The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has disclosed its intention to award an exclusive contract to Data Link Solutions LLC, based in New Jersey.
This contract, worth an estimated £4.5 million, is related to the “Provision of MIDS BU2 In-Service Support and I-Level Repair for Typhoon.”
The formal announcement was made on 23rd August 2023.
In the notice, the Situational Awareness Command and Control (SACC) Team, part of the MOD, confirmed that the contract’s span would be three years, centred on the MIDS BU2 Terminals within the UK. Further specifying, the notice reads, “The estimated value is £4.5m ex VAT.”
Data Link Solutions LLC, the chosen contractor, has a unique position in this scenario. They are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the MIDS BU2 Tactical Data Link Terminals and the associated equipment. These terminals are described as “complex electronic units, containing both programmable (software) and cryptographic devices.”
Highlighting the exclusive qualifications of Data Link Solutions LLC, the notice states: “The service required by the Authority (repair, maintenance, and modification) can only be performed by the Contractor because they own and hold the technical information, tools and technical expertise necessary to perform the service and meet the Authority’s requirement.”
Further underscoring this exclusivity, the notice clarifies: “The contract cannot be performed without access to that technical information and, no licences have been granted to any party, including the Authority, to obtain the drawings, specifications, etc. for the Link 16 Tactical Data Link Terminals.”
As a result, “Data Link Solutions, LLC is the only Contractor capable of providing the required support and repairs to the MIDS BU2 Tactical Data Link Terminals in order to meet the Authority’s requirement.”