Guidance

How to sell to or work with Dstl

As a supplier, find out how to work with us. There are various routes you can follow.

From:
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Published
1 July 2014
Last updated
25 September 2025 — See all updates

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) work with a range of suppliers to provide customers with the best science and technology, research and capabilities to protect the UK’s security and advance the UK’s defence interests.

Our work covers everything from space to artificial intelligence.

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 process

Suppliers can be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and they don’t have to have worked with Dstl, the MOD or in the defence sector before.

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

The 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, including:

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

Benefits of working with us

Suppliers will have the opportunity to:

  • work with top scientists and technologists at the cutting edge of innovation
  • benefit from increased funding for defence
  • 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

Work with Dstl

Before you work with us

We expect suppliers to do all of the following:

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

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

How to sell to or work with us

You can either sell directly to Dstl, or be part of the wider Dstl supply chain, working with our existing framework supply partners.

Sell directly to Dstl

By 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 do not currently use MOD’s contracting, purchasing and finance (CP and F) system).

We do not operate ‘preferred’ supplier lists.

How open competition works

The following will usually happen in a typical competition:

  1. We advertise our requirements.
  2. Suppliers complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (the pre-qualification stage can be skipped for certain 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, and also take account of social value 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 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.

Search portals

Search the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) for tender and contract opportunities valued over £10,000 (access and registration is free).

Search the Contracts Finder portal for contracts valued over £12,000. This portal includes opportunities from other government departments and public bodies (access is free of charge).

Sign up to R-Cloud

Sign up to R-Cloud a system that matches suppliers’ capabilities and skills to our requirements. If matched to a requirement, we invite suppliers to express their interest in the opportunity and take part in a competitive tender process.

Explore other options

The Defence and 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 agreements to become part of the government supply chain.

The frameworks are:

  • Analysis for science and technology research in defence (ASTRID) framework
  • Serapis framework, covering C4ISR (command, control, computers, communication, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), space systems, synthetic environments and simulation technology
  • Weapons sector research framework (WSRF)

For further details including when frameworks start and finish and which supplier to contact, go to our procurement framework page.

View our science and technology portfolio, details of purchasing agreements (frameworks) and wider MOD opportunities for suppliers.

View our capability framework guide.

Framework supply partners

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

Supply our infrastructure

Our capital works and construction projects range from £1 million to £300 million. We also use existing public sector frameworks wherever possible.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks

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

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

Southern Construction Framework (SCF)

Join their framework or sign up to their portal for access to access available opportunities.

SCAPE

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

Pagabo

Construction, professional services and civil engineering frameworks. Find out how to become a Pagabo framework supplier.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) delivers our hard and soft facilities management. Their procurement pipeline sets out what they plan to buy.

If you are successful

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.

Licence our technologies

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

Be aware of risks connected to working internationally

For academics, the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have produced some guidance aimed at raising awareness of risks associated with working internationally. They also have guidance for industry.

Contact us

Find out more about who we are and what we do, or:

Register your interest in working with us

Register your interest in working with Dstl

Updates to this page

Published 1 July 2014
Last updated 25 September 2025 show all updates

  1. Review and update of page content.

  2. Next Searchlight webinar 2 June 2025 at 2pm. Register online.

  3. Added new information for supplying our infrastructure.

  4. Added link to additional guidance for defence and security contracts relating to the Procurement Act 2023.

  5. Removed links to Cabinet Office procurement webinars as these dates have now passed.

  6. Added links to information for suppliers about changes to public procurement from 24 February 2025.

  7. Removed link to registering for webinar on the Procurement Act 2024 on 1 February 2024.

  8. Added link for registering to attend the webinar on the Procurement Act on 1 February 2024.

  9. 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.

  10. Added link for pre-registration of Searchlight Science & Technology Solutions Showcase event.

  11. Separated sign-up mechanism for new suppliers from survey for existing suppliers, following feedback.

  12. New security guidance for selling to or working with Dstl

  13. Added link to Defence Science and Technology collaboration and engagement strategy, and added link to Dstl supplier registration survey.

  14. R-Cloud is now available again after a period of maintenance.

  15. 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.

  16. Added link to latest series of webinars for suppliers.

  17. Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide and 'How you can sell to or work with us' section, and added link to MOD acquisition pipeline.

  18. Added new 'Work with Dstl' video and link to new MOD Science and Technology Portfolio.

  19. Added link to register for Supercharging Science 2022, a free MOD science and technology summit for industry and academia.

  20. Added details of forthcoming webinars.

  21. Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide.

  22. Updated links to S&T procurement framework information, under the heading 'Be part of the wider Dstl supply chain'.

  23. Updated Dstl Capability and Framework Guide.

  24. Fully updated guide including expectations for suppliers and how to find opportunities.

  25. Updated sections on transparency and engaging with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

  26. Updated Framework and Capabilities.

  27. Updated frameworks and capabilities

  28. Updated guidance added

  29. Addition of information of SME Searchlight initiative

  30. Added a new academic alliance

  31. A web link edit.

  32. Description and length of term amended on University Defence Research Collaboration (UDRC) in Signal Processing.

  33. Added a new open call for the University Defence Research Collaboration in signal processing

  34. Removed MURI (Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative) from list of ways to work with us, as none are currently planned.

  35. Added Serapis details.

  36. Updating CDE with the Defence and Security Accelerator following organisational change

  37. Added information and link for the Dstl Synthetic Environment Tower of Excellence (SE Tower).

  38. Added details of the US DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) programme.

  39. Added information about Easy Access IP.

  40. First published.

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