DGM/2022 - Supply of Compatible Blank Ammunition

This notice is a Voluntary Transparency Notice.

Defence General Munitions Team (DGM PT), which is part of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) currently contracts the supply of Simunition™ training rounds from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Limited (GDOTS). To complete the suite of training natures, DGM PT need to procure GDOTS' proprietary 5.56mm & 9mm Securiblank™ ammunition. The estimated total value of the procurement is circa £1,750,000 (inc VAT) for a duration of 2 years, plus 5 additional annual contract options.

It is considered that this requirement can be placed using the Non-Competitive Negotiated Procedure pursuant to Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EC (Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011) - Technical Reasons.

The GDOTS Simunition™ suite used by the UK MOD consists of FX™ marking and Securiblank™ rounds. FX™ marking rounds are already in service with the UK MOD and this VTN indicates the UK MOD's intention to complete the suite by purchasing Securiblank™. When combined, these munitions will be used to facilitate less than lethal training through simulation of "real-life" battlefield missions for the armed forces. The full safety system of associated equipment is already in service, along with the weapon conversion kits that are required to fire both types of ammunition. When employed as a system, it provides a complete safe training system and therefore enhances the safety and effectiveness of training.

The Securiblank™ ammunition is interoperable in terms of design and performance with the in-service Simunition™ weapon conversion kits. The GDOTS Securiblank™ natures have a unique firing mechanism and are the only training natures compatible with the existing in-service systems. Purchasing similar Blank training systems from any other manufacturer would result in a mixed fleet of training equipment and ammunition with different performance and technical characteristics. This would result in incompatibility between the existing in-service training system and the purchased goods, leading to disproportionate technical and safety difficulties in operation and maintenance of this training capability.