“Since Russia’s brutal invasion UK defence suppliers with active support from MOD and DE&S have taken equipment from desktop ideas to deployment. This £25m plus fund is designed to capture ongoing work and support innovative ideas to meet defence requirements.
“Recent months have shown the ingenuity and innovation of the UK defence sector, coming up with new approaches and, with support, taking them from desktop to the front line. We want to ensure ongoing creativity is harnessed and directed at key requirements and all companies with a capability that can help are aware of the challenge. “
Jeremy Quin MP, Minister for Defence Procurement
What is it?
The UK Ministry of Defence is launching a fund worth at least £25M for the procurement of innovative solutions designed to support the defence of Ukraine. Our priority is for proposals that can be delivered within the next 4 months. We particularly welcome ideas with fast initial delivery alongside longer term capability development, where appropriate.
What is the timeframe?
The Ukrainian requirement is urgent and every day counts. We are therefore asking for proposals from industry with a deadline of 10th June 2022.
What do we need from you?
We do not need a full, complete business proposal as you might provide for a commercial tender, but the following would help us assess individual opportunities:
• Product description/potential use case(s)
• Technology Readiness Level
• Training requirements
• Spares/supportability requirements
• Details of any extant contracts with DE&S/MOD (including contract reference and Delivery Team)
How will your proposals be used?
All proposals will be triaged by UK MOD to assess feasibility to be taken forward. The appropriate procurement strategy and route to market will be developed for all selected proposals. This may be single source with the proposing vendor or if a competitive market exists, a wider competitive exercise. Suppliers submitting proposals deemed suitable for competing in the open market will, subject to
pre-qualification, be invited to bid in any competition and any pre-existing intellectual property will be respected. Regrettably, due to resource constraints and the necessity to work at pace it won’t be possible to provide feedback to those whose ideas are not taken forward.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
UAS are being employed at unprecedented scale for a huge breadth of effects in Ukraine. In particular the innovation fund campaign is seeking novel and innovative proposals in the following areas:
• Lethal Effects – UAS capable of delivering or supporting the delivery of long-range (50km +) targeted strike.
• Heavy Lift – drones capable of performing a variety of heavy lift tasks with a minimum performance of at least 150kg at a range of over 400km. Possible applications include logistics resupply and casualty evacuation.
• ISR and long range sensors – novel applications of UAS to support longer range and more precise targeting of artillery. Including in combination with Soviet-era systems.
• Deception – UAS which can support deception operations – including imitating the signatures of more advanced capabilities and formations.
• Electronic Warfare – UAS with a range of EW capabilities.
Please direct all proposals and enquiries to: dcmc-ukraineinnovationproposals@mod.gov.uk