Procurement of Common Access Cards

CPV: Technical computer support services

Procedure method

Negotiated without publication of a contract notice

Legal basis

CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Awarded

Procurement threshold

Unspecified in notice

Regulatory regime

Standard

Commercial structure

Stand-alone contract (no framework)

Competition type

Competitive procedure

GPA / WTO covered

Unspecified in notice

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

28 Jul 2023, 11:55 BST

Last source update

28 Jul 2023, 11:55 BST

FTS notice number

2023/S 000-021970

Classification (CPV)

Technical computer support services

Delivery area

United States (US)

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-03eb35 Find a Tender

Why no open competition

No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to restricted procedure; The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons

Published justification

The Lightning II Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to place a 4 year contract with IdenTrust for the procurement of common access cards (CACs) enabling access to F-35 software applications hosted by the US Government. The contract has an estimated total value of £192,000 VAT inclusive. In accordance with the provisions of The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 SI No. 2020/1319, this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 as amended (in particular by SI 2020/1319). Prior publication of a Contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with Regulation 32(b)(ii) of the PCR 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons.

The F-35 Program utilises a number of aircraft maintenance tools, provided as software applications, for which the UK Lightning Delivery Team (LDT) needs access via the Partner Nation Supplier, Lockheed Martin. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is required to access these applications and the 2FA is provided by the ECA Medium Token Assurance Certificate on a CAC supplied by Identrust, as one of only two U.S. DoD approved suppliers. Purchase of the CACs from IdenTrust provides a digital profile and user certificate which is associated with a user profile for the associated Program application. Previously with fewer applications and associated users CACs were purchased in low value batches. Work was also undertaken separately by UK MOD to update the MOD Official Network to test and install IdenTrust’s ActivClient software to provide approved users direct access via the IdenTrust CACs to the F-35 maintenance applications. A change away from IdenTrust would block access to the maintenance applications and leave UK MOD unable to fulfil its obligations under the F-35 Program and create a significant capability gap in performing key functions required to support F-35 operations.

• IdenTrustAwarded supplier 5225 Wiley Post Way, Salt Lake City, US, UT 84116

No document links were published on the notice.