The Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016

SUB-SECTION 2 S Procurement involving defence and security aspects

Defence and security S

23.—(1) These Regulations apply to procurement for the award of contracts and to design contests organised in the fields of defence and security, with the exception of procurement or design contests—

(a) to which the Defence and Security Regulations apply; or

(b) to which those Regulations do not apply pursuant to regulations 7 or 9 of those Regulations.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to procurement for the award of contracts or design contests, not otherwise exempt by virtue of paragraph (1), to the extent that—

(a) the protection of the essential security interests of the United Kingdom F1 ... cannot be guaranteed by less intrusive measures; or

(b) the application of these Regulations would oblige the United Kingdom to supply information the disclosure of which it considers contrary to the essential interests of its security.

(3) These Regulations do not apply where—

(a) the procurement and performance of the contract or design contest are classified as secret or must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in any part of the United Kingdom; and

(b) the United Kingdom has determined that the protection of the essential interests concerned cannot be guaranteed by less intrusive measures.

(4) In this regulation reference to “less intrusive measures” includes, but is not limited to, imposing requirements aimed at protecting the confidential nature of information which the utility makes available in a contract award procedure as provided for in these Regulations.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 23(2)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(13) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 23 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Mixed procurement covering the same activity and involving defence and security aspects S

24.—(1) This regulation applies where a procurement has as its subject different types of procurement all covering the same activity, any part of which is covered by [F2 regulation 3(2)] or the Defence and Security Regulations.

(2) Where different parts of a given contract are objectively separable, a utility may decide to undertake procurement for the award of—

(a) separate contracts for the separate parts; or

(b) a single contract.

(3) Any decision to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract must not be made for the purpose of excluding the procurement from the application of these Regulations or the Defence and Security Regulations.

(4) Where a utility decides to undertake procurement for the award of separate contracts for separate parts the applicable law for the procurement of each separate part is to be determined by the characteristics of such part.

(5) Where a utility decides, in accordance with paragraph (6), to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract and—

(a) part of the contract is covered by [F3 regulation 3(2)], the contract may be awarded without applying these Regulations; or

(b) part of the contract is covered by the Defence and Security Regulations, the procurement may be undertaken in accordance with those Regulations, in which event these Regulations will not apply to such procurement.

(6) A utility may only decide to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract of a kind referred to in paragraph (5) where—

(a) different parts of such a contract are not objectively separable; or

(b) such decision is justified by objective reasons.

(7) Paragraph (5)(b) is without prejudice to the thresholds and exclusions provided for by the Defence and Security Regulations.

(8) Paragraph (5)(a) applies to a mixed contract to which both paragraph (5)(a) and (5)(b) could otherwise apply.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in reg. 24(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(14) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F3 Words in reg. 24(5)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(14) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 24 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Procurement covering several activities and involving defence or security aspects S

25.—(1) This regulation applies where a procurement has as its subject a contract covering more than one activity, where one or more of those activities are covered by [F4 regulation 3(2)] or the Defence and Security Regulations.

(2) A utility may decide to undertake procurement for the award of—

(a) separate contracts for the separate activities; or

(b) a single contract.

(3) Any decision to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract must not be made for the purpose of excluding the procurement from the application of these Regulations or the Defence and Security Regulations.

(4) Where a utility decides to undertake procurement for the award of separate contracts for separate activities the applicable law for the procurement of each separate activity will be determined by the characteristics of such activity.

(5) Where a utility decides, in accordance with paragraph (6), to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract and—

(a) part of the contract is intended to cover an activity which is covered by [F5 regulation 3(2)], the contract may be awarded without applying these Regulations; or

(b) part of the contract is intended to cover an activity which is covered by the Defence and Security Regulations, the procurement may be undertaken in accordance with those Regulations, in which event these Regulations do not apply to such procurement.

(6) A utility may only decide to undertake a procurement for the award of a single contract of a kind referred to in paragraph (5) where such decision is justified by objective reasons.

(7) Paragraph (5)(b) is without prejudice to the thresholds and exclusions provided for by the Defence and Security Regulations.

(8) Paragraph (5)(a) applies to a mixed contract to which both paragraph (5)(a) and (5)(b) could otherwise apply.

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in reg. 25(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(15) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F5 Words in reg. 25(5)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(15) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 25 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)

Contracts and design contests involving defence and security aspects which are awarded or organised pursuant to international rules S

26.—(1) These Regulations do not apply to procurement for the award of a contract or to a design contest involving defence or security aspects which the utility is obliged to award or organise in accordance with a procurement which is established by—

(a) an international agreement or arrangement, concluded in conformity with the [F6 Retained] Treaties, between the United Kingdom and one or more [F7 other] country or part thereof and covering works, supplies or services intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by their signatories;

(b) an international agreement or arrangement relating to the stationing of troops and concerning the undertakings of the United Kingdom or [F8 another] country; or

(c) an international organisation.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to procurement for the award of a contract or to the organisation of a design contest involving defence or security aspects which the utility carries out in accordance with procurement rules provided by an international organisation or international financing institution where the contract or design contest concerned is fully financed by that organisation or institution or is co-financed for the most part by such organisation or institution.

Textual Amendments

F6 Word in reg. 26(1)(a) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(16)(a)(i) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F7 Word in reg. 26(1)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(16)(a)(ii) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

F8 Word in reg. 26(1)(b) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Public Procurement etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/468), regs. 1(2), 6(16)(b) (with sch. paras. 1-5)

Commencement Information

I4 Reg. 26 in force at 18.4.2016, see reg. 1(2)