Niteworks contract renewed by UK MoD

The Niteworks partnership between the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), Dstl and industry will continue for at least the next three years following the award of a £17 million contract, announced on 30 July.

Niteworks provides the MoD with wide-ranging expert advice in support of armed forces operations and capability planning, including the delivery of effective training through defending against cyber attack to setting better requirements for equipment.

Niteworks was established in 2003, and benefits assessed from work under the previous contract have totalled £580 million over 5 years. Additional non-financial benefits have also been realised by front-line operations, including those currently in Afghanistan.

Simon Jewell, managing director, Niteworks, said: ‘Our teams assess the operational context and apply relevant industrial experience to support the MoD on some of its most challenging issues. This has made a real difference to the armed forces and the operations they serve on, including those in Afghanistan today such as Niteworks support to Operation HERRICK Mission-Specific Training. This ensured that the latest C4ISTAR Urgent Operational Requirements were made available to those who needed training to use it in theatre. I’m delighted that the MoD has reconfirmed its commitment to Niteworks.’

The new contract will run for three years, with a possible further two option years.

The Niteworks contract delivers on MoD commitments set out in the government’s ‘National Security Through Technology’ White Paper to provide transparency and involve industry early in understanding the problems facing defence. Niteworks brings together MoD and pan-industry teams, involving large organisations, specialist suppliers and subject matter experts. The partnership addresses specific and time-bound issues to do with operational, capability and acquisition matters.

AVM Julian Young, director technical, DE&S, said: ‘For the last 10 years Niteworks has successfully demonstrated the benefits of bringing together the MoD and industry early on in the decision-making process. It provides an impartial environment where decisions on military capability can be informed by the latest subject-matter expertise from across industry and academia.

‘Niteworks provides a route to the MoD for organisations that have skills or knowledge that could benefit military operations, regardless of their size. I am most encouraged that its membership has grown steadily in recent years to include more than a hundred small and medium-sized enterprises and specialists, as well as around 20 major defence companies.’