How to sell to or work with Dstl

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OurIf workyou covershave everythingsomething fromto spaceoffer or would like to artificialget intelligence.involved, please register for this webinar. We would love to take you with us on this exciting journey.

This page explains how to become a supplier and where to find the opportunities that are available.

Dstl works alongside a range of suppliers to provide our customers with the best science and technology, research and capabilities to protect the UK’s security and advance the UK’s defence interests. Find out more about who we are and what we do, and how we we are increasing collaboration and engagement with Ministry of Defence (MOD), as set out in the Defence Science and Technology (DST) collaboration and engagement strategy.

Who we work with

We work with external suppliers unless there’s a clear reason not to: see our criteria for science and technology procurement decision processcriteria (PDF, 24 KB, 3 pages)

SuppliersWe canwant beto smallmake andit medium-sizedeasier enterprisesfor (SMEs)innovative andsuppliers theyto don’twork havewith tous, including:

• suppliers who have not traditionally worked with Dstl, the the MOD or or in the defence sector before.
  before
• small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

SMEs: A guide to working with government provides provides advice for small and medium sized enterprises on how to bid for and win government contracts.

The  The Dstl  SME action action plan 2020 to 2025 tells tells you more about what we are doing to make it easier for for SMEs to to work with us, including:

• providing clearer guidance
• making sure our framework supply partners advertise sub-contracting opportunities
• simplifying our contracting process
• ensuring that that SMEs are  are paid promptly

Benefits

Subscribe ofto workingour regular supplier email for the latest science and technology news and events, development in our work, information about new and existing contracts and case studies.

Why work with us

Suppliers willworking with Dstl have the opportunity to:

• work with top scientists and technologists at the cutting edge of innovation
• benefit from increased funding for defencedefence: around half of Dstl’s £multi-million science and technology budget is spent with industry and academia
• test and improve concepts with input from members of the armed forces
• benefit from the experience and expertise of our framework supply partners
• gain access to state-of-the-art facilities for development and testing
• retain intellectual property rights, boosting longer-term prosperity
• have a real impact on improving the UK’s security and defence

WorkSupplier withStories: Advanced Material Development

Areas of work

Dstl is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Around half of MOD’s science and technology budget, managed by Dstl, is spent with industry and academia.

Our work covers everything from space to artificial intelligence. Find out more about our science and technology capabilities.

BeforeHow you can sell to or work with us

WeDstl expectexpects suppliers to do all of the following:to:

• adhere to all applicable laws (including (including UK data protection legislation)
• maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in their business dealings
• comply with the Government Commercial Function Function codes of conduct
• comply with with Dstl’s ’s quality requirements
• comply with security requirements for for selling to or working with with Dstl

Suppliers should also be aware of guidance on on trading with the the EU, and that that UK procurement rules are set to change with the with the removal of 350 350 EU laws laws.

Dstl reserves reserves the right to exclude a supplier who has been convicted of any of the offences or misconduct listed in either the the MOD or  or Dstl ‘statement ‘statement relating to good standing.standing.’

How to sell to or work with us

Sell

Selling directly to to Dstl

By default we buy all goods and services through open competition, as set out in UK law for for public sector procurement, and follow follow MOD’s procurement process (we. Dstl do not currently use use MOD’s contracting, purchasing and finance (CP and F) system).system.

WeDstl do not operate ‘preferred’ supplier lists.

How open competition works

TheIn following will usually happen in a typical competition:

1. We advertise Dstl advertise our requirements.
2. Suppliers complete a pre-qualification questionnairequestionnaire. (theThe pre-qualification stage canmay be skipped for certain requirements).requirements.
3. If suppliers meet the pre-qualification selection criteria, we invite them to tender.
4. We evaluate tenders using pre-agreed, objective assessment criteria,criteria. andFrom June 2021 we will also take account of of social value in in our evaluations.
5. We choose a supplier or suppliers based on this assessment.
6. We award the contract to the successful bidder and give feedback to all suppliers who want it.

Find opportunities to sell to or work with us

Our

• We contractadvertise noticestender makeand itcontract clear when opportunities arevalued suitableover for£10,000 consortiain to tender. For example, smaller companies can collaborate with other SMEs to meet the requirements.

  Search portals

  Search the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP). forAccess tender and contractregistration opportunitiesis valuedfree.

• We overalso £10,000advertise (accessthese andcontracts registrationusing is free).

  Search the government’s Contracts Finder portal, foralongside contracts valued over £12,000. This portal includes opportunities from other government departments and public bodiesbodies. (accessAccess is free of charge).

  Signcharge.

• Dstl upalso touses R-Cloud

  Signa upsystem tocalled R-Cloud ato systemmatch that matches suppliers’ capabilities and skills to our requirements. Register to join the R-Cloud at any time. If matched to a requirement, we invite suppliers to express their interest in the opportunity and take part in a competitive tender process.

  Explore

• Our contract notices make it clear when opportunities are suitable for consortia to tender. For example, smaller companies can collaborate with other options

  The SMEs to meet the requirements.

• Requirements below £10,000 are often one-off projects; these are procured or bought in accordance with Dstl’s policy for low value purchasing.
• The Defence and Security Accelerator occasionally occasionally runs funding opportunities on ourbehalf behalf.

  Weof alsoDstl.

• Dstl operateoperates a number of of PhD programmes programmes. We welcome applications to to PhD level level research calls from UK institutions with leading academics, research groups or research centres, including public sector research establishments (PSREs).

Below

Be £10,000

Requirementspart belowof £10,000the arewider oftenDstl one-offsupply projects.chain, Theseworking arewith procuredour orexisting boughtframework insupply accordance with partners

Dstl’s policyhas forestablished lowscience valueand purchasing.

Betechnology part(S&T) offramework theagreements governmentfor supplyuse chain

across government. Suppliers can join onethem of our framework agreements to become part of the UK government supply chain.

ViewWe ouralso capabilityencourage our framework guide.

Framework supply partners

Please to advertise sub-contracting opportunities on the the Defence Sourcing Portal.

Supply our infrastructure

Our capital works and construction projects range from £1£1m millionto £300m.

Routes to £300market million.we Weuse

In alsoline with MOD’s procurement process, we use existing public sector frameworks wherever possible.possible.  These include:

• Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks

• such as RM6088 - Construction Works and Services
• framework, RM6165 Construction Professional Services
• framework and the RM6184 Offsite Construction Solutions

framework.  You can search for existing suppliers on relevant frameworks and lots.

Tolots, and to become a supplier through through CCS you you have to respond to a contract notice and succeed in the tender processprocess. -The the contract notice will explain how to register your interest in a tender.

Southern Construction Framework (SCF)

Join their- register frameworkto orbe signnotified upof available opportunities to theirjoin portalon fortheir accessWorking towith accessSCF available- opportunities.

Contractor page

SCAPE

Frameworks includeframeworks including their Civil Engineering, National Construction and Consultancy frameworks. Find out about their their live procurements and supply chain opportunities.

Pagabo

Construction,’s construction, professional services and civil engineering frameworks.frameworks Find- find out how to become a a Pagabo framework supplier.

We also consider the principles of The Construction Playbook.

Defence Infrastructure OrganisationOrganisation’s (DIO) delivers(DIO) corporate solutions deliver our hard and soft facilities management.

What Theirelse procurementyou pipelinemight setslike outto whatknow theybefore planworking towith buy.

us

If

Transparency youand arethe successful

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

If youyou’re aresuccessfully awarded a public sector contractcontract, (includingincluding anythose weadvertised advertise),by theDstl, details offrom yourit contractmay mightthen be published under under transparency regulations. The criteria for redactions will be in line with the exemptions set out by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).(FOIA); WeDstl will assess their applications in discussion with suppliers.

Intellectual property

WeDstl protectprotects our partners’ intellectual property (IP), but we reserve the right for UK government to use the results of research and development.

Licencedevelopment ourfunded technologies

by the UK taxpayer.

You can also licence some of our technologies through the the Easy Access Access IP scheme, scheme, or via via Ploughshare Innovations which which was was formed in 2005 to commercialise and exploit exploit Dstl’s intellectual property generated from its research.

BeFor awareinternational of(non-UK) risks connected to working internationallysuppliers

ForCPNI academics,and the National ProtectiveCyber Security AuthorityCentre (NPSA) have produced some guidance aimed at raising awareness of risks associated with working internationally.internationally:

• for Theyacademics: alsoTrusted haveResearch
• for guidanceindustry: forThinking industrysecurely about your business.