C17CSAE/0005 - Supply of BT series Parachute Systems & PDS

The C17CSAE Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence ("MOD"), intends to amend an existing contract with Safran Electronics and Defense ("Safran") for the procurement of BT80 and BT533 parachute systems which includes the provision of Post Design Services. The amendment will be to add the procurement of a specified number of BT380 parachute systems (previously procured by MOD from Safran) and the procurement of spares for the BT80, BT380 and BT533 systems for the period January 2022 to 31 March 2024. The maximum value of the amendment is £12.938M

It is considered that this contract can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to Articles 28(1)(e) and 28(3)(f) of Directive 2009/81/EC (Regulations 16(1)(a)(ii) and 16(1)(b)(i) of the UK Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 respectively) for technical reasons and for reasons connected with the protection of exclusive rights and for additional supplies reasons.

This is because the goods and spares are to be provided in addition to the MOD's existing supplies of the same three parachute systems and a change in supplier would oblige MOD to acquire goods with different technical characteristics, which would result in incompatibility with the supplies already in service and disproportionate technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance of the existing goods. Furthermore Safran has not licensed sufficient rights to MOD or any third party to enable any third party to manufacture any of the systems or any associated spares and is the only supplier who has the ability and know-how to provide a compliant airworthiness and safety case to the reasonable satisfaction of MOD.