Uni‑Directional and bi-directional saw blades

A Direct Award is justified under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 using the Schedule 5 justification for Single Supplier – Technical Reasons. The requirement involves highly specialist, non‑standard consumable goods that must be manufactured to bespoke specifications unique to our operational processes. Moving to a new supplier would require redevelopment of the existing blade design and production methodology, creating avoidable technical uncertainty and disproportionate operational and cost risk.

The supplier also holds the Intellectual Property rights for the current design and associated manufacturing methodology, which were developed from our initial concept but remain solely owned by the supplier. As a result, no other supplier is able to lawfully or technically replicate the product without significant redevelopment work, making competition unviable at this stage.

While this is not the primary basis for the Direct Award, there is also a contributing operational requirement: continued supply of these specialist consumables is essential to maintain critical operations and avoid disruption to key production activities. A delay in sourcing these goods from an alternative supplier—who would first need to develop a new solution—would introduce operational risk.

This Direct Award is therefore being used as a short‑term, interim measure to ensure continuity of supply whilst the organisation prepares pre‑market engagement and a full competitive procurement to establish a longer‑term, sustainable solution.