Aircraft Commodity Consumables

The Support Capabilities & Commodities Team have a requirement to deliver approved Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) aircraft spares to MOD locations within the United Kingdom. The initial scope of Aircraft Commodity Consumables (ACC) will comprise of approximately 11,000 consumable aircraft spares with unique NATO Stock Numbers (NSN’s), however there is a requirement to implement a mechanism in the contract to permit scope expansion, up to a maximum of 15,000 NSN’s. ACC will require the following services:

a. Contract Management

b. Delivery of Service (including supply chain analysis to influence supply chain modelling)

c. Delivery of Spares to the Support Capabilities & Commodities Depot

d. Obsolescence Management

e. Ad hoc Technical Support

The core element of the ACC project requires prospective suppliers to carry out spares modelling and procurement activity utilising assumptions and historical consumption data to evaluate future spares requirements. This spares modelling will demonstrate that the proposed spares procurements will meet predicted future requirements and provide confidence in spares availability across all consuming Defence platforms.

Airworthiness is a material attribute that reflects the time, cost and effort in accurately evidencing (and documenting) that an item was produced in accordance with its design or specification by an organisation with appropriate credentials for the intended use. For the consumable items included within the scope of ACC, the sum-total of the item, labelling and accompanying documentation (including traceability to source with evidence that the manufacturer has recognised quality management system) form the argument that the item is “Airworthy”. This enables the maintainers, Military Continuing Airworthiness Organisations (MilCAMOs), to use the items to fix an aircraft. Therefore, if the items delivered do not meet the requirements placed on the MilCAMOs then the items cannot be used on an aircraft. Our regulator, the Military Aviation Authority (MAA), set Regulatory Articles (RAs) that civil servants working in the Defence Air Environment (DAE) are legally obliged to follow. The collection of these rules and supporting guidance is known as the MAA Regulatory Publications (MRP). The role of the Engineering Authority (EA) is to provide technical oversight and assurance, ensuring that civilian standards of Safety are achieved So Far As Reasonably Practicable achieved and that any residual risk(s) are transferred to Aviation Duty Holders (ADHs). This should be accomplished through compliance with the MRP and applicable aerospace standards. Where regulatory compliance cannot be achieved the EA should compile evidence and apply to the regulator for ‘Alternative Acceptable Means of Compliance’, a Waiver or an Exemption. Where compliance with Aerospace standards cannot be achieve the EA is responsible for ensuring risk is identified, evaluated and where appropriate transferred to ADHs. There are no plans to issue Design Organisation “privilege ” as part of ACC.