The equipment is being specified procured and commissioned to ensure suitability for industrial research and development programs as well as supporting maturation of emerging manufacturing technologies from academia toward industrial application. The equipment detailed in the specification is an automated machine capable of manufacturing a range of dry fibre preforms via automated deposition of reinforcement materials including wide fabric plies. Using one or more deposition methods the cell will be capable of depositing net-shape fabric plies with widths up to 5.0 m over a working plan area of 20.0 m x 5.0 m. In addition, the NCC seeks the capability to deposit multiple unidirectional tapes in a dry fibre placement (DFP) process.
The NCC is procuring this equipment in order to develop manufacturing processes which will inform major supply chain choices by aerospace OEM and Tier 1 suppliers for future production programmes. To support this, the NCC is looking for long term commitment and an on-going strategic collaboration between the supplier and the NCC.
Similar successful partnerships have included some or all of the following as contribution in kind from suppliers; provision of equipment upgrades, training, application engineering support and collaborative development projects to enhance technology. In return, our partners benefit from close working relationships with NCC members and have access to NCC composite research expertise to enhance equipment. Crucially, the supplier will have direct involvement in high-profile development programs that are closely aligned to high-value aerospace production programs.
The NCC aspires to engage the winning bidder as a strategic development partner who works together with us to best support our customers and ensure the resulting manufacturing technology delivers maximum value to the UK composite industry and both of our businesses.
The procurement will include design requirements and may involve innovative solutions. The NCC has therefore chosen to follow the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation. The NCC will undertake a 3 stage process as follows: Stage 1: The issuing of the Supplier Selection Questionnaire, (SQ), from which the NCC will short-list down to three suppliers. In support of this the NCC has issued the specification document, minimum requirements and the terms and conditions it proposes to contract upon. Stage 2: This will commence once the NCC has shortlisted and notified suppliers of their decision; the successful suppliers will be sent an Invitation to Negotiate, (ITN). The ITN will contain more detail on the evaluation criteria the scoring and instructions on the negotiated approach. Suppliers will be asked to develop and submit an initial proposal that the NCC can review and develop with them as part of the negotiations. As part of the Contract Notice notification, grant funding in the range of 6 500 000 GBP - 7 000 000 GBP to cover the capital cost of the equipment has been identified, this is an estimated value. The budget will be set provisionally in the ITN Pack, and will be subject to discussions and refinement as part of the negotiation phase. This will be subject to an affordability test during the Invitation to Negotiate in which the whole life costing of the equipment will be considered. In addition technical and commercial negotiation teams will be set up to support the process. Stage 3: This will commence once the negotiation phase has concluded. Suppliers will be sent a final Invitation to Tender which they will need to complete and return.