715733472 Thermal Clip-On System (TCOS) UK 5

Single supplier - technical reasons

The Ministry of Defence intends to award a Combined Support Contract to Thermoteknix Systems Limited for:

i) the additional supply of the in-service Thermal Clip-On Systems ("TCOS") and supporting ancillaries; and

ii) the repair and maintenance of these capabilities.

The contract will be for a period of 1 year and have a potential value of up to £4.5M (excluding VAT).

It is considered that this contract can be awarded under section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 relying on the direct award justification specified in para 6 of Schedule 5 (single supplier - technical grounds). It is considered that a Direct Award is permissible under the Act on the basis that, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only Thermoteknix Systems Ltd can deliver the goods and services in accordance with the Army's Land Fleet Requirements and there are no alternatives to those goods, services or works.

Thermoteknix Systems Ltd is the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Design Authority (DA) of the current in-service TCOS and supporting ancillaries, [including providing repair, technical support, and configuration management services for these capabilities]. Only Thermoteknix Systems Ltd has the necessary technical data, knowledge, and expertise, including access to proprietary, to deliver this requirement. Their continued technical expertise, technical data, and knowledge is necessary to ensure that the TCOS remain fully operational, compliant and interoperable with existing in-service MOD platforms and weapons. Incompatibility between the TCOS and existing systems would require re-testing, and new verification and validation to ensure safety and suitability for service, operational performance and effectiveness, and interoperability. Introducing new items would result in disproportionate cost, time and difficulties. For technical reasons, therefore, only Thermoteknix can supply these

goods and ancillary services, and there are no reasonable alternative goods or services to deliver this requirement.