Gladiator and Spartan Core Systems and Services (Amended)

• Not divided into lots: 1. Due to limited technical SQEP and the significant risk to training delivery presented by multiple systems needing integration there is a risk that the authority is unable to attribute responsibility between different suppliers resulting in an immediate impact to defence national & international training output. 2. Due to multiple supplier relationships required as part of Lots there is a significant risk that supplier, contracting authority and customer relationship breakdowns may result in the failure of integrated service support to delivery of national & international defence exercises.
• How the procedure runs: The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (including Conditions of Participation) is available within the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and will be used to down-select between 2 and 5 suppliers to be invited to Tender. This will also include the assessment of whether a supplier, its connected persons, associated persons or any intended subcontractors are excluded or excludable persons and whether the suppliers are UK suppliers under the Procurement Act. A clarification process will be used during the PSQ period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority. Within the PSQ there are a mix of questions: Pass/Fail, a Fail resulting in exclusion from further participation in the tendering process; and scored Questions. For those suppliers who Pass all of the Pass/Fail questions, their overall technical score will determine their ranking. Those ranking in the Top 5 will be invited to Tender. Where there is a tie at Positions 5 and 6 (or more), the decision on which supplier will be Invited to Tender will be based initially on the highest score for question 2.9.4 in the Technical Envelope. Where this still results in a tie, the decision will be based on the highest score for question 2.9.8 and where this still results in a tie the decision will be based on question 2.9.3. Notwithstanding the tie break process above, the Authority reserves the right to invite additional Potential Providers to tender where a tie occurs. Once the selected suppliers have been identified, and prior to the ITT being issued, a Site Visit to the ABTC will be arranged. This will consist of a show-and-tell followed by a Q&A session to enable potential suppliers to gain a deep understanding of the system's inner workings. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) will subsequently be issued to those successful at PSQ. A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority. The award criteria will be explained within the Tender Evaluation Strategy, which will be published in the DSP, with the ITT. The Authority reserves the right to refine the award criteria before and – where negotiation/final tenders are used – during the Tender period in accordance with section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. This may include revision to the weightings of the sub-criteria. The following supplementary processes may be used, with further details set out in the additional tender documents; • Site Visit to System Locations • Clarifications – during the tender evaluation period • Negotiations – following evaluation of the Tender • Supplier presentations / site visits – during the Tender, and Tender Evaluation period • Final Tenders – following negotiations, if used • Preferred Supplier Stage – to confirm solutions and/or finalise the draft contract. The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement, where such amendment would not be substantial, as follows, including and not limited to; • amendments to the tender documents which may provide clarification • refining the specification as the competitive flexible procedure progresses • reducing timescales. If any amendments are made, the Authority will consider whether any applicable tender deadlines should be revised, and whether any tender documents or notices need to be re-issued.

CPV: Training and simulation in military electronic systems

Procedure method

Competitive flexible procedure

Legal basis

UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Closed

Procurement threshold

Above threshold (FTS publication)

Regulatory regime

Defence & security

Commercial structure

Stand-alone contract (no framework)

Competition type

Competitive procedure

GPA / WTO covered

Unspecified in notice

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

22 Oct 2026, 12:01 BST

Last source update

22 Oct 2026, 12:01 BST

Award evaluation window

Submission end – 17 Dec 2027

Authority reference

715763450

FTS notice number

2026/S 000-099917

Latest notice

Tender notice (UK4)

Classification (CPV)

Training and simulation in military electronic systems

Delivery area

UK

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-078dc3 Find a Tender

Contract terms summary

All payments will be made through the Authority's Contracting, Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) system (Exostar) and will be in accordance with future contractual arrangements.

How it runs

The Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (including Conditions of Participation) is available within the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and will be used to down-select between 2 and 5 suppliers to be invited to Tender. This will also include the assessment of whether a supplier, its connected persons, associated persons or any intended subcontractors are excluded or excludable persons and whether the suppliers are UK suppliers under the Procurement Act. A clarification process will be used during the PSQ period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority.

Within the PSQ there are a mix of questions: Pass/Fail, a Fail resulting in exclusion from further participation in the tendering process; and scored Questions. For those suppliers who Pass all of the Pass/Fail questions, their overall technical score will determine their ranking. Those ranking in the Top 5 will be invited to Tender.

Where there is a tie at Positions 5 and 6 (or more), the decision on which supplier will be Invited to Tender will be based initially on the highest score for question 2.9.4 in the Technical Envelope. Where this still results in a tie, the decision will be based on the highest score for question 2.9.8 and where this still results in a tie the decision will be based on question 2.9.3. Notwithstanding the tie break process above, the Authority reserves the right to invite additional Potential Providers to tender where a tie occurs.

Once the selected suppliers have been identified, and prior to the ITT being issued, a Site Visit to the ABTC will be arranged. This will consist of a show-and-tell followed by a Q&A session to enable potential suppliers to gain a deep understanding of the system's inner workings.

An Invitation to Tender (ITT) will subsequently be issued to those successful at PSQ. A clarification process will be used during the tendering period to allow suppliers to seek clarification from the Authority. The award criteria will be explained within the Tender Evaluation Strategy, which will be published in the DSP, with the ITT. The Authority reserves the right to refine the award criteria before and – where negotiation/final tenders are used – during the Tender period in accordance with section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. This may include revision to the weightings of the sub-criteria.

The following supplementary processes may be used, with further details set out in the additional tender documents;

• Site Visit to System Locations
• Clarifications – during the tender evaluation period
• Negotiations – following evaluation of the Tender
• Supplier presentations / site visits – during the Tender, and Tender Evaluation period
• Final Tenders – following negotiations, if used
• Preferred Supplier Stage – to confirm solutions and/or finalise the draft contract.

The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement, where such amendment would not be substantial, as follows, including and not limited to;

• amendments to the tender documents which may provide clarification
• refining the specification as the competitive flexible procedure progresses
• reducing timescales.

If any amendments are made, the Authority will consider whether any applicable tender deadlines should be revised, and whether any tender documents or notices need to be re-issued.

Requests to participate (first stage)

23 Oct 2026, 13:01 BST

Submission deadline

23 Oct 2026, 13:01 BST

Clarification deadline

23 Oct 2026, 12:01 BST

Submission channel

Official e-sourcing portal

Electronic submission

Allowed

Accepted languages

en