Remote Aircraft Mover (RAM) - 10 Chest Pack Assemblies & 8 Battery Retrofit Kits - Contract Award Notice

CPV: Battery chargers · Battery packs

Procedure method

Restricted procedure

Legal basis

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

Procurement category

Goods

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

14 May 2024, 16:49 BST

Last source update

12 May 2025, 07:55 BST

FTS notice number

2025/S 000-020277

Classification (CPV)

Battery chargersBattery packs

Delivery area

UK

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-045998 Find a Tender

Why no open competition

The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development under the conditions stated in the directive; 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 Royal Navy, part of the UK Ministry of Defence, intends to award a 1 year contract with a value of £220,373.10 (Excluding VAT) to Curtiss Wright INDAL for the purchase of 10 Handler Chest Packs & 8 Battery Pack Units and Charger for the Royal Navy to support the current in-service Remote Aircraft Movers (RAM) Handlers.

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 2015 (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 (in accordance with the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the PCR 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons.

The in-Service RAM Handlers are used to support embarked Merlin Mk2/Mk4 and Wildcat HMA aircraft. The Royal Navy needs to purchase this equipment as spares to be able to support the availability of the RAM Handler fleet out to the equipment out of service date of 31 March 2026. The requirement for these spares can only be met by Curtiss Wright INDAL as they are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and no alternative or substitutes can be used as the Chest Pack controls the RAM Handler and compatible battery packs.

The units are only available through the OEM, and no Fit Form Function replacement can be used to ensure safety requirements are met. The OEM is only company that has the design drawings, patent and intellectual property of the system that is required to meet the safety requirements. As the system is safety-critical, it is imperative that the system is designed correctly as it is used to move aircraft at sea; if incorrectly designed, it could cause an aircraft to be pulled overboard and cause the loss of a multimillion-pound asset and/or endanger lives.

• Curtiss Wright INDALAwarded supplier Mississauga, CA
• INDAL TECHNOLOGIES INC.Awarded supplier 3570 Hawkestone Road, Mississauga, CA, L5C 2V

No document links were published on the notice.