715890484 Accuracy International Enabling Contract (EC)

The Authority intends to award the contract without prior competition in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, relying on:

Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Single Supplier: Technical Reasons) for support, maintenance and repair services; and

Schedule 5, Paragraph 7 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Additional or Repeat Goods, Services or Works) for the procurement of additional in-service Accuracy International sniper rifles.

Single Supplier for Technical Reasons (Schedule 5, Paragraph 6):

Accuracy International Ltd, as OEM and Design Authority, retains access to the technical data, design information, specialist tooling, engineering expertise and configuration knowledge necessary to support, maintain and repair the sniper rifle capability currently in service with the British Army.

The continued provision of support and maintenance services requires access to proprietary technical information, specialist knowledge and design understanding that are not available to alternative/third-party suppliers. The Authority requires continued support of the existing assured capability throughout its remaining service life. Any attempt to transfer support activities to an alternative supplier would require extensive technical investigation, verification, validation, safety assurance and configuration management activities, resulting in unacceptable technical, safety and operational risk.

Accordingly, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only Accuracy International Ltd can supply the services, and there is no reasonable alternative to those services that would meet the Authority’s requirement for the repair and maintenance of the existing assured capability during its remaining service life. There are no reasonable alternatives.

Additional or repeat goods, services (Schedule 5, Paragraph 7) :

The contract also includes provision for the procurement of additional in-service Accuracy International sniper rifles to support fleet management, maintenance of the Total Fleet Requirement and operational requirements throughout the remaining life of the capability.

For technical reasons set out above, only Accuracy International Ltd has access to the information necessary to supply additional units that are the same in-service, assured solution and fully compatible with the established support, maintenance and assurance arrangements. Whilst alternative solutions may exist within the wider market, those solutions would constitute platforms that are different from the bespoke assured capability currently in service.

Procuring a different solution would require the Authority to concurrently operate separate training, assurance, maintenance and support arrangements for both the existing assured capability and the alternative solution. Procuring an alternative solution would therefore result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance, including increased complexity and logistical burden.

Future Procurement Strategy

This direct award does not seek to establish a replacement capability or meet any future requirement beyond the current capability planned service life. Upon reaching the planned Out of Service Date, the Authority intends to reassess its future requirement and determine the appropriate procurement strategy, including competition where appropriate

Additional Information

• Accuracy International Ltd is the OEM and Design Authority.
• Maintenance and repair activities require access to technical data, specialist knowledge and configuration control held by Accuracy International Ltd
• Additional systems are required to support maintenance of the Total Fleet Requirement.
• Additional units must be the same in-service, assured solution to the assured capability currently in service.
• This requirement is a continuation from the 701553541 - Accuracy International Combined Support Services Contract that was previously awarded on a single source basis.
• The direct award is limited to sustaining the existing assured capability until the longest planned sniper rifles OSD, including through-life support and the procurement of the same in-service, assured solution and associated ancillaries as required.
• The advertised contract value is the maximum estimated value of all potential orders that may be placed under the contract during its term. It does not represent a guaranteed level of expenditure. The Authority reserves the right not to place any orders under the contract and is not obliged to spend the full advertised value, or any value, during the lifetime of the contract.