ISTEC Combined Support Contract

Concepts

• support contract
• bristol
• firearms and ammunition
• provision of support services
• provision of a technical support service
• istec
• awarded contract
• 5-year period
• repair and maintenance
• respect of weapon

Location

Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath Area:

Description

The awarded contract is for the provision of support services in respect of weapon and sight mount systems. The contract will be for 5-year period and will include the provision of a technical support service and the procurement of additional in-service systems if required.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 50620000 - Repair and maintenance services of firearms and ammunition

Legal Justification

The Dismounted Close Combat programme team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, has placed a 5-year contract with ISTEC Services Ltd for the Combined Support, Supply and Repair of in-service weapon and sight mount systems with the provision to procure additional systems if required. It is considered that this Contract will be placed using the Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) and 16(1)(b)(i) of the UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons. This is because ISTEC Services Ltd are the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) and are the only economic entity with the necessary technical data, knowledge and expertise, and proprietary documentation maintained by the DA necessary to provide the required technical support and undertake any Post Design Services to ensure it complies with the Authority’s specification and maintains operational performance and effectiveness of the in-service mount systems. Without access to the proprietary documentation, technical drawings, tooling and test equipment, specific manufacturing processes and knowledge and expertise, any goods or services provided by another entity would require new testing, new verification and validation to ensure that the safety and suitability for service of the systems, operational performance and effectiveness, and the interoperability with other weapons and platforms is not compromised and that the Safety Case for the system is not invalidated. A change of supplier would also oblige the Authority to acquire goods having different technical characteristics, resulting in incompatibility between the existing platforms and weapons, affecting the support, technical publications and documentation, training, and logistics of a multiple platform fleet from that already provided and currently in-service. There would also be disproportionate cost, time and technical difficulties incurred to the Authority associated with introducing new items into the Authority’s supply chain and inventory.

Other Information

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