Main Circulating Water Pumps (MCWP) Exit Management Enactment and Test Rig Disposal

The Platform Equipment Delivery Team (PEDT), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (the "Authority"), intends to enter into a contract (the "Contract") with Babcock Integrated Technologies Ltd. (the "Contractor") to take effect on 1st April 2026 for a period of up to 2 years (1 year with two additional 6 month option periods) to complete the outstanding Exit Activities associated with the previous Main Circulating Water Pump (MCWP) support contract (MET/20451) to include the storage and dismantling of the MCWP Test Rig and review of the codified/non-codified articles. The Contract has a value (ex VAT) of approx. £1.4m (One million four hundred thousand pounds sterling).

It is considered that the Contract can be entered into using Direct Award pursuant to paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 on the basis that the Contract may be awarded only to the Contractor due to (a) an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.

Babcock is the only organisation which can undertake this work due to the Test Rig being held on Babcock premises which is a commercially and security sensitive location and access is restricted. The Test Rig is a large piece of fixed semi-permanent equipment that if dismantled and issued to another supplier, may be damaged and not remain operational, therefore disposal is the Authority’s preferred course of action. The Test Rig has not been included for use in the future procurement.

There are also codified and non-codified articles that require reviewing between Babcock and the Authority with a view to either disposal or issue to MOD Stores. These are currently held with the Test Rig in a commercially and security sensitive location in which access is restricted to only Babcock personnel. The codified/non-codified articles are unable to be reviewed or transported to another supplier as many of the items are uncodified and as Babcock were the contractor supporting the repair of MCWPs for 14 years only Babcock have the knowledge of the articles to provide a comprehensive and accurate account.

The Authority has no contractual right to demand access to the Babcock site for another supplier to dismantle/disposal or review of the codified/non-codified articles at a contractor site.