715733488 - MOD Fuel Provision-UK6

This requirement falls within scope of the Procurement Act (PA) 2023.

The Authority is satisfied that a Direct Award is justified under section 41 of PA23 with applicable grounds for direct award set out in Schedule 5, Paragraph 6, when, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required and there are no reasonable alternatives to

those goods, services or works.

Market research conducted by the Authority strongly indicatesan absence of competition, on the basis Circle K EESTI AS are the only supplier capable of providing access to a fuel network covering Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, via a single Fuel Card.

This extensive coverage ensures personnel can access fuel and related products within an acceptable distance of operational locations, and whilst traveling between countries.

Market research indiactes that alternative fuel providers are unable to provide fuel network coverage throughout the geographical locations identfied by the Authority. Relying on a supplier who cannot meet the requirement in full poses significant risk of running out of fuel, potentially placing Service Personnel in unsafe or operationally

compromised situations.

Further, a Request for Information (RFI) was sent to all RM6186 'Fuel Card and Associated Services' Framework suppliers to gauge interest and assess network coverage. This RFI returned nil responses, indicating a lack of capability and/or appetite to engage with the requirement. This supports an assessment that competition does not exist.