The Ministry of Defence has issued a preliminary market engagement notice for ballistic testing services to support both new-to-service projects and the ongoing support of personal armour used by Armed Forces personnel.
According to the notice, “the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) requires access to Ballistic Testing Services to support new to service projects and ensure through life support of Personal Armour provided to its Armed Forces Personnel.”
The MOD states that laboratories must be “UKAS accredited to ISO 17025, including NATO AEP 2920,” and that “for the purposes of Ballistic Testing Services the contractor will need to have a UK located facility.” The future competition will be for a contract with a ceiling value of £10 million including VAT, lasting five years with three optional one-year extensions. Testing will be conducted “throughout the length of the contract as and when it is required.”
As part of the engagement process, the Defence Clothing and Textiles (DCC) Survivability Team plans to visit interested UK facilities. The MOD notes that visits will include a “tour of the site, including a procedural walkthrough (no requirement for actual testing, but a step-by-step understanding of procedures based on facility capabilities),” along with reviews of standards, certifications, equipment, storage facilities, disposal procedures, and safe working practices.
Ballistic testing is essential for verifying that protective equipment, such as bullet-resistant vests, meets rigorous performance and safety requirements. By replicating real-world impacts under controlled conditions, testing ensures that armour can withstand specified threats while remaining reliable in operational environments.
The MOD makes clear that the release of this notice “is not the formal start to the competition process,” and that suppliers “will have an opportunity to participate in the Tender process when it formally starts with the release of the UK 4 Tender Notice.”
Suppliers must register interest by 12 September 2025 to take part in the market engagement phase.
UKDJ going into greater depth on MOD procurement. No bad thing in my opinion.