access to the necessary knowledge base and exclusive technical information along with direct access to the design, qualification and certification data to be able to conduct the work required. The Authority procurement timescales envisage the ITN being issued to Leonardo MW Ltd Jan/Feb 20 with a contract award by May 20.