Defence procurement and how each market buys
Defence procurement is the process by which ministries of defence and their agencies buy equipment, supplies, services and research. Each market has its own rules and portals: FAR and DFARS with SAM.gov in the US, the Procurement Act 2023 in the UK, Directive 2009/81/EC with TED in the EU, and agency rules at NATO.
Figures counted from our database.
The procurement cycle every market shares
Whatever the country, a defence purchase moves through the same stages. A capability need is identified and funded in the budget. The buyer does market research, often in public through prior notices, requests for information or industry days. A solicitation is published with a deadline. Bids are evaluated, the contract is awarded and the award is published. Years later the contract ends and the cycle starts again as a recompete.
The companies that win usually engage before the solicitation. That is why prior notices and expiring defence contracts are worth more than the tender itself, and why we put them in the same list as open tenders.
United States
The Department of Defense buys under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). Opportunities above 25,000 dollars are posted on SAM.gov, including presolicitation notices, sources sought notices and solicitations. Awards are reported to the federal award database, and every business day the Pentagon publishes the contracts worth 7.5 million dollars or more.
Suppliers register in SAM.gov for a Unique Entity ID and a CAGE code. Small businesses benefit from set-asides and from subcontracting plans that primes must follow on large contracts. See the DoD contracts page for the latest awards.
United Kingdom
Since 24 February 2025 the Procurement Act 2023 governs UK public procurement, including a regime for defence and security contracts that replaced the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations 2011. Notices are published on Find a Tender, with Contracts Finder for lower values and awards. The Act adds pipeline notices and preliminary market engagement notices, which signal purchases early.
The MOD buys mainly through Defence Equipment and Support, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Dstl, often via frameworks. The MOD contracts page lists UK notices and awards.
European Union and national ministries
Directive 2009/81/EC sets the rules for defence and sensitive security procurement above EU thresholds. It allows the negotiated procedure with publication as a standard route and includes rules on security of supply and of information. Member states publish notices on Tenders Electronic Daily, usually in their own language, and keep national portals for lower values.
Article 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union lets states exempt purchases that touch essential security interests, so the largest weapons purchases are often not advertised. EU funding adds a layer on top: the European Defence Fund for research and development, and SAFE loans for joint procurement. Follow notices on the EU defence tenders page and the country pages for Germany, Poland and France.
NATO agencies
NATO itself buys through its agencies. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency handles logistics and support for many nations, and the NATO Communications and Information Agency buys communications, cyber and command and control systems. Eligibility is generally limited to companies from member nations, confirmed by national delegations. Read more on the NATO tenders page.
What a supplier needs before bidding
The paperwork is the same whichever market you choose. Prepare it once.
Registration
SAM.gov for the US, the central digital platform for the UK, national e-procurement portals in Europe, NSPA source file for NATO.
Identifiers
A CAGE code in the US or an NCAGE code elsewhere, issued under the NATO Codification System by your national codification bureau.
Quality and cyber
ISO 9001 or AS9100, plus CMMC for US contracts with controlled unclassified information and Cyber Essentials for the UK MOD.
Security and export control
Facility clearance for classified work, and an understanding of ITAR, EAR and EU dual-use rules for your products.
Questions about defence procurement
What is defence procurement?
Why are many defence contracts not advertised?
How long does a defence procurement take?
Which notices should a supplier watch?
Can one search cover all markets?
See which defence contracts fit your company
Describe what you supply. We score open tenders, prior notices and recompetes against it and show the first matches straight away.
- A fit score with reasons on every row
- Source and publication date on every record
- US, UK, NATO and EU buyers in one search