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Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation

Miscellaneous software package and computer systems
Software package and information systems
South West (UKK)
Published value
Not published
Submission deadline Not published
Lots published1
Procurement Executive Summary
AI & Search Synopsis
Generated from official OCDS record
Tenderline Synopsis: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE: "Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation". Published status: complete. Published value: Value not published. 1 published lot. Submission deadline not published. See the official notice for participation instructions.
Contracting AuthorityMINISTRY OF DEFENCEScope & CategoriesNot publishedSubmission Window
complete
No deadline published
Submission GatewayDirect notice routeLegal Basis & RegimeStandard procurementEstimated Value (exc. VAT)Not published
Bidder Intelligence · Authority Profile: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Market Analytics
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Derived from OCDS awards & bid statistics
Published history for MINISTRY OF DEFENCE. These figures describe retained records, not a forecast of bids or a measure of buyer bias.
Published-to-award variance
Not availableInsufficient comparable data
Requires at least 5 comparable procedures
Competition Density
1.5Bids / Report
50% of reports have one bid
Supplier ConcentrationNo estimate
Insufficient attributable awardsNo concentration estimate available
Payment Terms
Check noticePublished terms
Payment obligations depend on the applicable regime and contract. Consult the official documents.
Coverage: 6 active published awards; 2 bid reports (which may be per lot). Supplier values exclude multi-supplier awards, frameworks and DPS, and use GBP only. They are published award values, not payments. Published-to-award variance compares single-lot, single-award, single-supplier GBP procedures with explicitly non-framework/non-DPS status; increases remain in the average. Unpublished data stays unknown. Awarded suppliers are winners, not all bidders.
Procedure terms
Contracting AuthorityMINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Procedure methodNot published
Procurement categoryNot published
Statuscomplete
Framework / DPSNot published
CompetitionNot published
Above thresholdNot published
Legal basisNot published
Tender period startsNot published
Clarification deadlineNot published
Electronic submissionNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Published17 Mar 2021, 16:37 GMT
Last source update17 Mar 2021, 16:37 GMT
Recurring procurementNot published
ClassificationMiscellaneous software package and computer systems, Software package and information systems
Delivery area
South West (UKK)
OCIDocds-h6vhtk-0298df
What is being bought
1. This contract sees leading edge experimentation with BBSR to integrate their edge processing swarming software architecture onto Royal Marine experimental UAVs being employed as modular air vehicles for Find, Lift, Protect and Strike missions
What changed
From the official release history
  1. Official notice release published
    17 Mar 2021, 16:37 GMT
  2. Status changed to complete
    5 Mar 2021, 16:21 GMT
  3. Official notice release published
    5 Mar 2021, 16:21 GMT
  4. Buyer information updated
    5 Mar 2021, 16:21 GMT
Lots and requirements (1)
Published by the contracting authority
  • Lot 1 · #1
    Individual lot title not published
    cancelled
    Published valueNot published
    1. This contract sees leading edge experimentation with BBSR to integrate their edge processing swarming software architecture onto Royal Marine experimental UAVs being employed as modular air vehicles for Find, Lift, Protect and Strike missions, and automating a multirole ground surveillance camera being trialled. Both pieces of hardware have competed procurements underway for the FCF, reinforcing the importance of this proposal. a. Platform integration of BBSR Centurion software onto 8 x Malloy TRV-150 & Podview ground camera: CONOPS definition workshops & report System architecture (First Draft) Interface definitions - Blue Bear (Smart Connect) / Malloy (T150) interface definition 8 SmartConnect boxes Bluebear primed sub-contract to Malloy Aeronautics for their integration and support work and flight testing on 8x TRV150s MPU5 (data link) integration and compatibility test with RN MPU5s and quick tech note report. Smart connect platform integration onto PodView camera & deliver 1 x camera to user & demonstrate edge processing on Centurion & demonstrate object based recognition algorithm to acquire vehicles & personnel. Blue Bear primed sub-contract to Overview Ltd for the supply of the PodView camera systems and hardware support/engineering effort required for integration for production of deployable prototype operating Centurion software & edge-processing AI recognition analytics for acquisition and classification of personnel and vehicles b. User training on BBSR Centurion of 15 ranks from 40 Cdo and Cdo Logs Regiment One-week training course for CDO personnel Consolidation training flying system in synthetic environment on Centurion c. Development and submission of beyond visual line of sight (BLOS) operational safety case into the CAA to authorise UK experimentation to cover two events. BVLOS OSC designed and submitted. Needs to be done ASAP to try and get approved it in time. d. Trials & safety support to enable tactical swarm experimentation with frontline users: 8 days with 3 Cdo Bde UAV operators on MOD training estate e. Digital logistic demand development: Development & delivery of logistics software plugin to enable automated 'on demand' tactical resupply from multiple task-loaded TRV-150s. FCF CSS ConOps integration work into Centurion and behaviour development
    Contract periodNot published
    EligibilityNot published
    Options / renewalNot published
Timeline
  1. Procedure published
    17 Mar 2021, 16:37 GMT
  2. Award active
    Not published · Not published
  3. Contract active
    Signed 17 Mar 2021, 00:00 GMT · £625,000
Commercial outcome and competition
Awards
Blue Bear Systems Research
Not published · Not published · active
Contracts
Logistic Drone Swarm Experimentation
£625,000 · signed 17 Mar 2021, 00:00 GMT · active
Bid statistics
bids: 1 (lot 1)
Buyer and organisations in this procedure

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Contracting authority GB-FTS-7799
View buyer profile

  • MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
    buyer

    Holderness House,51-61 Clifton Street, LONDON, UKI, EC2A4DW
    keiran.jones231@mod.gov.uk
    +44 2392725856

  • Blue Bear Systems Research
    supplier

    Oakley, UKH2

  • MOD
    reviewBody

    London
Documents (0)
Official links; attachments are not copied
No data
No linked documents are published
Related procedures (0)
No data
No related procedures published
Planning and rationale
Planning budgetNot published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Procedure rationaleThe JHub team, part of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to award a 4-month contract from March 2021 to July 2021 (with a value of £625,000) to Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd (BBSR) to supply nine micro-computers and bespoke 'swarming' software and integrate them onto existing Royal Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which are used as logistic resupply vehicles. It is considered that this contract can be awarded using the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations 2011 for technical reasons. This is because BBSR's 'swarming' system is the only system considered to have the proven ability to a) connect with any existing UAV with minimal integration; and b) control multiple UAVs to operate autonomously in 'swarms'. BBSR is also the only company to have been granted permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to conduct 'swarm' flights of up to 20 UAVs in UK airspace, which is required in order to conduct the necessary flight trials.