Fast Maritime Target Drone (FMTD) Support

The Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a 3 year contract with a value of £945,750.00 to L3Harris Autonomous Surface Vehicles Limited for the provision of Fast Maritime Target Drone (FMTD) general maintenance, repair, support, and operation of the FMTDs during ships trials. 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 (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the PCR 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons. This is because L3 Harris Autonomous Surface Vehicles Limited own and have access to the required technology, information and systems that are necessary to operate, support, maintain and repair the 5 FMTDs owned by the MOD. In addition, only L3 Harris Autonomous Surface Vehicles Limited have the suitable skills, know-how and experience to control, maintain, and repair these FMTDs as they have developed and installed the technology that is currently used in operation. The MOD does not own, nor does it have a right to provide to third parties the technological information and documentation required to fulfil this requirement.