Technical support services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) are sought from companies interested in meeting the requirement for a 3-year contract for the provision of specialist technical support for the introduction of Multi-functional Information Display Systems (MIDS) low Volume Terminals (LVT) and Link 16 Tactical Data Link (TDL) on Typhoon and Tornado platforms.

MIDS LVT and TDL are certified safe to fly (Flight Certified) and are compatible with systems used across NATO Armed Forces in order to achieve and maintain Typhoon/Tornado Data-link interoperability with US/NATO/Allied Partner Nations. Therefore specialist technical support needs to continue to be delivered such that data is compatible with that already provided to the programmes to maintain comparability with testing regimes and results to date. Also, data needs to be provided and analysed such that it is compatible with partner nations. Therefore, to achieve this, companies must have access to the following tools and processes, that have been used to support the programmes to date and are the partner nation agreed toolsets:

a) MANDRIL

b) PUMA

c) TIGER

d) eSMART toolset and iSMART process.

Interested Companies will be expected to have the following skills and experience:

a) Comprehensive knowledge of 55xx series STANAGs and Air Data Publications (ADatPs) for Link 16 and Mil-Std-6016C/D

b) Detailed knowledge of the production of platform TDL specifications including the production of platform operational specifications and Platform Implementation Difference Document Sets (PIDDs) using the e-SMART toolset.

c) Detailed knowledge of the Data Link Solutions (DLS) and Euro MIDS LVT and AN/URC-138 programmes, terminal hardware and software architectures and processing, interfacing requirements and terminal installation issues.

d) Detailed knowledge and experience of the DLS and Euro MIDS LVT and AN/URC-138 programmes integration onto the Tornado and Typhoon platforms.

e) Detailed knowledge of the Interoperability Matrix and Interoperability assessment process.

f) Detailed operational knowledge of platform rig TDL scenario simulators, particularly TIGER, and its use for integration, acceptance and interoperability testing and detailed knowledge of the NATO Standard Interface for Multiple Platform Link Evaluation (SIMPLE) standard (STANAG 5601) including compatible equipments.

g) Detailed knowledge of the design and management of MIDS networks and the interfaces between national and international Network Design Stations and platform support equipments.

h) Detailed knowledge of TDL and system security requirements and procedures.

i) Detailed knowledge of hardware installation and qualification aspects, including Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)/EMI(Electromagnetic Interference), Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse (NEMP)/NH(Nuclear Hardened) power, environmental tests, etc.

This requirement is to be fulfilled with the placement of one Contract. Interested Companies must be in a position to provide specialist technical support to both Typhoon and Tornado platforms.

Companies who submit an expression of interest into this requirement will then be asked to complete and return a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) as part of the tendering process.

On Conclusion of the PQQ exercise, successful companies will receive an Invitation To Tender (ITT) and will be provided with the full specification which their solution must meet.

Contractors who wish to express an interest in this tender are to forward a written EOI to the issuing branch, addressed for the attention of FAST-Comrcl4a1.