Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 23 May 2025, 16:35 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Lessons · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: Ministry of Defence (Central government)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdDefence & securitySME suitable
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79)Education & Training (80) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Published estimate£8,440,000≈ £4.2m / year · £10,128,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update22.6% below published estimate
Submissions closed 16 Jul 2025awarded 8 Dec 2025
Awarded to Mass Consultants Ltd
Contract term 2 yrsends 14 Aug 2027 · up to 14 Aug 2029 with extensions · starts 15 Aug 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Integrated Warfare Centre (IWC) requires a suitable Contractor to provide professional services support in the form of 8 full time personnel working across the Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC, formerly UK STRATCOM) footprint, within the following Departments; IWC, Analysis and Assurance (A&A) Team, Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), jHUB and the Defence Experimentation and Wargaming Hub (DEWH). Lessons Contractors will be responsible for collecting, analysing, actioning, implementing and validating lessons from UK Defence operations and exercises, wargaming events, experimentation, and innovation activities. This will be conducted in accordance with relevant Defence Lessons Policies, which will be shared with Lessons Contractors during an initial mobilisation period, and using tools, primarily the Defence Lessons Identified Management System (DLIMS).

This Contract Award Notice is for the award of a public contract through an Open Procedure in accordance with the Competitive Tendering Procedures under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA2023). In accordance with Section 7, the requirement falls within the Defence and Security Requirement derogations (e), (f) and (g) for the goods, services or works for military purposes, and services that are otherwise relevant to the operational capability, effectiveness, readiness for action, safety or security of the armed forces. Therefore, the relevant provisions of the PA 2023 relating to Defence and Security contracts are applicable.

The Lessons Contract will initially be for two (2) years at a cost of £3,048,269.71 ex VAT. If the two (2) proposed option years are taken (on a 1 year + 1 year basis), subject to affordability and approval, this may take the value to £6,531,793.57 ex VAT. The second option year is subject to indexation in accordance with the formula outlined within the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

This will be a Service based Contract, with a security classification of up to and including SECRET. Further security requirements were detailed during the tender process as part of ITT.

The Cyber Risk Profile for this requirement identified by the Cyber Risk Assessment is High (Reference – RAR 250605A01)

TUPE provisions were outlined within the ITT.

A UK1 Pipeline notice was published under Notice Reference 2025/S 000-026958.

A UK4 Tender notice was published under Notice Reference 2025/S 000-034026.

A UK6 Contract Award Notice was published under Notice Reference: 2025/S 000-080462

CPV: Contract administration services · Staff training services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 2 yrsSMEPublished value£8,440,000
Contract period: 15 Aug 2025 – 14 Aug 2027 (2 yrs) · up to 14 Aug 2029 with extensionsValue: £8,440,000 exc. VAT · £10,128,000 inc. VAT
Eligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Two Optional Extension Years are included and may be invoked on Authority request on a one year plus one year basis.(1+1)

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 55%Price: 35%Social value: 10%
Published sub-criteria (3)
  • Technical/Quality: 55%
  • Price: 35%
  • Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Technical/Quality
  • Social Value
  • Price
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 35 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
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
23 May 2025, 16:35 BST
Last source update
6 Mar 2026, 15:30 GMT
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 15 Aug 2025
Authority reference
714600450
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-034026
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Contract administration servicesStaff training services
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05247d Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Defence Sourcing Portal · Who buys & how to bid on MOD DSP
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · registration requires an NCAGE code — obtain in advance · before you can bid: NCAGE
Submission deadline
16 Jul 2025, 09:00 BST
Clarification deadline
1 Jul 2025, 10:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

23 May 2025 → 6 Mar 2026 · 10 dates
  1. Planning notice published
    23 May 2025, 16:35 BST
  2. Next notice expected
    6 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST
  3. Tender notice published
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
  4. Clarification questions by
    1 Jul 2025, 10:00 BST
  5. Submission deadline
    16 Jul 2025, 09:00 BST
  6. Contract starts
    15 Aug 2025, 00:00 BST
  7. Award decision expected by
    15 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
  8. Assessment summaries sent316 days ago
    8 Dec 2025
  9. Standstill ends306 days ago
    17 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
  10. Latest notice published228 days ago
    6 Mar 2026, 15:30 GMT

Notice history

10 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 May 2025
  1. Pipeline notice published
    23 May 2025, 16:35 BST
    UK1
  2. Tender notice published
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
    UK4
  3. Published value published: £8,440,000
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
  4. Status changed to active
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
  5. Procurement method changed
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
  6. Deadline published: 16 Jul 2025, 09:00 BST
    20 Jun 2025, 12:01 BST
  7. Contract award notice published
    8 Dec 2025, 10:19 GMT
    UK6
  8. Status changed to complete
    8 Dec 2025, 10:19 GMT
  9. Contract signature expected
    23 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  10. Contract details notice published
    6 Mar 2026, 15:30 GMT
    UK7
Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2025-05: 1 release · 23 May 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £6,531,7941 award exc. VAT
Bids received 52 from SMEs
Named bidders 5published on the award notice
Contracts signed 1latest 26 Feb 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Mass Consultants Ltd714600450 - Lessons7 Feb 2026 – 6 Feb 2028 · up to 6 Feb 2030Extensions: 1 + 1 year option periods · Options: Two Optional Extension Years are included and may be invoked on Authority request on a one year plus one year basis.(1+1)£6,531,7948 Dec 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Mass Consultants Ltd

    Signed
    26 Feb 2026
    Value
    £6,531,794
    Period
    8 Mar 2026 – 7 Mar 2028 · up to 7 Mar 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    1+1 year Option Periods
    Options
    Two optional Extension Years are included in the Contract and may be invoked on Authority request on a one year plus one year basis (1+1)
    4 agreed KPIs: Contractor Performance · Social Value · Governance: Reporting …
    • Contractor Performance, In accordance with the SOR, the Contractor shall ensure that Lessons Contractors are meeting deadlines for the delivery of work, meeting the specification and timeline as allocated by respective Line Management and/or as directed by formal 1* and 2* Governance Boards. This includes the Mobilisation activities as outlined in the SOR.
    • Social Value, In accordance with D7 of the SOR, the Contractor shall deliver a written report to the Authority on a quarterly basis, outlining measures taken within that period to achieve the mission.
    • Governance: Reporting, The Contractor shall ensure that reporting measures set out in the SOR at Deliverable 3: (attendance at quarterly progress meetings), are complied with by all staff required otherwise agreed by the Authority).
    • Knowledge Transfer, In accordance with D9, the Contractor shall ensure that Lessons Contractors deliver the knowledge transfer activity and as outlined in the Exit Management Plan, which is to be delivered within 3 months of Contract Award.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
5final-stage tenders20—

Who bid

Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Ministry of Defence

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PHVX-4316-ZVGZ Faringdon Road, Shrivenham, South East, SN6 8LAContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

5 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded
  • Engage Technical Solutions LtdBidder / tendererGB-COH: 07825541 Units 1 and 4, Forest Gate, Chippenham, Wiltshire, South West, SN15 3RS
  • GRANT THORNTON UK LLPBidder / tendererGB-COH: OC307742 8 Finsbury Circus, London, London, EC2M 7EA
  • Mass Consultants LimitedAwarded supplierGB-COH: 01705804 Enterprise House, Great North Road, Little Paxton, St Neots, Cambridgeshirte, East of England, PE19 6BNContact email
  • QINETIQ TRAINING AND SIMULATION LIMITEDBidder / tendererGB-COH: 02250553 Cody Technology Park, Ively Road, Farnborough, South East, GU14 0LX
  • WHITETREE GROUP LTDBidder / tendererGB-COH: 11365046 1 New Street, Somerset, Wells, South West, BA5 2LA

Official documents & specifications (6)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Pipeline notice planningPipeline noticeUK1Pipeline notice on Find a Tender