Specialist vehicles. The Ministry of Defence has a requirement for an additional six specialist airside runway de-icer sprayers to join its fleet of 14 vehicles. They are required to ensure maintenance of safe runways, taxiways and operating surfaces in wintertime conditions in the UK and worldwide.
The sprayers are required to be of a commercially proven design and have a verified history of operation. They are to meet all current and known future mandatory legislation, including Defence Standards, Environmental and Health & Safety requirements.
Without exception the sprayers are to have the following design characteristics:
- Ability to deliver liquid de-icer media (potassium acetate) between 15 to 40 gm/m².
- Delivery fully related to actual road speed up to a maximum of 40 kph.
- 10,000 litre capacity modular polyethylene fluid tanks.
- A low pressure delivery system.
- Retractable arms capable of spraying at widths of 3, 12, and 24 m.
- An effective polymer airside snow plough.
The de-icers will also be required to be air transportable in Boeing C-17 Globemaster and A-400M aircrafts. To achieve this they will be fitted with the appropriate certified tie down points to meet military air transportation regulations.
The requirement is for 6 singularly identical airside de-icers sprayers, but for contingency planning purposes a further 4 de-icers may be sought under contract options. However, this is not in scope of current planning assumptions.
Additional deliverables of the project will include the production of:
- Maintenance and technical publication to military formats.
- Reliability and maintainability case.
- Equipment Safety Case.
- Environmental management plan.
- Obsolescence management plan.
- Operator and maintainer training at nominated UK and overseas locations.
A key element of the requirement is through life support. Therefore, potential suppliers will be required to provide a life cycle availability based support solution to 31.3.2023. This will sustain the equipment through its planned life and include the following roles and responsibilities:
The aim is to provide Design Authority Services which will cover:
- Management and production of modifications.
- Configuration management.
- Query and defect investigation.
- Trend and efficiency analysis.
- Production of technical bulletins.
- Technical authorship and publishing of support publications to Military Standards.
- Obsolescence management
The aim is to provide Supply Logistic Services which will cover:
- The administration of all spares provisioning and subsequent delivery.
- Provision of modification kits.
- Monitor logistical efficiency measures.
- The provision of quarterly consumption and special to type reports
The aim is to provide Technical Logistic Services which will cover;
- Where called upon, scheduled maintenance and repair at nominated UK and overseas locations.
- The provision of a technical support telephone line.
- A nominated technical point of contact.
- Engineering support to military and civilian establishments to sustain the contracted performance metrics.
- Technical and operator training.
- Embodiment of modifications as required.
Due to the scope and length of the contract period and the requirement to operate alongside the existing de-icing fleet, the Authority will assess proposals against fleet wide value for money, also ensuring they are viable, sustainable and efficient.
Within your initial expression of interest the following evidence is required:
- A copy of your ISO 9001 certificate
- Detailed specification and customer sales list of your chosen product.
- A brief company synopsis detailing your experience and supporting technical resources.
Failure to provide this information will potentially exclude suppliers from the future competition. Potential suppliers are to note that there may also be requirement to demonstrate their credentials and experience within a separate Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) which will be issued if required to support the timescales above.