Provision of Smoke Dye for the RAF Aerobatic Team

Concepts

• dyes and pigments
• raf aerobatic team
• bristol
• itn
• supply of smoke dye
• provision of smoke dye
• provision of aerobatic smoke dye
• raf scampton
• provision of dye
• blue smoke dyes

Location

Lincolnshire: The DE&S procurement team is based in Bristol. Dye trials as part of this competition are to be conducted at RAF Scampton. Product delivery is expected to be to RAF Scampton / RAF Waddington.

Description

Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is inviting potential providers to participate in a competition for the supply of smoke dye for the RAF Aerobatic Team (the ‘Red Arrows’). The contract will run from 2022-2025, with options to extend for a further 2 years.

Total Quantity or Scope

Introduction DE&S is inviting Potential Providers to take part in a competition for the provision of aerobatic smoke dye for the RAF Aerobatics Team (the ‘Red Arrows’). The winning supplier will be awarded a contract for the provision of dye until 2025 (i.e. a 3 year term), with options to extend for a further 2 years. --- Requirement The requirement is for the provision of red and blue smoke dyes made to the specification of DefStan 68-272 Issue 1 [in order to access DefStan 68-272 potential providers are requested to register on the public version of StanMIS at https://www.dstan.mod.uk/StanMIS/Account/Register]. The contract will run until 2025, with two additional 12-month extension options. It is expected that the quantity of dye required will be an annual provision of 16,500 - 25,000 litres of red and 16,500 - 25,000 litres of blue dye, as determined by the annual flying schedule. The dye is to be delivered in suitable containers in 1-2 batches per year (or as required) to RAF bases including RAF Scampton, RAF Waddington, or other locations as specified. There may also be additional bespoke requirements, such as for different colours beyond red and blue, or ad-hoc orders beyond the core annual provision. Further detail will be provided in the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN). It is anticipated that the first delivery of dye will be required for September 2022. --- PQQ Evaluation The Authority will use a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to select a maximum of three (3) Potential Providers to invite to tender for provision of the service. The criteria for selection of the Potential Providers is detailed in the Guidance and Evaluation Criteria document attached to the PQQ. Unsuccessful Potential Providers will be issued with a debrief letter and excluded from further stages of the competition. In the event that fewer than three Potential Providers meet the minimum criteria of the PQQ, the Authority reserves the right to take through fewer than three to the next stage. --- Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) Following the PQQ, successful Potential Providers will be issued with an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) for the provision of the service. It is anticipated that the ITN will seek responses in three areas: 1) A Technical response, which will include responses to questions as well as a full ground and flight trial of Potential Providers' smoke dye; 2) A Social Value response; 3) A Commercial/Price response. Finalised weightings and evaluation criteria will be provided at the ITN stage. After submission of initial tenders, Potential Providers may be invited to a round of negotiations, with further details to be provided in the ITN. Please note that the Authority reserves the right to award the contract without any rounds of negotiation. --- Dye Trials Potential Providers selected to progress to the ITN stage will be required to provide dye to be tested in ground equipment and in air trials. These trials are expected to take place at RAF Scampton over a week in 2022 to be determined by the flying programme, and no earlier than w/c Monday 31 January 2022. Confirmed dates for trials will be issued with the ITN. Dye to trial will be required at RAF Scampton the week prior to trials. It is anticipated that Potential Providers will be required to supply 400 litres of each colour (400 red, 400 blue) to be tested. This is to provide enough Smoke Dye to cover a range of ground and air tests, to be detailed in the ITN. Please note, Potential Providers will be required to cover all costs of manufacture & delivery of dye samples. Instructions for preparation and delivery of the dye samples will be provided with the ITN. Providers unable to provide dye to trial will be automatically excluded. --- Other Notes It should be noted that this is a separate requirement to that advertised in the recently published RFI [tender_282616/987224] relating to R&D of a future dye solution, which is being conducted separately. Additional information: The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.

Renewal Options

There will be two (2) additional option years included in the contract, each lasting twelve (12) months. It will be at the Authority's discretion as to whether to take up these options.

CPV Codes

• 24200000 - Dyes and pigments
• 24211000 - Zinc oxide and peroxide, titanium oxide, dyes and pigments
• 24212600 - Hydroxides for dyes and pigments
• 98316000 - Dyeing services

Indicators

• This is a one-off contract (no recurrence)
• Options are available.
• Renewals are not available.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **