Remote Aircraft Mover (RAM) - 10 Handler Chest Packs & 8 Battery Pack Units and Chargers

Concepts

• aircraft catapult systems
• portsmouth
• battery chargers
• battery packs
• handler chest packs
• remote aircraft mover
• remote aircraft movers
• chargers
• ram
• handler chest packs &

Location

Portsmouth

Description

This is a Voluntary Transparency Notices to advise of the MoD's intention to award the contract Remote Aircraft Mover (RAM) - 10 Handler Chest Packs & 8 Battery Pack Units and Chargers.

Total Quantity or Scope

The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 1 year contract with a value of £220,373.10 (Excluding VAT) to Curtiss Wright INDAL for the purchase of 10 Handler Chest Packs & 8 Battery Pack Units and Charger for the Royal Navy to support the current in-service Remote Aircraft Movers (RAM) Handlers.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 34741200 - Aircraft catapult systems
• 31158100 - Battery chargers
• 31422000 - Battery packs

Indicators

Legal Justification

The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 1 year contract with a value of £220,373.10 (Excluding VAT) to Curtiss Wright INDAL for the purchase of 10 Handler Chest Packs & 8 Battery Pack Units and Charger for the Royal Navy to support the current in-service Remote Aircraft Movers (RAM) Handlers. In accordance with the provisions of The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 SI No. 2020/1319, this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) as amended (in particular by SI 2020/1319).  Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the PCR 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons. The in-Service RAM Handlers are used to support embarked Merlin Mk2/Mk4 and Wildcat HMA aircraft. The Royal Navy needs to purchase this equipment as spares to be able to support the availability of the RAM Handler fleet out to the equipment out of service date of 31 March 2026. The requirement for these spares can only be met by Curtiss Wright INDAL as they are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and no alternative or substitutes can be used as the Chest Pack controls the RAM Handler and compatible battery packs. The units are only available through the OEM, and no Fit Form Function replacement can be used to ensure safety requirements are met. The OEM is only company that has the design drawings, patent and intellectual property of the system that is required to meet the safety requirements. As the system is safety-critical, it is imperative that the system is designed correctly as it is used to move aircraft at sea; if incorrectly designed, it could cause an aircraft to be pulled overboard and cause the loss of a multimillion-pound asset and/or endanger lives.