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SME Dual Use Innovation & Re-Industialisation

University of Liverpool

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

11 Aug 2026 at 15:51

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Liverpool is procuring a commercial partner or consortium to deliver the Muster Programme “Trials Tank” pilot. This is a six-month innovation support service for Liverpool City Region SMEs, helping them explore, develop and prove dual-use products and services with both civilian and defence applications. The pilot will be demand-led, using real technical and capability challenges from UK prime contractors and from UK Defence Innovation, Innovate UK and Ministry of Defence calls. The work is delivered for SMEs in the Liverpool City Region, with activity spanning England. It is a services opportunity suited to organisations that can design and deliver structured innovation, commercialisation and product-development support for smaller businesses working on technically challenging opportunities.

The buyer has reached tender and invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. The procurement has one lot and an estimated total value of £120,000 gross. Bids were to be submitted electronically or by the permitted method by 11 September 2026 at 12:00 noon. The resulting contract is scheduled to run from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The evaluation basis is set out in the tender documents. The requirement, deliverables, stretch objectives and project timeline are described in the Specification and Further Particulars, and any resulting contract will use the University of Liverpool’s terms and conditions. The opportunity is identified as a services procurement.

This opportunity suits a commercial innovation specialist, or a consortium combining complementary expertise, that can support SMEs from early exploration through development and practical proof of dual-use products or services. Relevant suppliers are likely to understand how to translate real technical and capability challenges into commercially viable innovation activity, identify and shape responses from smaller businesses, and work with challenges originating from prime contractors and public innovation programmes. Experience across defence-related innovation, civil and military markets, technology development, commercialisation, partner engagement and structured pilot delivery would be useful. The requirement is explicitly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises, as well as larger organisations able to provide the necessary programme-management and specialist capability.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

SME Dual Use Innovation & Re-Industialisation

Notice Description

You are invited to tender for the delivery of the University of Liverpool's Muster Programme "Trials Tank" pilot - SME Dual Use Innovation & Re-industrialisation. Any resulting contract will be subject to the University's Terms and Conditions of Contract (document E). The University is seeking a commercial partner or consortium of partners to deliver a six-month pilot project (October 2026 to March 2027) supporting Liverpool City Region SMEs to explore, develop and prove dual-use products and services. The pilot is demand-led: it will be anchored to real technical and capability challenges sourced from UK Prime contractors and from recent UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), Innovate UK and MOD calls. Full details of the requirement, deliverables, stretch objectives and timeline are set out in the Specification and Further Particulars (B).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e1b7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076374-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66170000 - Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£120,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£120,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
11 Sep 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of Liverpool
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LIVERPOOL
Postcode
L69 7ZX
Postcode Area
Liverpool
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD7 Merseyside
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD72 Liverpool
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Liverpool
Electoral Ward
Brownlow Hill
Westminster Constituency
Liverpool Riverside

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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