Official UK procurement notice
TacNet Design and Integration Partner
Authority: Ministry of Defence (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis procurement is for the continuation of support services and development to the Tactical Networks (TacNet) Dismounted Data System (DDS). The DDS capability is described as providing tactical communications and situational awareness. It is developed through new software and hardware, including the integration of sensors and effectors that are pivotal to support 4 Light Brigade Combat Team (4LBCT) in its ability to double and triple the Brigades lethality by the end of the decade. The DDS is also selected as the capability of choice to meet the requirements for continuous spiral development and scaling to all Light Force Brigades.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Defence & security
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 14 Apr 2026, 16:08 BST
- Last source update
- 16 Sept 2026, 12:09 BST
- Authority reference
715847485- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-087700- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06824dFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons; Additional Repeat Extension Partial Replacement; Defence Security Operational
- Published justification
It is considered that this contract can be placed using a Direct Award Procedure pursuant to Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) due to: technical reasons; no reasonable alternatives; and pursuant to paragraph 7 of PA23.
Following the competitive procedure through the Digital Outcomes and Specialists 5 (DOS 5) framework, the MOD awarded initial Design and Integration Partner (DIP) 2-year contract to Rowden Technologies in July 2021. The scope of the contract was to deliver a DSA system design, which would be used by the MOD to carry out an Assessment Phase competition and to supply the Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) system at scale. This design was delivered and has been extensively used and further developed by the MOD. Further short-term contracts were placed with Rowden in November 2024 and September 2025 for the continuation of the capability. As the initial design is constantly being used to deliver DDS requirement, a new short-term contract is required prior to the planned competition for a longer-term contract.
Rowden were responsible for the development and delivery of the DSA system design and are currently the only company who have the requisite technical knowhow, expertise and experience to carry out the activities required for the DDS.
A change of supplier at this time would introduce disproportionate technical difficulties in both the operation and maintenance of the DDS system, resulting in a loss of capability. Due to the above reasons, the requirement will be delivered using a Direct Award contract.
Notice history
4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 14 Apr 2026- Transparency notice published14 Apr 2026, 16:08 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published20 Aug 2026, 13:43 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published16 Sept 2026, 12:09 BSTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowden Technologies LimitedSMETacNet Design & Integration Partner1 Sept 2026 – 31 Mar 2028 · up to 31 Mar 2028Extensions: Extensions are included if required, to allow time for a longer-term contract to be competed. There are two option extensions of 6 months each, for an additional 12 months in total. · Options: A 6-month handover option is included and it is to be exercised in the event that another supplier is successful in the upcoming competition for the successor follow-on contract. This is to allow a sufficient hand-over time for the new incoming service provider to take over and carry on with the requirement. In addition a Not to Exceed (NTE) £5M option is included in the contract for any contract changes and/or additional tasks. | £20,703,891 | 20 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
TacNet Design & Integration Partner · Rowden Technologies LimitedSME
- Signed
- 1 Sept 2026
- Value
- £20,703,891
- Period
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 Mar 2028
- Status
- active
- Options
- A 6-month handover option is included and it is to be exercised in the event that another supplier is successful in the upcoming competition for the successor follow-on contract. This is to allow a sufficient hand-over time for the new incoming service provider to take over and carry on with the requirement. In addition a Not to Exceed (NTE) £5M option is included in the contract for any contract changes and/or additional tasks.
5 agreed KPIs: Monthly Progress Reports Delivered on Time · Engineering Outputs Delivered on Time · Sentencing Review Process Complete …
- Monthly Progress Reports Delivered on Time, Monthly progress report is delivered to the Authority on agreed date (no later than 2 working days before the Supplier Progress Review meeting) in accordance with the Contract.
- Engineering Outputs Delivered on Time, Contractor delivers Engineering Outputs to the Authority by the date agreed at the relevant pre-release sentencing session (subject to all Dependencies, also agreed at the session, being met). The definition of “Engineering Outputs” and the deadline shall be agreed in writing after the relevant sentencing session for this KPI to apply.
- Sentencing Review Process Complete, The delivery of up to Quarterly pre-release sentencing sessions, including a workshop where the Authority’s requirements are: 1. Explored and understood by Contractor; 2. Qualified by Contractor for engineering delivery (definition of delivery, Outputs or Outcomes and delivery timescale); and 3. Baselined by Contractor in a plan for the upcoming release phase. This process must be completed before the start of the next release phase (as per the agreed baseline plan).
- Delivery of Key Artefacts, The Contractor shall deliver the following Key Artefacts to the Authority by the agreed dates: 1) Safety & Environment Case Report; 2) Security Aspects of Design Document; 3) Engineering Management Plan; and 4) Project Management Plan.
- Social Value Progress Reports Delivered on Time, Contractor shall provide the Authority with a quarterly social value report.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the notice- Rowden Technologies LtdAwarded supplier
- Rowden Technologies LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender