A new team dedicated to supporting small British businesses to win more defence contracts has been established by the Defence Readiness and Industry Minister, Luke Pollard MP. Known as the Defence Office for Small Business Growth (OfSBG), it will be made up of policy and commercial expert staff, who will support small and medium UK firms to bid for and win more defence contracts. The ambition is to reverse the decline in Ministry of Defence (MOD) spend on SMEs, as identified in the Defence Industrial Strategy.

This will also help deliver on the Government’s pledge to increase defence spending with SMEs by 50% by 2028 and is a significant vote of confidence in around 12,000 SMEs across the UK, marking an important step in removing barriers faced by SMEs at a crucial time for national security and innovation.

The team will help to simplify and speed up cumbersome processes, provide advice to SMEs, and encourage private sector investment, supporting the Defence Secretary John Healey’s pledge to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a defence business.

The OfSBG will oversee a comprehensive programme of change, ranging from policy and commercial process simplification – such as improving cash flow when under contract - to encouraging private investment by providing long-term clarity on procurements. This work is in addition to enhancing transparency and knowledge sharing within the sector, all aimed at backing British SMEs.

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