Security and defence contracts can be very lucrative and as they tend to be long-term (eight years), you can rely on a stable monthly income. The thing is, many people have the idea that military contracts in the UK involve weapons, tanks, and other big war-like products, services, or works. They forget about manned security at premises and cleaning and property maintenance. ‘Civilian’ suppliers are more than capable of fulfilling these types of defence contracts.
However, defence and security procurement is not always quite as straightforward as other central government departments’ contracts and tenders. Primarily, this concerns strict compliance requirements, for example, certifications for (sensitive) data security. Cyber Essentials certification, which we’ll look at below, is non-negotiable for security and defence contracts.
Insurance is often a requirement, especially for manned security services, where there are risks to personal safety.
We’re going to explore Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracts, major suppliers, their requirements, and tips to maximise your chances of winning contracts.
What Are Defence And Security Tenders In The UK?
Let’s start with security.
Security tenders for the armed forces include services and technology.
- Manned guarding services
- Hi-vis patrol services
- Event security
- CCTV monitoring
Contract opportunities fall into three broad categories. The distinction between them is blurry because many products and services overlap.
1) Surveillance
Surveillance includes security and guard services, surveillance equipment, access control systems and alarm services.
2) Manned security
Manned security includes security guard services, reception and concierge services, and event security. Some of these are technically access control services and also fall under surveillance.
3) Cyber security
Cyber security includes cloud, network, critical infrastructure, and application security (Cyber Essentials certification).
Let’s move on to defence
As mentioned above, the Ministry of Defence has needs that extend beyond defence equipment and services. For example,
- Cultural sensitivity training
- Cleaning services
- Catering
- Clothes
- Digital services
- Electronics
- Mental health services
- Logistics
- Transport
This is great for SMEs that don’t have the resources or capacity to deliver large contracts, but could easily manage training and consultation.
More good news for SMEs is that the UK MoD is committed to helping SMEs play a bigger role in defence sector procurement. Part of this is emphasising innovation in defence and security contracts to further encourage innovation from ‘non-traditional’ suppliers (SMEs) to develop solutions for defence and security challenges and keep the Ministry at the forefront of defence-related technology.
The idea is that small businesses are more flexible than larger organisations, enabling them to adapt more quickly to change and economic growth.
How To Win Security Tenders In The UK?
As with all contracts, you must understand the tender. Complete understanding is important because then you know whether the contract applies to your business offering. It’s also important because the more you know about MoD contracts, the more tailored your bid and the better your chances of winning tenders.
8 Top Tips on How Secure Defence Contracts
Here are eight tips to help you compete fairly and competitively for MoD and wider government defence and security and defence contracts online.
1) Know your competitors
This is the first step to all tender responses, but it’s particularly important in MoD tenders because they are long-term, so opportunities in your niche could be limited. Also, contracting authorities get comfortable with incumbent suppliers and might not really want to change.
Knowing your competitors, especially the incumbent ones, enables you to top the value they provide. Basically, you and your team can put your heads together to come up with some innovative products, services share ideas, systems, or operations that set you apart from the hoi polloi.
2) Know your market
Knowing your market is just as important as knowing your competitors. You can keep an eye on trends and patterns, and see which services or products are the most common, and which have the most success.
Thorough market research helps you tailor your bid to the prevailing conditions and spot a gap in the market, which you can then corner.
3) Take advantage of early engagement opportunities
Early engagement is encouraged because it helps to refine the terms and conditions of the contract, for example, more narrowly define contract criteria so buyers’ expectations are realistic and suppliers know exactly what the contract requires. Suppliers can tailor their bid submissions to meet those needs precisely.
It’s a good idea to visit the site to get the lay of the land, which helps suppliers further tailor their offerings to buyers’ requirements.
4) Write a killer bid
Accurate tender documents are critical in the procurement process. How can you deliver a complex project if you can’t follow instructions in a simple document?
If there is a word count, stick to it. If supporting documentation is required, like a certificate or accreditation, provide it. Don’t include any more or any less. If buyers wanted it, they would have asked.
Be clear, and precise, and emphasise overall value. This is particularly important for new and smaller businesses that might not be able to compete with larger enterprises on a straight cost basis but can deliver more innovative solutions and significantly enhance social value.
Include case studies relevant to the contract on the line.
5) Ensure health and safety
Wouldn’t it be awful if a company that provides security services flouts safety regulations?
You can prove your compliance to health and safety laws by:
- Providing your health and safety policy.
- Including risk assessments and solutions.
- Showing your British Security Industry Association (BSIA) certifications.
6) Guarantee quality goods, services, and works
Government bodies are inherently risk averse, but the defence and security sector is even more so. It makes sense that they would prioritise quality assurances in MoD tenders. Ensure you are accredited by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). This means registering with the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme.
Registration is evidence that suppliers meet specific quality standards for management and operations.
7) Go above and beyond
Demonstrate how you meet MAT requirements. MAT is the Most Advantageous Tender, which is about value for money, as opposed to low bidding prices. Prove how your offering delivers more long-term value than your competitors – how you can save money, streamline processes, and contribute towards the net zero goal with green credentials.
8) Staff qualifications
Your business must meet certain qualification requirements and so must your staff. Government bodies can’t risk having unskilled workers on Ministry tenders. They could hurt themselves, for one thing. They could injure others, for a second. The quality of work could be terrible and bring walls crashing down around government employees’ heads.
You’re responsible for ensuring your recruitment process follows Safer Recruitment guidelines and you carry out pre-requisite compliance checks before taking on any new hires. It’s helpful to have training programmes in place to ensure employees are always suitably qualified for their roles.
Amidst all of this, you need to comply with workforce diversity and inclusivity to meet ethical employment standards.
8) Compliance for defence tenders
We mentioned strict compliance requirements for MoD contracts in the beginning. Now we’re looking at what those are.
- ISO 9001: An international standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS)
- ISO 27001: An international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
- ISO 22301: An international standard for Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS)
- ISO 22163: The International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS)
- AS 9100: A standard for product quality, safety, and reliability in the aerospace industry
- Cyber Essentials: High standard of cybersecurity for defence tenders under the UK’s National Cyber Security Programme.
Defence & Security Sector Tender And Contract Opportunities For SMEs
In accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, the MoD is removing barriers blocking SMEs from public sector procurement. Here are some resources for smaller businesses SMEs to use in their defence procurement strategy:
- Supplier Registration Service for Government which brings your business to the attention of over 6000 buyers.
- Hellios SME Portal also helps SME suppliers stand out in defence, aerospace, and security.
- SME Searchlight for SMEs and non-traditional defence suppliers.
- UKDSE Export Faculty is a free online resource that supports SMEs in defence, security, and cyber security.
- MoD Defence Procurement LinkedIn channel for important announcements and upcoming industry events.
Leverage Relationships
Early engagement does more than refine defence contracts. It’s also a great foundation for building relationships in the public sector. These relationships should include contracting authorities and other roles related to public procurement. Cultivate relationships with people/businesses with whom you can work collaboratively.
Procurement events are fertile ground for networking, so always keep an eye open for conferences, expos, supplier meet-and-greet events, and fundraisers.
Tender portals are an under-used resource when it comes to building relationships. Once you’ve registered and entered your details, including your favoured niche, location, and contract type, you’ll receive tender alerts. They won’t all be a perfect fit, but you can see who the buyers are in your sector. You can research them online and look for opportunities to meet in person. Each new contact grows your network, which will stand you in good stead for future MoD contract opportunities valued well.
Supply2Gov’s Contracts Finder has access to the largest database of government tenders in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. That’s a lot of opportunities for relationships right there.
Not only can you register for contract alerts on Supply2Gov, but you can also find out more about Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
Get started with free tender and contract opportunities now and then pay-as-you-gro