MHC Procurement of IVER 4 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)

Concepts

• unmanned underwater vehicles
• mhc procurement of iver
• autonomous underwater vehicles
• bristol
• procurement of iver
• auvs
• iver
• operational capability
• mhc team
• part of the wilton

Location

Portsmouth: L3Harris ASV Ltd, Portchester, Fareham

Description

Procurement of IVER4 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for the MHC Team. The AUVs are to be deployed as part of the Wilton operational capability.

Total Quantity or Scope

Procurement of 3 x IVER4 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for the MHC Team.

Award Detail

Renewal Options

The proposed contract will contain contractual options for both the procurement of one further IVER4 AUV system and associated ancillary equipment, and for training courses related to the operation and maintenance of the IVER4 systems.

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 35512400 - Unmanned underwater vehicles

Indicators

• Options are available.

Legal Justification

Ship Acquisition, which is part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), proposes to place a contract with L3Harris Autonomous Surface Vehicles Ltd (Company Registration Number: 03689515) (“the Company”) for the provision of three (3) IVER4 580 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) (“the Systems”) to be integrated into an element of the Royal Navy’s underwater mine countermeasures capability (Wilton). The Systems are to be procured as a replacement for existing equipment, procured under a previous MOD contract. The Systems each comprise the following: IVER4 580 EP AUV and IVER4 Swappable Battery 8 Section with Spare Tail, along with technical information (“the Goods”). The Contract will also include options for the UK MOD to procure Operator and Maintainer Training for the Systems and an additional IVER4 580 System and supporting ancillary equipment from the Company if exercised during the term of the contract. The contract has an estimated value of £2M (two million pounds) at the time of contract placement and an estimated duration of seven (7) months. In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations (DSPCR) 2011 as amended (in particular by SI 2019/697 and SI 2020/1450). It is considered that this contract can be placed using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to Regulation 16(1)(b)(i) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011. Procuring the Systems from a manufacturer other than the Company would mean the MOD would be obligated to acquire equipment that would have substantively different technical characteristics to existing equipment that is in operational use within the Wilton capability. Introducing Systems with different technical characteristics into the Wilton capability would result in incompatibility with, and cause disproportionate technical difficulties in the maintenance of, the existing equipment. The incompatibilities and technical difficulties which would arise are related to the physical and software-related modifications that have been made by the Authority to the Wilton Unmanned Surface Vessels and its subsystems, in addition to Wilton supporting equipment. In accordance with Regulation 16(3) the proposed contract term between the UK MOD with the Company does not exceed five (5) years in duration. [END]

Other Information

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