Published date: 21 October 2021

Last edited date: 28 October 2021

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 26 July 2021, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£0 to £20,000,000

Procurement reference

tender_276399/1007857

Published date

21 October 2021

Closing date

26 July 2021

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

30 September 2021

Contract end date

29 September 2025

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Contract Award Notice for the Heavy Lift Challenge

The Heavy Lift Challenge (HLC) Framework (the Framework) has been created by the Authority in order to accelerate the development of a range of autonomous Heavy Lift Uncrewed Air Systems for use predominantly, but not exclusively, in the maritime domain.

The intention is to address the lack of current options in the market by increasing the number of delivery ready platforms in order to help support and develop the Authority's understanding of the potential capabilities and uses for of such autonomous systems.
The Authority will facilitate accelerated development of a number of Supplier Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) to meet or exceed the requirements of an Authority defined Minimum Viable Product.

Our intent is to ensure that Defence will have access at the speed of relevance to current and future emerging cutting-edge capabilities for use within the Royal Navy and other domains.

The Authority will facilitate, via the use of this competitive framework, an environment whereby suppliers are able to demonstrate current capabilities, set out product development and commercial exploitation roadmaps and work with both the Authority and potentially with other suppliers to accelerate pace of development and reduce time to market.

The purpose of the HLC Framework is therefore to support and inform the development of Maritime operating concepts and enable assessment, analysis, exploration and evaluation of the use of un-crewed air systems (UAS) for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) payload delivery.

The Framework is designed specifically to:
i) provide Sponsor / User confidence in the potential for UAS systems to provide recoverable, adaptable, remotely piloted air systems, capable of accurately delivering heavy payloads at range;

ii) enable the Authority to identify and as appropriate fund the most viable solutions in the market for accelerated further development in order to meet the Authority's minimum requirement (the Minimum Viable Product or "MVP") within the times stated,

iii) provide the Authority with a mechanism for end users to potentially acquire for further evaluation or other use those solutions which demonstrably meet or exceed the MVP.

Award information

Awarded date

30 September 2021

Contract start date

30 September 2021

Contract end date

29 September 2025

Total value of contract

£0

This contract was awarded to 2 suppliers.

W Autonomous Systems Ltd

Address

1st Floor, Healthaid House, Marlborough Hill, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 1UD

Reference

Companies House number: 12979337

Supplier is SME?

Yes

Supplier is VCSE?

No

Malloy Aeronautics Ltd

Address

36 Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP 91SE

Reference

Companies House number: 07993563

Supplier is SME?

Yes

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Address

DE&S Future Capability Group (FCG), MOD Abbey Wood, #1261
Bristol
BS34 8JH
England

Email

george.hollingdale100@mod.gov.uk