The Civil Aviation Authority ("CAA") is seeking an external financial model reviewer to conduct a detailed review of the price control model developed for the final proposals of the forthcoming price control for Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), known as H7.
Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
System quality assurance assessment and review services. Under the National Aviation Security Programme (NASP), the UK has regulated the use of Threat Image Projection (TIP), and this will shortly become mandatory for the screening of cabin baggage and items carried at all airport passenger and staff checkpoints. Historically the image libraries have been centrally provided by the Department for Transport (DfT), however given the increasing range of security screening equipment available, moving forward the Civil Aviation Authority will be seeking to assess and approve libraries created by third party suppliers, including by the equipment manufacturers themselves, using a set of standardised physical threat articles. After initial approval, image libraries must have 10% of their images updated and re-approved annually. There are currently 8 libraries which have already been approved and would require annual re-approval. The CAA is accordingly looking to identify and contract with an independent third party (ie one who is not involved in the production of the libraries) to assess the content and suitability of new or amended image libraries against agreed criteria, and provide advice and recommendations as to their approval or otherwise. The supplier would be required to manage the physical threat item library and to undertake assessment of both initial and annual updates of image libraries. Additionally, the contractor would receive and collate monthly TIP data generated, which would be provided direct by around 50 UK airports, conduct initial analysis of the data received, and provide monthly reports to the CAA based on this data . It is important both for the ongoing resource and functionality of the capability, and also its independence, that the assessment is carried out by a third party appointed by the CAA on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT). Under this arrangement, CAA will maintain oversight of the third party provider on a continuous basis. In the future the use of TIP may be extended to other areas of aviation security screening, such as hold baggage, cargo and in-flight supplies, each of which would require initial and subsequent re-approval of TIP libraries. For library approvals it is envisaged the contractor would levy a fee direct from the applicant for each application assessed, based on a scale of charges to be agreed with the CAA. The cost of collating and analysing TIP data would be charged direct to the CAA.
This work will engage the CAA environmental sustainability team and relevant internal stakeholders in a facilitated process to contribute to the development of an organisational theory of change for CAA's new environmental sustainability strategy. The work will use systems thinking principles and tools to identify key outcomes desired from the Strategy, link them to CAA's current and potential activities and locate them in the complex context it operates in.
As part of CAA's Workplace Services ("WPS") core activity, every ten years it reviews its property portfolio to ensure that it remains current and fit for purpose. From each review, a new ten year office strategy is developed and implemented.
In December 2022, the WPS team presented a recommendation to CAA's Board to undertake its next ten year property strategy review.
Whilst the property review in itself was not an unusual request, the conditions and operating context which needed consideration in this review had significantly changed from any other previous reviews (e.g. global pandemic and CAA's corporate net zero carbon (NZC) ambition for 2035).
Subsequently, the previous position of 'steady state' office locations and spaces that had been sufficient to support CAA's operational requirements up to 2020 would need to be reviewed under the new operating context.
The undertaking of an externally facilitated board effectiveness review.
The supplier will be expected to deliver a comprehensive Board Effectiveness Review to the CAA. This should involve engagement with, but not limited to:
- Board Members;
- senior CAA officials;
- those regularly interacting with the Board;
- Government and industry stakeholders;
In addition, it is also expected that the supplier will review materials provided to the Board.
The MSA has a legislative obligation to carry out evaluations of drone products if the MSA believes a product presents a risk to health or safety, as per Article 36 of UK Regulation (EU) 2019/945.
The third-party 'RPAS Testing Service Providers' may be expected to perform a variety of product evaluations for class marked drones. This could involve evaluating compliance against the regulatory requirements and product standards set out in UK Regulation (EU) 2019/945, The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/30/EU), The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (Directive 2014/53/EU) and The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (Directive 2006/42/EC)345.
This requires technical knowledge and expertise across performance and design requirements, noise testing, verification methods, manufacturer manuals and instructions, geo-awareness, and remote identification, among others. In addition, the RPAS Testing Service Provider would require the capability to test non-drone specific product standards related to product safety (e.g. mechanics and electronics systems). The RPAS Testing Service Provider may also be requested to conduct product evaluations for any other concerns related to public health, safety and security, such as cyber security and chemical hazards.
Technical standards will contain verification methods to perform some of the product evaluations. Existing standards are available, which may be similar to the potential designated standards (e.g. prEN 4709-001 'Aerospace series - Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Part 001: Product requirements and verification'). The MSA will be responsible for the management and oversight of the product evaluations performed by the RPAS Testing Service Providers, including the communication and coordination with other authorities, industry and the public. In addition, the MSA will be responsible for any decisions that are made on market intervention measures (e.g. product recalls) following the completion of a product evaluation.
The MSA will procure the RPAS Testing Service Provider services. One option could be to have a procurement framework for the RPAS Testing Service Providers. The suppliers on this potential procurement framework would require the capability to perform some, if not all, of the product evaluations specified and ensure no conflict of interest would arise. If the MSA identifies the need for a product evaluation, the MSA would issue a set of requirements on that framework.
The RPAS Testing Service Providers on the framework would prepare a statement of work (SOW) to outline their delivery approach with associated costs. The MSA would review the SOW responses and subsequently award the procurement to the winning RPAS Testing Service Provider. The RPAS Testing Service Provider would perform the product evaluation based on the MSA requirements and submit their results and recommendations to the MSA to inform a decision on the potential market intervention.