Type 31 Identification Friend or Foe (with FSS)

CPV: Satellite communications equipment

Procedure method

Direct award

Legal basis

UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023

Procurement category

Goods

Notice status

Awarded without competition

Procurement threshold

Above threshold (FTS publication)

Regulatory regime

Defence & security

Commercial structure

Stand-alone contract (no framework)

Competition type

Direct award (no call for competition)

GPA / WTO covered

Unspecified in notice

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

22 Jul 2025, 14:19 BST

Last source update

7 Aug 2025, 14:02 BST

Authority reference

SHIPACQ/216

FTS notice number

2025/S 000-046929

Latest notice

Contract award notice (UK6)

Classification (CPV)

Satellite communications equipment

Delivery area

UK

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-0563de Find a Tender

Why no open competition

Single Suppliers Technical Reasons

Published justification

The Fleet Solid Support (“FSS”) Delivery Team and the Type 31 Delivery Team, which are part of the UK Ministry of Defence (the “Authority”), propose to place a contract with Leonardo UK Ltd (Company Registration Number 02426132) (the “Company”) for the provision of three (3) Mode 5 Identification Friend-or-Foe Systems (the “Systems”) to be integrated onto the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels (the “RFA Vessels”) along with technical information and equipment spares (the “Goods”).

The proposed contract will also include an ability for the Authority to obtain technical support from the Company (the “Services”).

The proposed contract has an estimated value of £12,500,000 (twelve million five hundred thousand pounds) ex VAT and a duration of five (5) years.

This procurement falls to be governed by the Procurement Act 2023 (the “PA23”) Chapter 3, Section 41: Direct Award in Special Cases. It is considered that direct award of the proposed contract is lawful in accordance with PA23 Schedule 5(6)(a)(b) which relates to an absence of competition for technical reasons for the following reasons.

It is considered that direct award is lawful in accordance with paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 PA 2023 due to an absence of competition for technical reasons. There is an absence of competition for technical reasons as no other supplier (other than the Company) is able to supply the Systems and Goods or provide the Services that meet MoD’s requirements and there are no reasonable alternatives to the Systems, Goods and/or Services.

Further, the Systems and Goods are required to have the same technical characteristics as existing systems and goods that are already in operation across wider UK MoD platforms. Operating systems and goods with different technical characteristics simultaneously across multiple RFA Vessels and UK MOD platforms would cause disproportionate technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance of the existing systems, goods and services. In particular, it would cause safety and operational user risk to arise, particularly with regards to the Cryptographic elements of the Systems, the Goods and the Services.

Submission deadline

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• Leonardo UK LimitedAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PTZR-4468-QGLG 1 Eagle Place, St James, London, London, SW1Y 6AFContact emailShow contact details