How to sell to or work with Dstl
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The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) workswork with a range of suppliers to provide customers with the best science and technologytechnology, expertise,research insights and solutionscapabilities to protect the UK’s security and advance the UK’s defence interests.
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Suppliers can be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and consortia, and they don’t have to have worked with Dstl, the MOD or in the defence sector before.
Benefitsguide ofto working with government provides advice for small and medium sized enterprises on how to bid for and win government contracts.
WhenThe Dstl
SME action plan 2020 to 2025 tells you more about what we are doing to make it easier for SMEs to work with us, you will:including:
- benefit
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Suppliers andwill testinghave the opportunity to:
- work with top scientists and technologists at the cutting edge of innovation
- benefit from
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gainintellectualaccesspropertytorights,state-of-the-artboostingfacilitieslonger-termforprosperitydevelopmentandtesting - be
retainpaidintellectualpromptlypropertyforrights,yourboostingworklonger-termprosperity - have a real impact on improving the UK’s security and defence
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HowBefore toyou sell to or work with us
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Find
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Defence Sourcing Portal
Use the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP)requirements for selling to findor allworking with Dstl
Suppliers andshould MOD’salso advertised requirements. Access and registration is free and you can set up tailored notifications to be alertedaware toof newguidance opportunities.
Contractson trading Finder
Searchwith Contracts Finderthe EU, for contracts valued over £12,000 including VAT. It includes opportunities within government departments and public bodies. Access is free.
Find a Tender
Use the that UK Government’sprocurement centralrules Findare aset Tenderto servicechange with tothe removal searchof and apply for high value contracts in the UK’s public and utilities sectors. High value contracts are usually above £139,688 including VAT.
Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA350 EU) laws occasionally runs funding opportunities on our behalf. They are advertised on the same portals..
R-Cloud
R-Cloud is now the main place that Dstl reserves opportunitiesthe toright bid for work are being made available, including PhD funding. You can sign up and create an account at any time and registration is completely free.
R-Cloud is a dynamic system that matches suppliers’ capabilities and skills to ourexclude requirements. If matched to a requirement,supplier wewho willhas invitebeen suppliersconvicted toof expressany theirof interest in the opportunityoffences andor takemisconduct partlisted in aeither competitivethe MOD or Dstl ‘statement tenderrelating process.to Thisgood all happens within the R-Cloud portal.standing.
If
How you’reto interestedsell into workingor work with Dstl, register on R-Cloud and create a supplier account.
You can either sell directly to us,Dstl, or be part of the wider Dstl supply chain, working with
other Dstlour suppliers.existing framework supply partners.
Sell directly to Dstl
WeBy default we buy all goods and services through open competition, as set out in UK law for public sector procurement, and follow MOD’s procurement process (we but Dstl do not currently use MOD’s contracting, purchasing and finance (CP and F) system.system).
DstlWe doesdo not operate preferred‘preferred’ supplier lists.
How open competition works
The following will usually happen:happen in a typical competition:
- We advertise our requirements.
- Suppliers provide an expression of interest and complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (the pre-qualification stage can be skipped for certain requirements).
- If suppliers meet the pre-qualification selection criteria, we invite them to tender.
- We evaluate tenders using pre-agreed, objective assessment criteria, and also take account of social value in our evaluations.
- We choose a supplier or suppliers based on this assessment.
- 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 contract notices make it clear when opportunities are suitable for consortia to tender. For example, smaller companies can collaborate with other SMEs to meet the requirements.
BeSearch partportals
Search ofthe DstlDefence Sourcing Portal (DSP’s) supplyfor chain:tender workand withcontract ouropportunities supplyvalued partnersover £10,000 (access and registration is free).
Dstl Search hasthe scienceContracts Finder portal for contracts valued over £12,000. This portal includes opportunities from other government departments and technologypublic (S&T)bodies framework(access agreementsis forfree useof acrosscharge).
Sign Defenceup to R-Cloud
Sign up to R-Cloud a system that matches suppliers’ capabilities and widerskills government.to our requirements. If youmatched areto a supplierrequirement, interestedwe invite suppliers to express their interest in workingthe opportunity and take part in ana areacompetitive supportedtender byprocess.
Explore theseother frameworks,options
The Defence contactand Security Accelerator occasionally runs funding opportunities on our behalf.
We also operate a number of PhD programmes. We welcome applications to PhD level research calls from UK institutions with leading academics, research groups or research centres, including public sector research establishments (PSREs).
Below £10,000
Requirements below £10,000 are often one-off projects. These are procured or bought in accordance with Dstl’s policy for low value purchasing.
Be part of the government supply chain
Suppliers can join one of our framework Primeagreements Contractor.to become part of the government supply chain.
OurThe current frameworks are:
- Analysis for science and technology research in defence (ASTRID)
framework Serapisframework,covering C4ISR (command,control,computers,communication,intelligence,surveillanceandreconnaissance),spacesystems,syntheticenvironmentsandsimulationtechnology- Weapons sector research framework (WSRF)
Other
For further details including when frameworks start and routesfinish and which supplier to marketcontact, go to our procurement framework page.
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FreedomIf ofyou Information
If you are awarded a public sector contract (including any we advertise), the details of your contract might be published under transparency regulations. The criteria for redactions will be in line with the exemptions set out by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). We will assess applications with suppliers.
Intellectual property
We protect our partners’ intellectual property (IP), but we reserve the right for UK government to use the results of research and development it has funded.development.
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TheYou Nationalcan Protectivealso Securitylicence Authority (NPSA) have produced some guidance to raise awareness of risksour associatedtechnologies withthrough workingthe Easy internationally:
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Further information and support
Information for prospective suppliers is also available through MOD, the Home Office Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC) and the UKDSE Export Faculty which offers information, export advice, and support for UK business in the defence, security and cyber security sectors.
Updates to this page
-
Updated with latest advice on how to work with Dstl.
-
Review and update of page content.
-
Next Searchlight webinar 2 June 2025 at 2pm. Register online.
-
Added new information for supplying our infrastructure.
-
Added link to additional guidance for defence and security contracts relating to the Procurement Act 2023.
-
Removed links to Cabinet Office procurement webinars as these dates have now passed.
-
Added links to information for suppliers about changes to public procurement from 24 February 2025.
-
Removed link to registering for webinar on the Procurement Act 2024 on 1 February 2024.
-
Added link for registering to attend the webinar on the Procurement Act on 1 February 2024.
-
Added link to a recently published series of Knowledge Drop guidance which provides an overview of the Procurement Act 2023. Aimed at: suppliers who deliver contracts to the UK public, utilities and defence sectors, who take part in competitive procurements or have delivered contracts under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011, and the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, or new entrants who would like to do so in the future.
-
Added link for pre-registration of Searchlight Science & Technology Solutions Showcase event.
-
Separated sign-up mechanism for new suppliers from survey for existing suppliers, following feedback.
-
New security guidance for selling to or working with Dstl
-
Added link to Defence Science and Technology collaboration and engagement strategy, and added link to Dstl supplier registration survey.
-
R-Cloud is now available again after a period of maintenance.
-
Added details of new webinar briefing industry on Dstl's new commercial approach, and a notice that R-Cloud is currently not available for a period of 3 to 4 weeks while we carry out maintenance.
-
Added link to latest series of webinars for suppliers.
-
Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide and 'How you can sell to or work with us' section, and added link to MOD acquisition pipeline.
-
Added new 'Work with Dstl' video and link to new MOD Science and Technology Portfolio.
-
Added link to register for Supercharging Science 2022, a free MOD science and technology summit for industry and academia.
-
Added details of forthcoming webinars.
-
Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide.
-
Updated links to S&T procurement framework information, under the heading 'Be part of the wider Dstl supply chain'.
-
Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide.
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Fully updated guide including expectations for suppliers and how to find opportunities.
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Updated sections on transparency and engaging with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
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Updated Framework and Capabilities.
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Updated frameworks and capabilities
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Updated guidance added
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Addition of information of SME Searchlight initiative
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Added a new academic alliance
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A web link edit.
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Description and length of term amended on University Defence Research Collaboration (UDRC) in Signal Processing.
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Added a new open call for the University Defence Research Collaboration in signal processing
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Removed MURI (Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative) from list of ways to work with us, as none are currently planned.
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Added Serapis details.
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Updating CDE with the Defence and Security Accelerator following organisational change
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Added information and link for the Dstl Synthetic Environment Tower of Excellence (SE Tower).
-
Added details of the US DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) programme.
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Added information about Easy Access IP.
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First published.
Update history
2026-01-26 17:42
Updated with latest advice on how to work with Dstl.
2025-09-25 10:16
Review and update of page content.
2025-05-13 15:31
Next Searchlight webinar 2 June 2025 at 2pm. Register online.
2025-03-18 16:57
Added new information for supplying our infrastructure.
2025-02-20 15:22
Added link to additional guidance for defence and security contracts relating to the Procurement Act 2023.
2025-01-24 15:30
Removed links to Cabinet Office procurement webinars as these dates have now passed.
2025-01-07 14:48
Added links to information for suppliers about changes to public procurement from 24 February 2025.
2024-02-02 09:39
Removed link to registering for webinar on the Procurement Act 2024 on 1 February 2024.
2024-01-15 15:58
Added link for registering to attend the webinar on the Procurement Act on 1 February 2024.
2023-12-29 10:45
Added link to a recently published series of Knowledge Drop guidance which provides an overview of the Procurement Act 2023. Aimed at: suppliers who deliver contracts to the UK public, utilities and defence sectors, who take part in competitive procurements or have delivered contracts under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011, and the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, or new entrants who would like to do so in the future.
2023-09-07 09:53
New security guidance for selling to or working with Dstl
2023-02-13 15:29
Added link to Defence Science and Technology collaboration and engagement strategy, and added link to Dstl supplier registration survey.
2022-12-16 09:30
R-Cloud is now available again after a period of maintenance.
2022-12-01 17:18
Added details of new webinar briefing industry on Dstl’s new commercial approach, and a notice that R-Cloud is currently not available for a period of 3 to 4 weeks while we carry out maintenance.
2022-07-11 17:43
Added link to latest series of webinars for suppliers.
2022-06-23 15:28
Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide and ‘How you can sell to or work with us’ section, and added link to MOD acquisition pipeline.
2022-06-07 08:36
Added new ‘Work with Dstl’ video and link to new MOD Science and Technology Portfolio.
2022-03-24 12:23
Added link to register for Supercharging Science 2022, a free MOD science and technology summit for industry and academia.