DPRTE 2017: join the defence discussion

Homeland March 8, 2017

Keynote speakers for DPRTE 2017 – the UK’s premier defence procurement event of the year – have been announced. The Ministry of Defence, Cranfield University and the Department for International Trade are just some of the organisations who will be sharing their business opportunities and insights at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday 28 March.

Defence Procurement, Research, Technology & Exportability (DPRTE) 2017 will unite buyers, suppliers and defence thought leaders in a bustling environment where they can network and discuss the latest market developments and opportunities.

Don’t miss out

To be at the forefront of the discussions by attending, sponsoring or exhibiting at DPRTE 2017, book now.

Attendees will have access to the DPRTE Product Showcase Exhibition (featuring over 125 suppliers), an Innovation Hub, three Networking and Support Zones and four Knowledge Transfer Zones as well as the Live Keynote Arena.

Live Keynote Arena

Chairing the Live Keynote Arena this year will be Commercial Strategies Ltd CEO and former Ministry of Defence Commercial Director Les Mosco. Mr Mosco will reflect on recent marketplace developments before passing over to the opening keynote, Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Director General Commercial Nick Elliott. DE&S is responsible for delivering some of the most complex defence products and services in the world, accounting for around £14 billion of the MOD’s annual total third-party spend with industry.

Drilling further into changes to the MOD procurement landscape will be Head of Commercial Army at the MOD Fiona Phillips, with her keynote ‘The Front Line Command Approach to Procurement and What it Means for Industry Engagement’. National Audit Office (NAO) Cross Government Director Joshua Reddaway will then share the procurement best practice he has honed from both his working life and his academic research expertise in publications such as Transforming Contract Management.

Following this session the burning issue of Brexit will be addressed in a keynote from Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Research Fellow Professor Trevor Taylor, as he discusses ‘Post-Brexit Defence Spending Power: Implications and Opportunities’.

Finally, Defence and Security Accelerator Acting Head Rob Solly will conclude proceedings, sharing some of his experiences gleaned while delivering £100 million of research and analysis each year, including MOD’s innovative research programme into disruptive capabilities emerging from the fields of quantum physics and synthetic biology.

Research & Technology Knowledge Transfer Zone

Further business opportunities will be outlined in the Research & Technology Knowledge Transfer Zone address from Cranfield University Centre for Defence Acquisition lecturer Jeremy Smith, titled ‘The Impact of Additive Manufacturing on the Defence Support Chain’. Advice on new technologies will continue next with UK Defence Solutions Centre (UKDSC) Director of Innovation Paul Winstanley speaking on ‘The Role of Innovation in Defence’.

The training zone subsequently hosts a talk from Brendan Vickers, SBRI Account Manager at Innovate UK, about the Small Business Research Initiative’s recent work in the defence sector, before moving to a panel debate hosted by members of the Defence Innovation Initiative on UK defence sector skills gaps and how to close them.

The zone will close as Cranfield University Centre for Defence Acquisition Head Stuart Young presents on ‘Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Defence Procurement’.

Supply Chain & Partnering Knowledge Transfer Zone

The Supply Chain & Partnering Knowledge Transfer Zone will offer a range of presentations and training sessions throughout the day supporting the transparency of supply chain opportunities and programmes across the defence sector.

SME spend made up 19.4% of all MOD third-party spend in 2014/15. This figure equates to almost £4 billion spent both directly and indirectly with SMEs; of which direct spend was £822 million with over 5400 different suppliers. However, the MOD wants to build upon this success and has set a new target of directing 25% of its third-party spend to small and medium-sized enterprises by 2020.

Appearing within the Supply Chain & Partnering zone at DPRTE 2017 will be a wide selection of leading speakers including Sean Balmer, Commercial Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, who will talk about DIO’s ‘Engagement Strategy with Industry Going Forward’; plus Richard Tottman, Principal Consultant (MOD) at Commerce Decisions, who will discuss how to ‘Get the Best Possible Outcome by Maximising VfM’.

Also in attendance will be the MOD’s Cyber Industry Team, who will discuss the work of the Defence Cyber Protection Partnership (DCPP) and what the implementation of the Cyber Security Model (CSM) into all new MOD requirements and contracts means for defence suppliers. More speakers will be announced in the run-up to the event.

Export & Business Growth Knowledge Transfer Zone

Moving from the world wide web to worldwide business, the Export & Business Growth Knowledge Transfer Zone will feature experts in global defence procurement. The zone launches with Head of the Small Business Unit at the Department for International Trade’s Defence and Security Organisation (DIT DSO) Howard Gibbs presenting on ‘Defence and Security Exports: Support for SMEs’.

Training continues with sessions from other DIT DSO experts on areas such as Defence and Security Marketing, Military Support for Defence and Security Exports, the Defence Growth Partnership and Export Licensing.

Buyer Excellence in Procurement Knowledge Transfer Zone

In addition to accessing this wealth of industry expertise, DPRTE attendees can also visit the Buyer Excellence in Procurement Zone, where Principal PASS Consultant Eddie Regan will be leading on procurement best practice and advice which defence buyers can utilise to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their procurement exercises. These sessions will cover ‘Addressing the Efficiency Challenge’, ‘Implementing the Selection Process’, ‘Contract Management and the Regulations’, ‘Tips on Creating a Good Tender Specification’, ‘Market Engagement’ and ‘Which Procedure Should You Choose?’.

Don’t miss out

To be at the forefront of the discussions by attending, sponsoring or exhibiting at DPRTE 2017, book now .

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Cranfield University Cyber Defence Security Accelerator DIT DPRTE Fiona Phillips Les Mosco MOD NAO procurement Rob Solly RUSI SME supply chain