Submarine Main Batteries Batch 8

CPV: Lead batteries · Submarines

Procedure method

Negotiated without publication of a contract notice

Legal basis

CELEX · 32009L0081 Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (Directive 2009/81/EC)

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

4 Mar 2021, 22:56 GMT

Last source update

4 Mar 2021, 22:56 GMT

Authority reference

SDA/ISM/700948375

FTS notice number

2021/S 000-004398

Classification (CPV)

Lead batteriesSubmarines

Delivery area

UK

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-029883 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

(i) The purpose of this Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) is to notify the market of the intention of In-Service Submarines, which forms part of the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), to enter into a contract on a single source basis with Pacific Marine Batteries Pty Ltd.

(ii) The contract shall be for the supply, maintenance, support and disposal of Royal Navy Submarine Type 8800 main battery cells, associated support equipment and spares which are required to support the fleet of Vanguard, Astute and Trafalgar class submarines.

(iii) Enersys Ltd’s exit from the submarine main batteries market and their transfer of all related technical information and other assets to Pacific Marine Batteries Pty Ltd has resulted in Pacific Marine Batteries Pty Ltd becoming the only supplier capable of providing In-Service Submarines with the requirement.

(iv) The contract shall be subject to the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice under DSPCR 2011 Regulation 16 (1)(a)(ii) where for technical reasons the contract may only be awarded to a particular economic operator. This is due to the technical need to utilise the Enersys cell design 8800 main battery cells to ensure operability with multiple systems such as agitation system, ventilation system, shock, electrical protection, endurance and to ensure nuclear safety.

(v) These systems have been designed and validated against the 8800 Ahr Enersys cell parameters and onboard battery configuration. The main battery compartment is sized around an exact multiple of the width and length of the cell. Furthermore, all support equipment is sized both electrically and spatially around the 8800 Ahr Enersys cell. Any replacement battery would require a complete redesign and validation of the relevant systems within the battery compartment. As such, using any other cell would present significant interoperability and incompatibility issues. Pacific Marine Batteries Pty Ltd are the only contractor able to supply the required configuration of cell.

(vi) Furthermore, Regulation 16(1)(b)(i) part (bb) applies. That is because additional Royal Navy Submarine Type 8800 main battery cells are required as a partial replacement for the existing cells and to obtain cells from any economic operator other than Pacific Marine Batteries Pty Ltd would oblige SDA to acquire goods having different technical characteristics which would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance.

(vii) It is anticipated that the contract award date will be May 2021 with an estimated value of GBP £2.8 million (ex VAT).

• Pacific Marine Batteries Pty LtdAwarded supplier 715 Mersey Road North, Osborne, 00, 5017Contact email, phoneShow contact details

No document links were published on the notice.