Provision of LauncherOne display

Official notice

Authority: UK Space Agency (Central government)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Transport & Passenger Services (60) Delivery: South West (UKK)

Awarded value£220,000published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 17 Jun 2021no call for competition

Awarded to Virgin Orbit UK

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Supply of LauncherOne Rocket model to the UK for organised events and to support UK Space launch capability being developed from Cornwall Spaceport. The Contract includes all, transportation, & associated support activities for installation & removal.

CPV: Space transport services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Supply of LauncherOne Rocket model to the UK for organised events and to support UK…Awarded

Supply of LauncherOne Rocket model to the UK for organised events and to support UK Space launch capability being developed in Cornwall. The Contract includes all, transportation, & associated support activities for installation & removal.

Delivery: South West

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 27 Jul 2021, 12:17 BST
Last source update: 27 Jul 2021, 12:17 BST
Authority reference: UKSAC21_0012
FTS notice number: 2021/S 000-017780
Classification (CPV): Space transport services
Delivery area: South West (UKK)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02cce2 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
Published justification: In order to promote the investment in UK space during official conferences and events organised this year, there was a requirement to display the rocket that will be launched from Cornwall spaceport as part of a Government funded 'Launch UK' programme. Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne is the only launch vehicle that has received Government Grant funding and will launch from Cornwall spaceport. As such, they are the only provider that can provide the required display.
The applicable exemption regulation for this contract is PCR 2015 Regulation 32 Section 2 (b) (ii) 'competition is absent for technical reasons' as there is 'no reasonable alternative or substitute that exists and the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement'.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £220,0001 contract exc. VAT

Bids received 1

Contracts signed 1latest 17 Jun 2021

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Virgin Orbit UKSME	£220,000 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 017780-2021-1 · Virgin Orbit UKSME
Signed
17 Jun 2021
Value
£220,000
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
1bids	—	—	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

UK SPACE AGENCY

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentNational or federal agency/officeSpace Polaris House,North Star Avenue, SWINDON, South West, SN21SZContact email

Dispute resolution & review bodies

High CourtReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Virgin Orbit UKAwarded supplier London, London

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.