The Defence Suppliers Service
has a number of different but complementary roles:
Focal Point for the MOD Defence Contracts Bulletin
The MOD Contracts Bulletin was introduced in 1986 as
a means of increasing visibility of MOD's requirements
and to alert potential prime and sub-contractors
of forthcoming opportunities to bid for MOD's larger
value requirements. From November 2002, the MOD Contracts
Bulletin and the Works Services Opportunities Bulletin
were combined into a new MOD Defence Contracts Bulletin
(DCB) which is available on subscription and published
fortnightly in accordance with the Western European
Armaments Group (WEAG) guidance in order to give
industry greater opportunities to tender. DCB depends
on the timely input of the necessary details and
text from the MOD contracts and project staff concerned.
DCB entries provide point-of-contact details of the
appropriate commercial staff and includes sections
covering Possible Future Purchases, Tenders Invited,
Competitive Contracts Awarded, Single Source Contracts
Awarded, an advertising section for Sub-Contractors'
Capabilities, plus various Announcements and MOD
related reports.
DCB is readily available within the Department
and is also available to the public and to industry
on
payment of a subscription from the publisher . It can be obtained in
paper format, CD-ROM and on the Internet at www.contracts.mod.uk.
It is not only a means of providing information about
a wide range of MOD requirements, but may also be used
by MOD acquisition staff to seek a wider range of interested
prospective tenderers than may be known otherwise.
Focal Point for Enquiries from Prospective Suppliers
To find out more about doing business with the MOD,
prospective defence suppliers may contact the DSS
by letter, facsimile, email or telephone. The DSS
team will respond to enquires with as much information
as they are able to provide. Information packs about
becoming a defence supplier typically contain a copy
of the "Selling
to the MOD" brochure and
a copy of DCB, including details of how to subscribe.
If possible, the DSS will also provide address details
of departments within the MOD who may have an interest
in the products and services offered by the company.
Where appropriate, the DSS can also provide a list
of the MOD's Low Value Purchase Offices (LVP) and
a list of the Major Defence Contractors (MDC). The
LVP list gives an indication of the type of product
or service usually purchased by the LVP along with
the address. The MDC list provides details of the
product or service supplied to the MOD together with
the company name and address. The "Selling
to the MOD" brochure summarises how a company may
become a defence supplier at prime, sub-contract
and Local Purchase level. It also highlights the
need for third party Quality Assurance certification
and outlines some of the current major initiatives
in the field of defence acquisition and the roles
of various parts of the MOD and its defence related
Agencies. The brochure also provides points of contact
for exports, standardisation, research, diversification
and many other key areas. Focal Point for the Western
European Armaments Group (WEAG) Each of the WEAG
nations (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom) has a Focal
Point to provide information about the various national
procedures and practices that
govern defence procurement in their respective countries.
The Head of DSS is the UK's WEAG Focal Point. Enquiries
from suppliers in non-WEAG countries are handled also
by the DSS.
Attendance at Exhibitions
Each year
DSS staff attend a number of national exhibitions,
regional trade events, and 'Meet the Buyer' events
around the UK. The events are usually organised by
either local Chambers of Commerce and Industry or The
Department of Trade & Industry's Regional Development
Agencies and Business links. DSS staff meet with company
representatives who have the opportunity to discuss
how they might become defence supplier.
Enquiries
Further information about the DSS and how to
become a defence supplier can be obtained by contacting:
Defence
Suppliers Service (DSS)
Commercial Services Group and Defence Suppliers Help
Desk
Maple 2, #2233
MOD Abbey Wood
Bristol BS34 8JH
Tel: 0117-91-32844
Fax: 0117-91-32934
E-mail: csg-help-desk@dpa.mod.uk
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