Marshall

The Capability

The Joint Military Air Traffic Services, now known as Marshall project, seeks to sustain the provision of Air Traffic Management at MOD Airfields and Air Weapons Ranges through the provision of new capability to meet new regulatory airspace management requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority, addressing equipment obsolescence in the air traffic inventory and through the more efficient delivery of support services. The project will provide air traffic services to military and civilian aircraft arriving at, departing from and operating within the immediate vicinity or confines of, MOD aerodromes (United Kingdom, overseas permanent and deployed) and at air weapons ranges.

Overview of Cost, Time and Performance

Approved

Forecast/Actual

Variation

IY Variation

Assessment Phase 1

£3m

£3m

-

-

Assessment Phase 2

£6m

£6m

-

-

The Assessment Phase

A Review Note Industry Engagement was issued in December 2009 seeking approval to initiate formal industry engagement and release of an additional £6 million to provide specialist technical support and external assistance to the competitive dialogue process. Although approval for Part 2 of the Assessment Phase was given on 22 February 2010, it was caveated with a requirement for further work to be undertaken to demonstrate commercial maturity before the contract notice, (launching the formal procurement process) could be

published. This work was largely completed by late 2010, and a second Review Note was approved in February 2011. This too was caveated with the need to gain Treasury approval of key project documents, before the contract notice could be published. This final approval was received on 25 March 2011. In addition, the change of government introduced a 'freeze' on consultancy expenditure. Although the case to re-engage consultants on the project was approved in August 2010, formal approval by the Efficiency Reform Group was not achieved until 23 February 2011.