TIQUILA Programme Mini-Uncrewed Air Systems (MUAS) Notice

The Ministry of Defence (the “Authority”) intends to modify the TIQUILA contract without undertaking a new procurement procedure. This notice describes the originally advertised scope, the proposed modification and the Authority's reasons for considering that the modification is non-material under the principles established in Pressetext and applicable to modifications under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.

The TIQUILA Programme was advertised to deliver MUAS capability for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) in Packable and Portable loads in support of field operations. Delivery was to be undertaken by a Systems Integrator (SI), working with suppliers to meet developing demands and keep pace with emergent technology and threats.

The solution was expressly described as evolving, modular and upgradeable. The SI's through-life delivery and sustainment responsibilities included:

• provision of Packable MUAS and man-portable MUAV capability, using a common Ground Control Station and relevant payloads;
• goods and services supporting that capability;
• a modular technical and digital architecture using open-standard interfaces to enable integration of new capabilities and upgrades;
• maintaining awareness of novel and emergent technology applicable to TIQUILA; and
• implementing Supplier Enabling Arrangements and/or other subcontract arrangements to engage the wider UAS market, industry and academia, encourage innovation and new entrants, meet developing demands and keep pace with emergent technology and threats.

The Authority proposes to broaden the contractual technical envelope so that TIQUILA can continue to procure and integrate relevant UAS capability as technology and operational demands evolve. The proposed modification will:

• confirm the inclusion of VLOS and BVLOS Packable MUAS capability;
• increase the platform take-off weight from a maximum of 20kg to 50kg

The modification does not change the contract into a requirement for a different category of capability. The requirement remains focused on UAS capability supporting field operations through the existing SI-led model, while accommodating unanticipated technological advancement beyond the parameters originally defined.

It preserves the commercial model, of engagement with the wider UAS market and new entrants through flexible supply-chain arrangements; supports the same field-operational purposes and retains the same SI-led integration, modular architecture and through-life delivery model, while responding to technological advancement and developing operational demands in the manner contemplated by the original procurement, and is therefore considered a vertical evolution of the existing UAS capability, rather than horizontal expansion.

All pricing mechanisms will remain the same, and subject to the applicable contractual, approval, pricing and value-for-money controls.

Accordingly, the Authority considers that the proposed change is a permissible non-material modification and may be made without commencing a new procurement procedure. The Authority is publishing this notice voluntarily to provide transparency regarding the proposed modification