PAN3336 - Supply of OE Vehicle Parts (Ford)

Single Supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights

Ford OE vehicle parts are manufactured to proprietary specifications and are protected by Ford's intellectual property rights, including design rights, trademarks, technical data, and product specifications. Only Ford Motor Company and its authorised supply network have the legal right to distribute and guarantee genuine Ford OE parts. Procuring parts from alternative suppliers would not provide access to genuine Ford-branded components or the associated manufacturer warranties and approvals. Consequently, competition is absent because the required products can only be supplied through Ford's authorised channels/dealership, making a direct award necessary to secure genuine OE parts and maintain manufacturer compliance.

Single Supplier - technical reasons

The Authority's Ford fleet requires genuine OE replacement parts that are fully compatible with existing vehicle systems, safety features, software, and manufacturer specifications. The use of non-genuine or aftermarket alternatives may compromise vehicle performance, invalidate manufacturer warranties, create maintenance and safety risks, and increase lifecycle costs. Ford OE parts are specifically designed, tested, and approved for Ford vehicles, ensuring consistency, reliability, and compliance with maintenance requirements. Due to these technical requirements and the need to maintain operational integrity across the fleet, only Ford OE parts supplied through Ford's authorised distribution network can meet the Authority's needs. Therefore, a direct award is justified because no reasonable alternative supplier can provide an equivalent solution that satisfies these technical requirements.

Parts Plus Ltd (Leicester PartsPlus) is the sole provider of Ford parts in the following territory which includes the postcodes below where Leicester City Council is situated: LE1, LE2, LE3, LE4, LE5, LE6, LE7, LE8, LE9, LE11, LE12, LE18, LE19, NN6.

Parts Plus have 55 centres spilt into 55 territories which cover the whole of the UK. Parts Plus Ltd (Leicester PartsPlus) cannot deliver out of this territory, and no other Ford suppliers are able to deliver into this area.