A change in the way defence notices are processed on Defence Contracts Online (DCO) will help introduce a new and more effective phase of defence procurement – but what are the changes and how will they benefit suppliers?
The changes are aimed at making defence procurement more efficient by allowing for a more appropriate and tailored approach to placing defence notices.
The range of new notices will enable MOD to engage industry earlier in the procurement planning process and lead to clearer announcement of non-competitive strategy decisions. The notices are specifically for procurements which are exempt from OJEU regulation.
For early engagement, two new notices will be created – the DCO/DCB Prior Information Notice (PIN) and the DCO/DCB Request for Information (RFI). The new DCO/DCB PIN and RFI mean that MOD can seek information from industry to help develop new requirements, prior to the formal MOD DCO Contract Notice for expressions of interest.
The other notices on Defence Contracts Online will be given new names harmonised with existing OJEU notice names to further reduce confusion.
A new purposely designed form called the MOD DCO Voluntary Transparency Notice (MOD DCO VTN) will be used to announce procurement strategy decisions to source requirements non-competitively. This replaces the Possible Future Purchase notice which currently announces these decisions.
SMEs, who are at the very heart of the defence industry, will also benefit from the changes to Defence Contracts Online. Small businesses will be able to find suitable opportunities more easily with the help of a new flag icon highlighting contract opportunities which MOD considers suitable for SMEs.
