--- title: "Request for Information - Policing, Defence & Security Body Armour Innovation and On-Going Development" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" published: "2021-09-14" --- # Request for Information - Policing, Defence & Security Body Armour Innovation and On-Going Development Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60.json) ## Summary The Ministry of Defence is currently in the planning stage for a procurement process titled "Request for Information - Policing, Defence & Security Body Armour Innovation and On-Going Development." This initiative falls under the category of security, fire-fighting, police, and defence equipment, with the main focus on innovative design to enhance body armour for policing and defence personnel. Interested parties must submit their responses by the 29th of October 2021, marking an important deadline for stakeholders in this sector. The geographical scope for delivery is within the South West region of the United Kingdom. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses, particularly those specialising in advanced materials, wearable technology, and equipment design within the defence sector. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSE) may find this a strategic opportunity to showcase innovative solutions that improve comfort, safety, and usability of body armour. Companies that can demonstrate existing technology readiness and address the specific challenges outlined by the Ministry are particularly well-suited to engage in this procurement process. ## Notice Dstl (the Authority) is considering options with respect to innovative design and development of body armour within a Policing and wider Defence and Security (D&S) arenas. The Authority is considering options with regards to improving the fit, comfort and wearability of body armour for Policing, but also for D&S Personnel. These factors are key to wellbeing and performance of the end-user, as well as affording them increased protection. This RFI will inform future work and develop options for potential future funding levels, which may help support on-going S&T and industry development to address known body armour issues, including but not limited to: - Improving comfort in a diverse workforce (e.g. female specific/inclusive armour, shaped armour, anthropometry research); - Increasing the coverage afforded (and thereby protection) by the body armour; - Improving the fit for end-user (e.g. through adjustable systems or innovative sizing regimes for 1st to 99th percentile user); - Reducing end-user burden (e.g. by minimising system mass, optimising load carriage options for body-worn equipment, or scalable systems); - Maximizing mobility to ensure task performance is not hindered (e.g. through flexible armour systems or low-profile designs); - Reducing musculoskeletal or environmental injury risk (e.g. through smart fabrics and materials, in-built wearable technology or cooling systems) - Improving public perception of Policing and D&S Personnel when wearing body armour (e.g. through recognisable brands, covert armour, or modern designs that look less intimidating). The Authority wish to understand what body armour technologies and innovations are currently at a low to medium Technology Readiness Level (TRL) which may help to address the above issues within 2-8 years if projects were to receive MOD support. Advice on TRLs are can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guidance-on-technology-readiness-levels The Authority is issuing this RFI to gauge interest and to understand the technology horizon in relation to undertaking S&T in this area with external providers within the UK and/or overseas. 4. Information Requested To assist the Authority, you should provide: 1) Details of the body armour technology / innovation, including current Technology Readiness Level (TRL); 2) Details on which of the body armour issues identified above, the technology/innovation aid in addressing; 3) Anticipated benefit to the end user and proposed metrics to evidence this; 4) Indication of the volume/value of development which would be required per annum, and length of time to be commercially viable; 5) Breakdown of proposed phases of development remaining to be commercially viable. Please submit responses to this RFI to caflynn@dstl.gov.uk by no later than Friday 29th October 2021. Additional information: You are advised that any resulting procurement(s) will be conducted competitively. Information you provide to us in response to this RFI, that is not already available to us from other sources, will be handled in-confidence. By submitting a response to this RFI you are giving us permission to keep and use the information for our internal purposes, and to provide the information onwards, in-confidence, within UK Government. We will not use or disclose the information for any other purpose, without first requesting permission to do so. This RFI is not a commitment to subsequently launch a formal procurement procedure. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cbce4045-cd0c-43a6-a612-d4cc6ab0438a | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 14 Sep 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 29 Oct 2021 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE | | Locality | SALISBURY | | Post town | Salisbury | | Postcode | SP4 0JQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK72 Wiltshire | | Local authority | Wiltshire | | Electoral ward | Winterslow & Upper Bourne Valley | | Westminster constituency | Salisbury | | Delivery location | TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment ### Codes - 35000000 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment ## Release History - 14 Sep 2021 at 16:22 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cbce4045-cd0c-43a6-a612-d4cc6ab0438a ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/cbce4045-cd0c-43a6-a612-d4cc6ab0438a 14th September 2021 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/a74af455-4993-4b50-92c5-cbfe5cbb3802 n/a ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guidance-on-technology-readiness-levels ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7aa5c8d2-72d8-44a1-a533-468f5c432d60.json.