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Provision of Crypto Services for the Air Crypt Key Service Centre

Ministry of Defence

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

17 Sep 2026 at 09:05

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence commissioned crypto services to establish the Royal Air Force Crypt Key Service Centre (CKSC). The work covers designing and setting up a small specialist team, developing the strategy and policy for crypto management, supporting business change, and providing front-line crypto cell support. The programme is intended to implement major changes to how crypto is managed and to its associated equipment. This is a services contract for system implementation planning. Delivery is associated with the Ministry of Defence’s facilities in England and may cover the United Kingdom, Europe, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, British Overseas Territories and other locations internationally. The requirement concerns defence cryptographic management and implementation rather than general information technology support.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. The Ministry of Defence selected Qinetiq Limited on 18 August 2026 through a selective call-off from a framework agreement. The awarded value is £2,048,725. The contract period runs from 1 September 2026 to 1 March 2028. The underlying tender had a submission deadline of 17 August 2026. The contract was treated as a service procurement and the published classification was system implementation planning services (CPV 72224100). The award is active, and the contract covers the establishment and operation of the CKSC-related change programme. The opportunity was not an invitation for expressions of interest; it records an awarded contract for transparency.

This award indicates demand for a substantial, specialist defence transformation capability focused on cryptographic key management, policy, equipment and operational support. A credible future competitor would need to combine system implementation planning with the ability to design and establish a small expert delivery team, translate strategy and policy into business change, and provide practical front-line support to crypto cells. Relevant experience of complex, security-sensitive defence environments, controlled technology change and the interaction between policy, equipment and operations would be important. The buyer’s assessment of the requirement as unsuitable for SMEs indicates that competing suppliers would need significant organisational capacity, mature governance and the resources to sustain a specialist service across potentially UK and international locations. Qinetiq Limited, a large supplier, was selected.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Crypto Services for the Air Crypt Key Service Centre

Notice Description

The Authority has awarded a contract for the establishment of a small team to design and establish the RAF's Crypt Key Service Centre (CKSC). The CKSC is to be established to develop the strategy and policy, business change activities and front line crypto cell support required to implement the changes how crypto is managed. This change is the largest change to the management and equipment of crypto in the last 30 years. This notice is not a request for expressions of interest. This notice publishes the contract for transparency. All redactions have been undertaken in accordance with the FOI ACT 2000 Part 2.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-61b14c2b-286d-4446-aa37-9e11ecf8f1d4
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f1130766-532a-401e-8ca2-466dcfdacce8
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72224100 - System implementation planning services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,048,725 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£2,048,725 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
18 Aug 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 1 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Ministry of Defence
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WOLVERHAMPTON
Postcode
WV7 3EX
Postcode Area
Wolverhampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG22 Shropshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Shropshire
Electoral Ward
Shifnal Rural
Westminster Constituency
The Wrekin

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

QINETIQ LIMITED

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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