How to sell to or work with Dstl
How suppliers from industry and academia can work with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) works with a range of suppliers to provide science and technology expertise, insights and solutions to protect the UK’s security and advance the UK’s defence interests.
Explore our capabilities and examples of our work, from high-powered lasers to operational analysis.
Who we work with
We engage external suppliers to carry out all work unless there’s a clear reason for Dstl to do or lead it: see our criteria for science and technology procurement.
Dstl welcomes suppliers of all types: industry, academia, research centres and other parts of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). We also collaborate with other public sector bodies and partners across government. Suppliers can be any size, including start-ups, micro, 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.
Benefits of working with Dstl
When you work with us, you will:
- benefit from increased funding for defence
- test and improve concepts with input from members of the armed forces
- gain access to state-of-the-art facilities for development and testing
- work with top scientists and technologists at the cutting edge of innovation
- benefit from the experience and expertise of other Dstl supply partners
- retain intellectual property rights, boosting longer-term prosperity
- be paid promptly for your work
- have a real impact on improving the UK’s security and defence
How to sell to or work with us
Recent changes to public sector procurement
Changes to public sector procurement came into effect on February 2025. If you want to work with us, make sure you know about the Procurement Act 2023 changes and the additional guidance for defence and security contracts.
Find opportunities to sell to or work with us
Dstl advertises all requirements on a number of portals.
Defence Sourcing Portal
Use the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) to find all Dstl and MOD’s advertised requirements. Access and registration is free and you can set up tailored notifications to be alerted to new opportunities.
Contracts Finder
Search Contracts Finder 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 UK Government’s central Find a Tender service to search and apply for high value contracts in the UK’s public and utilities sectors. High value contracts are usually above £139,688 including VAT.
UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) 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 opportunities to 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 (Version 5), which is more agile and ready for the future, is now open for applications and onboard.
R-Cloud is a dynamic system that matches suppliers’ capabilities and skills to our requirements. If matched to a requirement, we will invite suppliers to express their interest in the opportunity and take part in a competitive tender process. This all happens within the R-Cloud portal.
If you’re interested in working with Dstl, register on R-Cloud and create a supplier account.
You can either sell directly to us, or be part of the wider Dstl supply chain, working with other Dstl suppliers.
Sell directly to Dstl
We follow MOD’s procurement process but Dstl do not currently use MOD’s contracting, purchasing and finance (CP and F) system.
Dstl does not operate preferred supplier lists.
How open competition works
The following will usually happen:
- 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.
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.
Be part of Dstl’s supply chain: work with our supply partners
Dstl has science and technology (S&T) framework agreements for use across Defence and wider government. If you are a supplier interested in working in an area supported by these frameworks, contact the framework Prime Contractor.
Our current frameworks are:
- Analysis for science and technology research in defence (ASTRID)
- Weapons sector research framework (WSRF)
Other frameworks and routes to market
We occasionally use other public sector routes to market and frameworks such as:
- Engineering Delivery Partner (EDP)
- Government Commercial Agency (GCA) frameworks.
- Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation
For capital works and construction projects we typically use:
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) delivers our hard and soft facilities management.
Low value purchases (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.
Expectations and legal requirements for Dstl suppliers
We expect all suppliers to:
- maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in their business dealings
- adhere to all applicable laws (including UK data protection legislation)
- comply with the Government Commercial Function codes of conduct
- comply with Dstl’s quality requirements
- comply with security requirements for selling to or working with Dstl
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’.
Freedom of 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.
Working internationally
The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have produced some guidance to raise awareness of risks associated with working internationally:
If your defence work includes trading with the US, your company should join the Authorised User Community to benefit from streamlined export processes.
Help for SMEs
Dstl’s Searchlight programme supports small and medium-sized enterprises as defined by the Procurement Act 2023 to work with defence on science and technology research and defence.
Sign up for webinars to find out more about opportunities and how to bid for work.
Specific guidance for SMEs is provided by the MOD Office for Small Business Growth.
The MOD SME Action Plan outlines how MOD will reduce barriers and increase opportunities for SMEs to work with government.
Contact us
Dstl are always keen to engage with new suppliers including those that have not worked with Defence before. If you’re interested in working with us, you can:
- email us: srm@dstl.gov.uk
- sign up for webinars which highlight exciting new opportunities and explain how to bid for work
- talk to us at defence events such as DPRTE and DSEI
- get involved with defence trade bodies or regional defence and security clusters
- join the Defence Joint Industrial Council Communications Group
- follow MOD Defence Procurement and Dstl on LinkedIn
Further information and support
Information for prospective suppliers is also available through MOD, the Home Office Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC) and MOD’s export support for defence and dual-use SMEs.