Project Vampire Phase 1

Description

This is an intended modification to an existing contract for purchase and integration of payloads and spares onto existing equipment (A separate modification notice has also been published) Lot 1: The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to modify an existing contract with QinetiQ Ltd, under Contract Reference 702664450 for Project Vampire Phase 1 (the purchase of a number of air vehicles, launchers and control stations together with supporting services relating to safety and airworthiness) to include the purchase and integration of Radalt payloads and spares. There is no increase to the overall contract value, but these specific items are estimated at £150,000 to be purchased within the existing contract maximum value. In accordance with the provisions of The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 SI No. 2020/1319), this contract amendment falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended (in particular by SI 2020/1319). It is considered that the amendment of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 32(b)(ii) because competition is absent for technical reasons and 72(1)(b) of the PCR 2015 because it constitutes a permitted modification under that regulation. This is because these additional goods and services have become necessary and to introduce a change of contractor at this stage cannot be made for economic and technical reasons, as only QinetiQ has the necessary technical knowledge and design information in order to purchase compatible payloads and subsequently integrate those payloads with the existing equipment. There are specific interoperability requirements which require the payloads to work with this existing equipment to ensure that the safety and airworthiness requirements detailed in the original requirements can be met. To introduce a change in Contractor at this stage would also cause significant inconvenience, delays and substantial duplication of cost for the MOD.