Defence services

Tender description

The Air to Air Missiles (AAM) Project Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to place a new contract to extend the support of Rangeless Airborne Instrumented De-Briefing System (‘RAIDS’) for RAF Fast Jet Squadrons with MBDA UK Ltd ‘MBDA’) for a period of 18 months starting 1 October 2020. The value of this extension is GBP 1 798 billion. AAM PT intends to place a new contract to support of RAIDS with MBDA for 18 months starting 1 October 2020. This contract can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication 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) because competition is absent for technical reasons as MBDA is the only economic operator with the required level of expertise to support the requirement. MBDA are the design authority for the heavy-weight pod and the bespoke harnesses. There are C of D’s which are derived and held by MBDA. Failure to implement suitable support would jeopardise the training and full post-flight debriefing. It is considered only MBDA are suitably qualified and experienced to provide the support, as well as offering an acceptable level of risk to the safety and maintenance of the capability.