PCD 1775 NPCC Counter Drone

This paper seeks approval to initiate procurement and award contract for the supply of licencing and support for hardware and software in relation to national counter drone technology for a term of upto three years. The annual cost is estimated at £245,000 and is funded from Home Office grant.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the initiation of procurement for the supply of licensing and support of the hardware and software in relation to national counter drone technology network. 

2. Delegate to MPS Director of Commercial the award of contract for a 12-month initial term with two optional 12 month (1+1) extensions – extended each financial year subject to Home Office funding as this is on a yearly cycle. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background  

1. MOPAC hosts the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).  The NPCC runs a counter drone programme and this paper seeks approval for a procurement and contract award for the supply of licencing and support for hardware and software. 

2. Issues for consideration 

1. A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Department for Transport (DfT) report considered the potential impact of drones on the UK economy. It estimated that  

• More than 900,000 drones could operate in the UK’s skies 

• GBP22 billion in net cost savings may be realised 

• Carbon emissions could be reduced by 2.4M tons, and  

• 650,000 jobs could be associated with an economy that fully adopts drones. 

2. This proposal will enable the national array to continue to support policing against drone misuse across the UK.  

3. Further detail is set out in the restricted section of this paper. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The NPCC have assured that Home Office grant funding is available to meet the cost in 2024/25 and the contract will be structured to enable optional extensions if the Home Office confirm funding in future years.  CTP confirm that there is nil cost to MOPAC.  

4. Legal Comments 

1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (“MOPAC”) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (“the Regulations”). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £214,904 (inclusive of VAT) or above shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations.  

2. The MPS Directorate of Legal Services assure that use of a compliantly procured Framework Agreement will constitute a compliant process where the Framework Agreement’s ordering processes are followed. 

3. The MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (“DMPC”) has delegated authority to approve:  

• Business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above (paragraph 4.8); and 

• All requests to go out to tender for contracts of £500,000 or above, or where there is a particular public interest (paragraph 4.13).  

4. Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme provides that the Director of Strategic Procurement has consent for the approval of the award of all contracts, with the exception of those called in through the agreed call in procedure.  Paragraph 4.14 of the Scheme provides the DMPC reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above. 

5. Commercial Comments 

1. The proposal is for the acquisition of licencing and support for hardware and software in relation to national counter drone technology for a term of upto three years, a one-year initial term and two 12-month optional extensions. A three year term would have a contract value of £735,000. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The NPCC assure that the project does not use currently personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no current GDPR issues to be considered. 

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. The NPCC assure that no equality or diversity issues have been identified from the previous work on this procurement undertaken by the Home Office nor by the Business Change and Diversity team.  

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 NPCC Report - NPCC National  Array