Hydrogen In-Air Monitoring System (HIAMS) Support - Contract Award Notice

Concepts

• technical support
• hydrogen in-air monitoring system
• bristol
• atmosphere monitoring system
• air monitoring system
• hazardous concentration levels of hydrogen
• hydrogen
• air
• support - contract award notice
• post design services of the hydrogen in-air monitoring system equipment

Location

United Kingdom:

Description

The Hydrogen In Air Monitoring System (HIAMS) is an Atmosphere Monitoring system that monitors the air in the battery ventilation trunking for hazardous concentration levels of Hydrogen. The requirement is to provide Storage, Testing, Calibration and Post Design Services of the Hydrogen In-Air Monitoring System Equipment.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 71356300 - Technical support services

Legal Justification

The Secretary of State for Defence (the “Authority”) intends to enter into a services contract (the “Contract”) with KeTech LTD (the Contractor) to take effect on and from 31st April 2023 for a period of 5 years for the provision of in-service support (Test, Calibration, Repair and Storage) of the Hydrogen In-Air Monitor System (HIAMS) currently fitted to the Vanguard and Trafalgar Class Submarines. The Contract has a value of £508,000 (inc VAT). The Contract is let for 5 years. The value above is inclusive of those option years. 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 2011 as amended (in particular by SI 2019/697 and SI 2020/1450). 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 16(1)(a)(ii) of the DSPCR 2011 for technical reasons. It is believed that the services to be provided under the contract can only be supplied by the Contractor, and that therefore, competition is absent. KeTech LTD are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for HIAMS, that are fitted to Vanguard and Trafalgar Class Submarines. The HIAMS is a reliable sensitive system that continuously monitors the air in the battery ventilation trunking for potentially hazardous concentrations of Hydrogen. Hydrogen becomes potentially explosive at concentrations as low as 4% and the HIAMS detects hydrogen at concentrations much lower than this explosive limit and will give an active alarm to its submariners. With the equipment being obsolete only KeTech LTD have the technical information, tooling and suitably qualified & experienced personnel, to perform the calibration, testing, repairs and provide a Certificate of Conformity and Warranty on this equipment. Without this documentation the MoD cannot provide assurances to its end users that the monitors are fit for purpose. Furthermore, KeTech LTD hold a purpose-built test rig which has the sole purpose of testing the HIAMS units to the required standards. The testing rig is essential in order to complete the required testing and repairs on this equipment. There is no other testing rig on the market that meets the technical requirements, and the test rig is located on the KeTech site and is not available for use by other Contractors. There are no other identified companies that could conduct the required work on the equipment, without increasing the risk of the probability of single failure and impacting whole boat safety as defined above. In order to maintain the safety of the platform and personnel the Contract with KeTech LTD is essential.

Other Information

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