Project NIGHTFALL

Description

The Ministry of Defence (“MOD”) is seeking to procure a future tactical ballistic missile through a short-term development programme. This requirement has been denoted Project NIGHTFALL. The Authority’s requirement for Project NIGHTFALL: Demonstrate a cost-effective, tactical (>500km) ballistic missile system, capable of being safely ground launched from a mobile platform in a high threat tactical environment, navigating to and accurately striking a user-programmed fixed target co-ordinate. It shall be operable in harsh physical environments, day and night, resilient in a complex Electromagnetic environment (EME), including within a GNSS contested/degraded environment, and resistant against targeted EW attack and spoofing. The system requires the ability to deliver multiple (>2) effectors from a single ground vehicle. Each effector must carry a circa 200kg (high explosive) payload over 500km on a ballistic trajectory at supersonic speeds, with some basic manoeuvrability. The effector must be able to navigate in a GNSS contested/degraded environment and strike within 10m of a provided target co-ordinate 50% of the time i.e. have a CEP50 of 10m. The effector must be able to strike targets within 10 minutes of launch. All NIGHTFALL effectors must be fired from the same launcher. Post launch, the ground vehicle/launcher and crew must be able to rapidly leave the area, within 15 minutes of launching all effectors. We are looking for systems that can be delivered within 9-12 months to provide at least five all-up units for trials. The design should minimise and ideally be free from foreign government trade and usage restrictions, such as export control. The design must have the ability to be upgraded in the future, such as increasing the range, accuracy, in-flight manoeuvrability, fitted telemetry and other elements as required. It is a principle of project NIGHTFALL that the level of anticipated GFX should be minimised or eliminated where possible. Subject to potential future contract, manufacturing shall be scalable to meet operational requirements at a minimum of 10 units per month, with the ability to further increase. The purpose of this Contract Notice (“CN”) is to advertise the requirement and invite potential suppliers to express their interest and participate in the competitive procurement and receive the ITT for Project NIGHTFALL. Suppliers should only respond if they are (themselves or as part of a consortium with other suppliers) in a position to undertake the full development programme and can meet the full requirement as set out above. All suppliers who express an interest in this procurement, and who have returned an acknowledgement of their responsibilities with regards to the NIGHTFALL Security Aspects Letter (“SAL”) and Confidentiality Undertaking by the deadline, will be invited to participate and submit a response to the NIGHTFALL ITT (see further detail below). Intended Procurement Process The procurement is planned to consist of: a. A NIGHTFALL Competitive Development Phase (“CDP”) Invitation to Tender (“ITT”). A CDP ITT will be used to select suitable suppliers to tender for a CDP Contract; and b. NIGHTFALL CDP Contract(s) for the design development and testing programme for Project NIGHTFALL. Only those suppliers who have expressed an interest and returned a completed SAL and Confidentiality Undertaking will be invited to tender for a CDP Contract. The Authority intends to award up to three (3) NIGHTFALL CDP Contracts, the terms of will be set out by the Authority in the procurement documents. The CDP is a funded phase of the NIGHTFALL programme where suppliers will develop and mature their proposed solutions for Project NIGHTFALL. It is anticipated that the CDP Contract will last approximately twelve (12) months from Contract award. General Whilst what is set out above is the intended procurement process, the Authority, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to amend in any way and/or cancel the procurement process. The Authority reserves the right to withdraw this notice at any time for any reason. The Authority reserves the right not to award any Contract to any supplier at any stage during the procurement. The Authority does not bind itself to enter into any Contract(s) arising out of the proceedings envisaged by this CN and no contractual rights express or implied arise out of this CN or the procedures envisaged by it. This Procurement is exempt from the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 (“PA 2023”). By expressing and interest to participate in the Procurement you acknowledge (and continue to acknowledge) that none of the obligations, rights or remedies deriving from the PA 2023 apply to this Procurement. Other than any amount that may be paid to successful supplier(s) in accordance with the terms of the NIGHTFALL CDP Contract, any suppliers who respond to this procurement (irrespective of whether they are assessed to meet the ITT requirements or are evaluated to be successful suppliers) shall be fully responsible for the cost of responding to the procurement and the Authority does not accept any liability for any costs howsoever incurred including but not limited to those costs arising out of or in connection with any amendment to, or cancellation of, the procurement process.