The Ministry of Defence intends to publish a simple front door of procurement entry points for small and medium-sized enterprises by the end of this calendar year, according to answers given in Parliament.
Matt Vickers, the Conservative member for Stockton West, tabled a series of questions on access to defence procurement for smaller firms, covering the mapping of entry points and portals, the proportionality of bidding requirements, the support available from the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, the monitoring of prime contractors’ subcontracting behaviour and the number of contracts awarded directly to firms in Tees Valley.
Luke Pollard said: “Defence is committed to improving the visibility of procurement opportunities and to map out entry points as a means to remove unnecessary barriers for SMEs wishing to work either directly with us, or with our supply chain.
“To promote awareness of opportunities, we always encourage SMEs to sign up to the Defence Sourcing Portal in the first instance. Under the Procurement Act 2023, all government opportunities which will go to open competition are set out in Pipeline Notices through the Find a Tender platform.
“With regards to entry points, we intend to publish a simple ‘front door’ of entry points by the end of this calendar year.
“This work, alongside the other commitments set out in the SME Action Plan from July 2026, will benefit businesses across the country, including those in Tees Valley.”
On the Tees Valley figures, Pollard set out that the department awarded two contracts directly to small and medium-sized enterprises based in the area in 2023/24 with a total value of £1,478,511.10, two contracts in 2024/25 worth £322,093.86, and none in 2025-26.
Pollard also said that the Defence Office for Small Business Growth provides a single point of access to advice and opportunities through a website and contact centre, and that the Procurement Act 2023 and departmental supplier selection policy require requirements on experience, financial standing and accreditation to be proportionate to the contract being procured.
The SME Action Plan was published in July, and the Defence Office for Small Business Growth was established to increase direct and indirect departmental spending with smaller firms.
