Doing Business With the Ministry of Defence - How Government Policy Moves Through to Business

Businesses that are looking to work with the Ministry of Defence must understand how national policy shapes the business environment within UK defence. Strategic decisions set the Ministry of Defence’s priorities, in turn dictating procurement needs. This gives businesses opportunities to work with the MoD to meet those needs. 

In this article, I will outline the journey from government policy to business opportunity and provide a few steps for companies looking to work through this process.  

Examples of government strategies driving Ministry of Defence priorities

Integrated Review Refresh 2023 (IR23)

The IR23, published in March, is an update of the Integrated Review 2021 - necessary due to heightened global threats and competition. This document outlines funding uplifts such as an additional £5 billion for the Ministry of Defence over two years. Additionally, it places and emphasis on resilience, multi-domain deterrence, science and tech leadership, and collective alliance action in response to a more contested world.

Defence Command Paper 2023

This paper was released in July 2023 with a focus on lessons from Ukraine and wider threats to shape a “campaigning” and threat-led posture. The paper emphasises modernisation of armed forces to help boost productivity, whilst integrating advanced technologies across defence operations.

Defence Industrial Strategy - Statement of Intent 2024

Published late 2024, this document signals the government’s intent to align defence sector growth with broader industrial strategy goals. Goal includes economic security, job creation, Net Zero, and regional growth. It encourages business preparation and collaboration by outlining how the full strategy will evolve.

Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025

The newly released Strategic Defence Review (SDR), published in June 2025, provides a major assessment of the UK’s defence vision, grounded in “war‑fighting readiness” and a “NATO‑first” strategy. The SDR commits to investment in long-range weapons, cyber/electromagnetic capabilities, autonomous systems, and strengthening the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Fundamentally, the SDR aims to prepare Britain to deter and, if needed, defeat adversaries. 

These policies define the Ministry of Defence’s strategic focus areas and reflect a clear emphasis on areas such as digitalisation, AI and autonomy, cyber resilience, long-range fires, nuclear deterrence, and industrial capability. Together they form a direct blueprint for procurement and commercial engagement.

Policy to procurement – The Ministry of Defence’s process

Government defence policy doesn’t sit in isolation; it shapes the Ministry of Defence’s priorities. These priorities form the foundation of procurement planning and guide how the Ministry of Defence engages with industry. From there, specialist bodies within the MoD bring those priorities to life. 

Examples of these bodies include:

·       The Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) - Responsible for delivering procurement programmes. 

·       The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) - Drives research and development.

·       The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) – Finds and funds exploitable innovation, often from smaller businesses or academic teams. 

These organisations have the power to take high-level policy goals and turn them into technical requirements and funding opportunities for industry. These opportunities are then made available through various procurement pathways. 

The Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) is the Ministry of Defence’s primary platform for advertising contract opportunities across defence capabilities. Registration is free, quick and gives suppliers access to opportunities from across all parts of the MoD, including DE&S and Dstl.

In terms of cutting-edge innovation, DASA runs open calls where businesses can submit novel ideas directly aligned to the Ministry of Defence’s needs without the formality or complexity of a traditional tender process. In some cases, DE&S awards direct contracts, particularly where urgent delivery or specialist expertise is required.

Additionally, businesses may also engage through innovation routes such as Contracts for Innovation (previously called Small Business Research Initiative, SBRI), which awards fully funded public sector R&D contracts. Or through R-Cloud, which is a Dstl-managed online platform that matches suppliers to MoD research tasks based on their technical capabilities. 

This flexible approach allows the Ministry of Defence to tap into a broader supplier base, critical for staying ahead in a fast-changing defence environment.

How businesses can align and win work

Alignment is everything when it comes to companies hoping to secure contracts. The starting point is understanding what the MoD needs and how it communicates those needs. This means keeping up to date with official defence publications (such as those listed above) as well as attending military networking events - which provide first-hand insight into evolving priorities and capability gaps.

Engagement should start well before a tender is published. Early interaction allows businesses to shape their solutions in response to priorities and explore collaborative R&D opportunities. Programmes like DASA highlight current challenges and help suppliers understand the end-user context, making their pitches more relevant and competitive. Participating in MoD-hosted capability briefings, innovation forums, and themed competitions can also surface niche opportunities and nurture industry relationships.

Another route to consider is collaboration. Many opportunities are awarded to larger prime contractors, but these companies often rely on a network of specialist partners to deliver complete solutions. SMEs can truly benefit by teaming up with other businesses to position themselves as valuable contributors and reinforce their reputation within wider defence programmes. There’s strength in numbers and working together can increase capabilities and visibility. 

Last but not least, it’s essential to meet the Ministry of Defence’s strict compliance standards. Unsurprisingly, the MoD has rigorous expectations encompassing cybersecurity, data handling, ethical sourcing and environmental impact. Businesses that can demonstrate robust processes and a commitment to responsible practice are far more likely to be viewed as serious and trusted partners in delivering national defence objectives.

Find out more at Defence Transformation 2025

If your business is looking to play a meaningful role in the future of UK defence, there’s no better place to start than Defence Transformation 2025. Defence iQ’s 2025 event will bring together military leaders, MoD officials, defence consultants, and industry innovators to explore how national policy is shaping real-world requirements and how companies can position themselves to deliver.

Defence Transformation tackles pressing themes transforming the defence space, such as dual-use technology, agile procurement to human-centric innovation and operational integration. For businesses seeking insight, networking, and alignment with MoD priorities, this is a must-attend moment in the calendar.

Find out more below.

Learn More

References

How Does Government Policy Shape MoD Priorities?
·       UK Government. The Strategic Defence Review 2025: Making Britain Safer – Secure at Home, Strong Abroad. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-strategic-defence-review-2025-making-britain-safer-secure-at-home-strong-abroad.

·       UK Government. Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a More Contested and Volatile World. Accessed July 23, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrated-review-refresh-2023-responding-to-a-more-contested-and-volatile-world.

·       UK Government. Defence Command Paper 2023: Defence’s Response to a More Contested and Volatile World. Accessed July 24, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-command-paper-2023-defences-response-to-a-more-contested-and-volatile-world.

·       UK Government. Defence Industrial Strategy: Statement of Intent. Accessed July 25, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-industrial-strategy-statement-of-intent/defence-industrial-strategy-statement-of-intent.

Policy to Procurement – The MoD’s Process
·       Defence Equipment & Support. DE&S: Equipping and Supporting Our Armed Forces. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://des.mod.uk/.

·       UK Government. DSTL’s Areas of Work, Programmes and Project Portfolios. Accessed July 23, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dstls-areas-of-work-programmes-and-project-portfolios.

·       UK Government. About the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA). Accessed July 23, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-and-security-accelerator/about.

·       UK Government. Further Information on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP). Accessed July 24, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-contracting-purchasing-and-finance-e-procurement-system/further-information-on-the-defence-sourcing-portal-dsp.

·       UK Government. How to Submit a Proposal – Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA). Accessed July 24, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-and-security-accelerator-how-to-submit-a-proposal.

·       UK Government. Procurement Act 2023: Guidance Documents – Plan Phase. Accessed July 25, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-plan-phase/guidance-defence-and-security-contracts-html.

·       UK Research and Innovation. Innovate UK: Contracts for Innovation. Accessed July 25, 2025. https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/browse-our-areas-of-investment-and-support/innovate-uk-contracts-for-innovation/.

·       UK Government. R-Cloud Supplier Framework. Accessed July 25, 2025. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/r-cloud.