Defence might not be the first sector that comes to mind for digital businesses, but it presents a largely untapped commercial opportunity—especially for SMEs outside the traditional defence supply chain.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) spends over £20 billion a year on procurement, including significant investment in cyber security, digital infrastructure, cloud services, AI, and innovation. With a clear mandate to increase SME involvement, and new mechanisms like Dynamic Markets making it easier to engage, the door is open.
A recent guide from Athena Commercial outlines exactly how digital and tech SMEs can position themselves to win MOD tenders. It covers:
Registering on platforms such as the Defence Sourcing Portal and Find a Tender
Joining frameworks like G-Cloud, Dstl R-Cloud, and the Future Capability Group
Meeting compliance requirements including Cyber Essentials and ISO 9001
Accessing funding and support through DASA and the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP)
Building early relationships with MOD stakeholders and prime contractors
Whether you're a software house, data consultancy, AI startup or cloud service provider, there is real, commercially viable demand for your capabilities within MOD procurement pipelines.
Read the full article here: UK MOD Procurement: How to Win Defence Contracts
