CHC/680 Ground Mission Support System (GMSS) Support

The Authority intends to directly award this contract pursuant to Regulation 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, in line with the direct award justifications under Schedule 5. It is considered that this contract can be placed via Direct Award without prior publication under Schedule 5, paragraph 7.

Paragraph 7 provides that the Authority may directly award a public contract that concerns the supply of goods, services or works by the existing supplier where they are intended as an extension to, or partial replacement of the goods, services or works where a change in supplier would result in the contracting authority receiving goods, services or works that are different from, or incompatible with, the existing goods, services or works; and the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. The requirement is for an extension to the existing services through the provision of spares, repairs and technical support of equipment wholly owned, with design rights, by Thales UK Ltd. It is also noted that, a change in supplier or equipment would directly affect the operational readiness of the Chinook force as any new equipment would require clearance due to incompatibility, resulting in disproportionate technical difficulties for the end user.

Thales UK Ltd Ground Mission Support System equipment remains in service with Chinook helicopter, and as such this equipment is the only of its kind for this capability that is cleared for Chinook use. Pursuant to Schedule 5, Clause 7, a change of supplier would result in the Authority receiving goods of a different form, and incompatible with both the platform and current equipment.