Planning

Defence Test and Evaluation Service Future (DTES)(F)

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Planning

08 Jan 2026 at 15:20

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

09 May 2025 at 12:10

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

07 May 2025 at 13:54

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence (MOD), through its Defence Equipment and Support organisation, is in the planning stage for its Defence Test and Evaluation Service Future (DTES)(F) procurement process. Focused on the Test and Evaluation (T&E) industry category, this procurement aims to transform how T&E services are provided to enhance military capabilities. The project is located in Bristol, UK, and is identified with the ocid: ocds-h6vhtk-050df5. Businesses interested in participating should take note of a critical milestone, as they are required to register their interest by 22 January 2026 to receive documentation, with submissions due by 25 February 2026. The goal is to engage industry in shaping future T&E service delivery, leveraging innovative technologies across virtual, live, and deployable platforms.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities for businesses specialising in test and evaluation services, particularly those boasting expertise in innovative technological solutions for military applications. Companies that can offer robust solutions in virtual modelling, live testing infrastructures, or deployable technology platforms could find this opportunity highly beneficial. Given the broad scope of the transformation programme, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with specialised capabilities have the potential to compete effectively. The long-term nature of the project, planned to commence in 2033, provides an extended horizon for strategic partnerships and sustained engagement in defence service provisions.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Defence Test and Evaluation Service Future (DTES)(F)

Notice Description

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an enduring requirement for the provision of Test and Evaluation (T&E) services. T&E is core to all Defence equipment programmes to ensure the reliability and fitness for purpose of the equipment it uses. The MOD has established a T&E Transformation Programme which is reviewing how T&E will be delivered in the future and how new, innovative technologies can improve and enhance current capability to enable T&E for military advantage rather than solely for equipment acceptance. The Transformation Programme is developing a new requirement for the provision of future T&E services and there is an opportunity for Industry to help shape this. The MOD has identified the following potential grouping of T&E services to facilitate a conversation with industry, but this is not exhaustive and will likely evolve because of our engagement: * Virtual T&E Platform: Common infrastructure, architecture, assets and capabilities required to support modelling and simulation-based T&E. * Live T&E Platform: Centrally funded estate, range infrastructure and T&E capability to support real world testing and data capture for evaluation and model validation. * Deployable T&E Platform: Common enablers of T&E capabilities that can be deployed and user-operated anywhere.

Planning Information

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an enduring requirement for Test and Evaluation (T&E) services, critical to ensuring the reliability and fitness for purpose of all Defence equipment. To meet future challenges, MOD has launched the T&E Transformation Programme, exploring how innovative technologies can enhance capability and deliver T&E for military advantage, not just equipment acceptance. As part of this transformation, MOD is developing our strategy for delivering future T&E services. Industry is invited to help shape this strategy. MOD are interested to gather insights on capabilities, processes, and innovative approaches for delivering T&E across Virtual, Live, and Deployable platforms. This includes a theoretical problem statement to understand how industry would respond to a Defence tasking both from a technical perspective and a process perspective. The Theoretical Problem Statement and Request for Information (RFI) response form will be a Microsoft Word Document held by the DTES(F) Project Team. Suppliers are to register their interest to respond to the Theoretical Problem Statement and RFI by emailing the DTES(F) Multiuser account (DES-DTESF@mod.gov.uk) by 22/01/2026. Suppliers who register interest will then receive a copy of the Theoretical Problem Statement and RFI on 23/01/2026 via email. Suppliers should submit their responses to the RFI via the DTES(F) Multiuser account (DES-DTESF@mod.gov.uk) by 25/02/2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-050df5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001550-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73430000 - Test and evaluation

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Jan 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
31 Mar 20294 years to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2033 - 1 Apr 2043 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT
Contact Name
DTES(F) Project Team
Contact Email
des-dtesf@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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