National Space Operations Centre: Global Data Marketplace (NSpOC GDM)

Location

Description

The National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) is seeking a supplier for a live operational platform that can provide SDA data across a range of different phenomenologies. The requirement is for a platform that: * Connects to a global supplier network covering multiple SDA phenomenologies * Supports rapid tasking of that network (within 1 hour of order being placed) * Supports rapid data delivery and high re-visit rates for target objects * Capable of automated delivery, either via a UDL or via API into the BOREALIS system * Is already operational and capable of fulfilling these requirements immediately upon contract commencement without development, onboarding or implementation activity ("day zero ready") * Allows for specification of licencing provisions on a case-by-case basis according to operational need (e.g. sharing with UK Government partners vs sharing with NATO allies)

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• None found

Legal Justification

Direct award is justified under PA23 Schedule 5(5) for “particular intellectual property rights” and schedule 5(6) “competition is absent for technical reasons”, on the following basis: 1) NSpOC’s requirement is for a live operational platform that: a. Connects to a global supplier network covering multiple SDA phenomenologies b. Supports rapid tasking of that network (within 1 hour of order being placed) c. Supports rapid data delivery and high re-visit rates for target objects d. Capable of automated delivery, either via a UDL or via API into BOREALIS C2 system e. Is already operational and capable of fulfilling these requirements immediately upon contract commencement without development, onboarding or implementation activity (“day zero ready”) f. Allows for specification of licensing provisions on a case-by-case basis according to operational need (e.g. sharing with UK Government partners vs sharing with NATO allies) Based on market knowledge developed through procurement of SDA services, engagement with SDA suppliers and review of available commercial offerings, the Authority is unaware of any alternative operational platform capable of meeting all the requirements listed above. Any competitor platform would need to be newly developed and its supplier network grown, all of which would duplicate the work already done by Bluestaq, would require the development of an alternative platform and onboarding of suppliers before becoming operational and require significant financial investment which would not provide a value for money solution. This would not meet the critical requirement of “day zero ready”. The Authority is not aware of any existing platform that currently provides equivalent operational coverage across suppliers, sensors and phenomenologies. No other supplier can provide access through a single operational platform to such a breadth of data sources and phenomenologies: owing to the substantial overheads of hardware deployment and maintenance, SDA companies tend to specialise in one particular phenomenology (optical/radar/space-based). Reliance on multiple specialist suppliers would require the Authority to establish, maintain and operationally coordinate multiple contractual arrangements in order to achieve equivalent capability coverage. Justification relating to Intellectual Property Rights relates to the Global Data Marketplace's IPR and the interaction of the GDM and a UDL, which is held by Bluestaq.

Other Information

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