Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services - PPN

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    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06629f-2026-06-30T12:23:35+01:00",
    "date": "2026-06-30T12:23:35+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06629f",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PHVX-4316-ZVGZ",
            "name": "Ministry of Defence",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PHVX-4316-ZVGZ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "MOD Abbey Wood",
                "locality": "Bristol",
                "postalCode": "BS34 8JH",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKK12"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Victoria Simmonds",
                "email": "Victoria.Simmonds101@mod.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence",
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                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - central government"
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    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PHVX-4316-ZVGZ",
        "name": "Ministry of Defence"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "Following the Gladiator and Spartan Industry engagement day that took place on the 30th March 2026 at TechUK, London potential tenderers are invited to provide a response to a Request for Information (RFI), seeking further industry feedback on the construct of the requirement and the Contract. The RFI, the slide deck presented at the Engagement Day, and the Authority's responses to questions received, condensed where possible to avoid repetition, are attached to the opportunity listing linked here: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60848 The instructions for providing responses to the RFI are contained within the RFI document. In order for suppliers to contract with MOD, under the terms of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23), suppliers must first sign-up to the Central Digital Platform / Find a Tender Service (CDP/FTS). Therefore, any suppliers who are potentially interested in tendering for the Future Gladiator and Spartan requirement are strongly encouraged to sign-up at the earliest possible opportunity. This is a very quick process and should only take a matter of minutes to sign up via the below link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-short-guides/suppliers-how-to-register-your-organisation-and-first-administrator-on-find-a-tender-in-three-easy-steps-html",
                "dueDate": "2026-05-08T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "019735-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/019735-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-03-05T08:46:19Z",
                "format": "text/html"
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            {
                "id": "036013-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036013-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-04-21T11:43:26+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "046380-2026",
                "documentType": "plannedProcurementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK3",
                "description": "Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046380-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-05-20T13:43:37+01:00",
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    "tender": {
        "id": "715763450",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services - PPN",
        "description": "The Gladiator system is a MOD-owned innovative, distributed, synthetic operational training capability that delivers high-fidelity, secure, and cost-effective team and collective training for Force Elements (FE); its agility has also enabled the RAF to use the capability for other modelling and simulation-based activities. It enables training across multiple domains alongside partner nations, and at a scale and complexity not achievable in live environments. By linking simulators to a central hub, Gladiator overcomes real-world constraints such as airspace limitations, costs, environmental factors, and operational security, providing a safe and scalable training solution. SPARTAN is aiming to leverage the technology, systems and services developed by the Gladiator Programme to build a Distributed Synthetic Training Hub to deliver Maritime Collective Training to RN surface units. This will require systems onboard the operational platforms, but the first step is to develop a Hub that can develop, deliver and debrief training scenarios and synthetic tracks via Tactical Data Links. Initially this will be developed using the existing capabilities of Gladiator, but in time SPARTAN will be developing new digital assets, scenarios, terrains to deliver training scenarios that can represent the complexity, mass and speed of modern threats. The Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services Contract seeks to deliver: a. Support, Sustainment and Enhancement of System Capabilities b. Platform Integration and Capability Development c. Interoperability Across Defence Forces d. Incorporation of the Royal Navy SPARTAN Requirements This tender notice is for the award of a public contract through a competitive flexible procedure in accordance with section 20(1) and (2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023. It is considered a Defence and Security Contract due to its scope and therefore the relevant provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 relating to defence and security contracts are applicable. The Gladiator & Spartan Core Systems and Services contract will be initially for 5 years. This will be a Service Contract (expected Fully Managed Service). There may be a requirement for additional works outside of the core requirement and a tasking process will be included to cover any additional scope. Certain information required to deliver the Gladiator & Spartan Service is classified up to and including SECRET (UK or NATO). Suppliers must have the necessary Personal Security Clearances (PSCs). Suppliers that do not hold security clearance would need to obtain by contract award. Further security requirements will be detailed during the tender process as part of the PSQ and subsequent invitation to tender. The Cyber Risk Profile for this requirement identified by the Cyber Risk Assessment is High (Reference - RAR-250303A03) It is anticipated that TUPE will apply to this requirement. A previous Planned procurement notice was published under Notice Reference 2026/S 000-046380",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "80660000",
                        "description": "Training and simulation in military electronic systems"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1",
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ]
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 60000000,
            "amount": 50000000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "specialRegime": [
            "defenceSecurity"
        ],
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2028-04-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2033-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2035-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "active",
                "value": {
                    "amountGross": 60000000,
                    "amount": 50000000,
                    "currency": "GBP"
                },
                "selectionCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "description": "The Authority will undertake a structured down-selection process to identify those suppliers best placed to deliver the requirement and to progress to the Tender stage. The process will consist of the following key elements: Conditions of Participation (CoP) Suppliers will be required to satisfy a defined set of mandatory Conditions of Participation. These will assess legal status, financial standing, technical capability, and compliance with applicable regulatory and policy requirements. Failure to meet any mandatory condition may result in exclusion from the procurement process. A full evaluation critera and scoring guide will be issued with the Procurement Specific Questionnaire. Financial and organisational capability The Authority will assess the financial robustness and organisational capacity of suppliers to ensure they are able to deliver and sustain the requirement over its duration. This will include consideration of financial standing, resources, and corporate structure. Compliance with Defence and government standards Suppliers must demonstrate adherence to a range of mandatory standards and policy requirements, including (but not limited to) security, quality assurance, environmental management, health and safety, equality obligations, and ethical supply chain practices. Technical capability and relevant experience Suppliers will be required to demonstrate their technical competence and experience in delivering comparable requirements. This will include evidence of past performance, delivery of similar services, and the ability to manage delivery through appropriate systems, processes, and supply chains. Assessment and shortlisting Suppliers meeting all mandatory requirements and minimum thresholds will be evaluated on the basis of their technical submissions. The Authority will apply a comparative assessment to identify those suppliers offering the strongest overall capability, with a limited number shortlisted to proceed to the Tendering stage.",
                            "forReduction": true
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "economic",
                            "description": "Details can be found in the PSQ"
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "technical",
                            "description": "Details can be found in the PSQ"
                        },
                        {
                            "description": "Within the PSQ there are a mix of questions: Pass/Fail, a Fail resulting in exclusion from further participation in the tendering process; and scored Questions. For those suppliers who Pass all of the Pass/Fail questions, their overall technical score will determine their ranking. Those ranking in the Top 5 will be invited to Tender. Where there is a tie at Positions 5 and 6 (or more), the decision on which supplier will be Invited to Tender will be based initially on the highest score for question 2.9.4 in the Technical Envelope. Where this still results in a tie, the decision will be based on the highest score for question 2.9.8 and where this still results in a tie the decision will be based on question 2.9.3. Notwithstanding the tie break process above, the Authority reserves the right to invite additional Potential Providers to tender where a tie occurs.",
                            "forReduction": true
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "weightingDescription": "Weighings will be set out in the associated tender documents",
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "price",
                            "name": "Price",
                            "description": "Weighings will be set out in the associated tender documents"
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "Technical",
                            "description": "Weighings will be set out in the associated tender documents"
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "Commercial",
                            "description": "Weighings will be set out in the associated tender documents"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "secondStage": {
                    "minimumCandidates": 2,
                    "maximumCandidates": 5
                },
                "renewal": {
                    "description": "Option to extend the Contract for up to two (2) years in any combination of durations"
                },
                "hasOptions": true,
                "options": {
                    "description": "The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. Option to purchase additional services as required"
                }
            }
        ],
        "status": "active",
        "procurementMethod": "selective",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure",
        "submissionTerms": {
            "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed",
            "languages": [
                "en"
            ]
        },
        "expressionOfInterestDeadline": "2026-08-04T12:01:00+01:00",
        "awardPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2027-12-17T23:59:59+00:00"
        },
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2026-06-12T23:59:59+01:00"
        },
        "procedure": {
            "features": "The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (including Conditions of Participation) is available within the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and will be used to down-select between 2 and 5 suppliers to be invited to Tender. This will also include the assessment of whether a supplier, its connected persons, associated persons or any intended subcontractors are excluded or excludable persons and whether the suppliers are UK suppliers under the Procurement Act. A clarification process will be used during the PSQ period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority. Within the PSQ there are a mix of questions: Pass/Fail, a Fail resulting in exclusion from further participation in the tendering process; and scored Questions. For those suppliers who Pass all of the Pass/Fail questions, their overall technical score will determine their ranking. Those ranking in the Top 5 will be invited to Tender. Where there is a tie at Positions 5 and 6 (or more), the decision on which supplier will be Invited to Tender will be based initially on the highest score for question 2.9.4 in the Technical Envelope. Where this still results in a tie, the decision will be based on the highest score for question 2.9.8 and where this still results in a tie the decision will be based on question 2.9.3. Notwithstanding the tie break process above, the Authority reserves the right to invite additional Potential Providers to tender where a tie occurs. Once the selected suppliers have been identified, and prior to the ITT being issued, a Site Visit to the ABTC will be arranged. This will consist of a show-and-tell followed by a Q&A session to enable potential suppliers to gain a deep understanding of the system's inner workings. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) will subsequently be issued to those successful at PSQ. A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority. The award criteria will be explained within the Tender Evaluation Strategy, which will be published in the DSP, with the ITT. The Authority reserves the right to refine the award criteria before and - where negotiation/final tenders are used - during the Tender period in accordance with section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. This may include revision to the weightings of the sub-criteria. The following supplementary processes may be used, with further details set out in the additional tender documents; * Site Visit to System Locations * Clarifications - during the tender evaluation period * Negotiations - following evaluation of the Tender * Supplier presentations / site visits - during the Tender, and Tender Evaluation period * Final Tenders - following negotiations, if used * Preferred Supplier Stage - to confirm solutions and/or finalise the draft contract. The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement, where such amendment would not be substantial, as follows, including and not limited to; * amendments to the tender documents which may provide clarification * refining the specification as the competitive flexible procedure progresses * reducing timescales. If any amendments are made, the Authority will consider whether any applicable tender deadlines should be revised, and whether any tender documents or notices need to be re-issued."
        },
        "submissionMethodDetails": "https://www.contracts.mod.uk",
        "enquiryPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-07-21T12:01:00+01:00"
        },
        "lotDetails": {
            "noLotsDivisionRationale": "1. Due to limited technical SQEP and the significant risk to training delivery presented by multiple systems needing integration there is a risk that the authority is unable to attribute responsibility between different suppliers resulting in an immediate impact to defence national & international training output. 2. Due to multiple supplier relationships required as part of Lots there is a significant risk that supplier, contracting authority and customer relationship breakdowns may result in the failure of integrated service support to delivery of national & international defence exercises."
        },
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            },
            {
                "id": "061201-2026",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061201-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-06-30T12:23:35+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ],
        "contractTerms": {
            "financialTerms": "All payments will be made through the Authority's Contracting, Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) system (Exostar) and will be in accordance with future contractual arrangements."
        },
        "riskDetails": "Changes in standards and policies, outside of Authority control, may necessitate changes to the contract. This may cost time and money. Changes in the character of conflict or geopolitical landscape may reduce the relevance of the service. This means the supplier will need to adapt the service to keep up with these changes."
    },
    "language": "en"
}