eSourcing platform
Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP)
Also known as MOD DSP, contracts.mod.uk.
The MOD's own site for advertising and running tenders. MOD lists all its tender and contract opportunities worth £10,000 or more here, and larger defence suppliers post sub-contracting opportunities too.
Visit contracts.mod.ukOpens in a new tab. We are not affiliated with Ministry of Defence (platform supplied by Jaggaer).
Who uses it
The Ministry of Defence and Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), and larger defence suppliers advertising sub-contracts.
What the Defence Sourcing Portal is
The Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) is the Ministry of Defence's own website for advertising and running tenders: MOD calls it a one-stop shop for contract opportunities and doing business with defence. It replaced Defence Contracts Online in 2021 at the same address, contracts.mod.uk, and the platform is supplied by Jaggaer.
MOD says all its tender and contract opportunities worth £10,000 or more are listed on the DSP. Many higher-value MOD contracts also appear on Find a Tender, and MOD uses Contracts Finder too, but for defence work the DSP is the place to watch.
Registering and finding opportunities
You can browse current opportunities without an account, but you need to register, free, to bid. You give your organisation's details and a short profile: sector, staff numbers, turnover and whether you are an SME. Check the organisation name and country before saving, because you cannot change them yourself afterwards.
Once registered, set up email notifications for the categories you work in. Larger defence suppliers are encouraged to advertise sub-contracting opportunities on the DSP, so it is worth watching even before you are ready to bid to MOD directly.
Cyber security: what MOD will ask for
Most MOD contracts include a cyber security clause, DEFCON 658. The MOD team gives each requirement a Cyber Risk Profile from Level 0 to Level 3, and you complete a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire on gov.uk to show you meet the matching controls in Defence Standard 05-138. If you are not yet compliant, you submit a Cyber Implementation Plan saying when you will be.
MOD also runs Defence Cyber Certification (DCC), an independently assessed scheme delivered with IASME, and has asked all its industry partners to reach DCC Level 0 by 31 December 2026. DCC needs Cyber Essentials, or Cyber Essentials Plus, on business-critical systems, so if you do not hold Cyber Essentials yet, start there.
Help for small businesses
MOD's Defence Office for Small Business Growth helps SMEs find opportunities, understand sub-contracting and get paid, and MOD aims to pay 90% of undisputed SME invoices within five working days. Some large defence suppliers also ask their supply chain to register on JOSCAR.
Security clearance is sponsored by the organisation whose contract needs it: you cannot apply in advance. MOD's own guidance stresses that many businesses wrongly assume security rules shut them out of defence work.
Getting registered
Free supplier account at contracts.mod.uk: organisation details and a short profile (sector, staff, turnover, SME status). You can browse opportunities without registering, but you need an account to bid. Set up email alerts by category.
All four UK portals in one email
Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland and Sell2Wales, read every weekday and scored against what you do, in one email before 9am. You only register on a buyer's platform when a tender is worth bidding for. 30 days free, no card needed.
Watch out for
Cyber requirements arrive with the contract: most MOD contracts carry DEFCON 658, and MOD has asked all industry partners to reach Defence Cyber Certification Level 0 by 31 December 2026, which needs Cyber Essentials on business-critical systems. Security clearance cannot be applied for in advance and its timescales vary.
Tender Radar tells you which platform sits behind a contract worth bidding for, in time to register before the deadline. Start a free trial.
At a glance
- Run by
- Ministry of Defence (platform supplied by Jaggaer)
- Type
- eSourcing platform
- Covers
- UK-wide
- Sectors
- Defence, Engineering, Technology, Logistics
- Cost
- Free to register and bid
- Website
- contracts.mod.uk
Common questions
Is the Defence Sourcing Portal free?
Yes. Registering and bidding cost nothing.
Do I need an account to see MOD opportunities?
No. You can view current opportunities without one, but you must register to express interest or bid.
Does every MOD contract appear on the DSP?
MOD says all its tender and contract opportunities worth £10,000 or more are listed there. Many high-value MOD contracts also appear on Find a Tender.
Do I need Cyber Essentials to work with the MOD?
It depends on the contract's Cyber Risk Profile, but MOD has asked all industry partners to reach Defence Cyber Certification Level 0 by 31 December 2026, which includes Cyber Essentials on business-critical systems.
Can I get security clearance before I bid?
No. Clearance is sponsored by the organisation that owns the requirement, usually once a contract needs it, and you cannot apply on your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-14. Something wrong on this page?
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