NAD awards final major BMfS contract

Above: Rupert Pearce, National Armaments Director
Courtesy NAD / gov.uk

A £113 million contract has been awarded to Digital Allies consortium (PA Consulting and Accenture) to deliver Defence Logistics Information Services (DLIS). Business Modernisation for Support (BMfS) programme contracts now total £466 million, creating up to 170 jobs with potential for hundreds more. The programme will modernise ageing logistics systems to improve warfighter readiness and strengthen interoperability with NATO partners.

The new contract will fund Defence Logistics Information Services (DLIS), providing defence with modern, digitally enabled capabilities for:

• warehousing
• freight distribution
• storage information services

This award represents the final element of the BMfS programme’s delivery structure. It follows a £320 million contract for a Defence Equipment Engineering and Asset Management System and a £33 million contract for Foundational Services – the ‘digital socket’ that BMfS’ new solutions will all plug into.

It enables BMfS to move into delivery phase, bringing the programme’s intended outcomes – improved war fighter readiness, better interoperability across defence and with NATO, and enhanced national security – a step closer to reality.

What DLIS will provide
DLIS will give defence logistics users an efficient and flexible capability that can adapt to operational needs, replacing 10 different systems with a single, easy to use, digital solution. End users will benefit from streamlined processes for managing:

• inventory
• munitions
• warehousing and movements

The Digital Allies consortium’s software-based solution will provide defence-specific functionality designed to work effectively from implementation.

Investment in UK industry
The three BMfS contracts represent a significant investment in the UK defence industrial base.

Together, they will directly create up to 235 highly skilled jobs in the UK, with potential for hundreds more, whilst sustaining the existing defence employment sector and strengthening supply chains.

Luke Pollard, Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: "We are meeting this new era of threat by making our Armed Forces more lethal. This programme will boost our national security by transforming how we provide our sailors, soldiers and aviators with the kit they need when they need it, whether at home or overseas.

"Our investment of almost half a billion pounds to modernise this logistics and support system will create up to 235 UK jobs, making defence an engine for growth."

NAD Group delivering transformation
With all three contracts now in place, the NAD Group can begin delivery in earnest.

BMfS will transform defence logistics through more efficient systems and standardised business processes, delivering enhanced readiness and operational advantage to the warfighter alongside improved interoperability across UK defence and with NATO partners.

Rupert Pearce, National Armaments Director, said: "This contract marks a significant milestone in our mission to modernise defence’s logistics capabilities. By partnering with UK industry, we’re not only delivering cutting-edge digital solutions for our Armed Forces but also investing in British skills and innovation.

"The NAD Group is committed to building the industrial partnerships that will sustain our national security for decades to come and this award demonstrates that commitment in action."