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Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services (Amended)

Ministry of Defence

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

22 Oct 2026 at 12:01

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence is procuring a managed service to sustain and enhance its Gladiator distributed synthetic training system and develop its potential use for maritime training through the SPARTAN programme. Gladiator links simulators to a central hub to provide secure, high-fidelity collective training across multiple domains, including with partner nations. SPARTAN is intended to support Royal Navy surface units with a hub for developing, delivering and debriefing training scenarios and synthetic tracks via Tactical Data Links. The work may involve integrating platforms and, subject to funding and approval, developing additional simulation applications, digital assets, scenarios and terrains. It is intended to support interoperability and adapt training to emerging requirements. The service is for delivery in the United Kingdom.

The buyer invited offers through a competitive flexible procedure under a selective procurement method. The process uses a preliminary questionnaire to select between two and five suppliers for invitation to tender; the stated questionnaire stage has closed and will not reopen. Suppliers who pass mandatory questions are ranked on technical scores, with the highest-ranked candidates invited to tender. The enquiry deadline was 23 October 2026 at 12:01 and the expression-of-interest deadline was 23 October 2026 at 13:01. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033, with options to extend by up to two years and purchase additional services. Estimated value is £50 million excluding VAT (£60 million including VAT). Evaluation covers price, technical quality and commercial factors; weightings are to be set out in the tender documents. The single lot is suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This opportunity suits suppliers able to operate and evolve complex defence simulation and synthetic-training services as an integrated managed service. Relevant capability includes sustaining existing training systems, connecting simulators and platforms, supporting secure high-fidelity collective training, and enabling interoperability across defence forces. Suppliers may also need to develop or integrate simulation applications, digital assets, scenarios and terrain, including maritime training and Tactical Data Link-based synthetic tracks. The requirement calls for flexibility to adapt services as standards, policy and operational threats change. Classified information up to UK or NATO SECRET is involved, so personnel need the necessary security clearances; suppliers without them must obtain clearance by contract award. The cyber risk profile is high. TUPE is anticipated, making the ability to manage a transferring workforce relevant. The buyer’s stated selection process assesses economic and technical conditions, with pass/fail and scored questions; successful suppliers are ranked on technical performance.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services (Amended)

Notice Description

The Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services Contract aims to: a. Sustain and Enhance existing Gladiator System Capabilities b. Support the exploitation and benefits of the capability through the integration of Platforms. c. Support Interoperability Across Defence Forces d. Adapt the capability to emergent synthetic training use cases, subject to additional funding and approvals. This may include, for example, the potential Royal Navy SPARTAN requirement as indicated below. 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 will aim 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 a Hub that can develop, deliver and debrief training scenarios and synthetic tracks via Tactical Data Links. Initially the intention is that this should be developed using the existing capabilities of Gladiator, however SPARTAN may necessitate the development and integration of additional simulation applications, new digital assets, scenarios, and terrains to deliver training scenarios to evolve with the complexity, mass and speed of modern threats. 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 with the discretionary option to extend for a further 2 years and will be delivered as a managed service. 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 Please note, this is an amendment to the 715763450 - Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services-UK4. Changes made to Procurement Description (UK4_21) only. The changes are intended to provide clarity only, and are not a change to the scope or requirement. Please note this is an update, as above, only. The PSQ has closed and will not be re-opened. Original notice can be found at: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/toolkit/noticeFts/info/1588240/view.si#fh

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. Option to purchase additional services as required

Renewal: Option to extend the Contract for up to two (2) years in any combination of durations

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078dc3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099917-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80660000 - Training and simulation in military electronic systems

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£50,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£50,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2033 Over 5 years
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
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
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Postcode Area
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)

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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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