How to win: The Provision of OBSIDIAN Support

About this contract

This procurement seeks a 20-month support, maintenance, and training contract for the OBSIDIAN Electronic Surveillance (ES) system, a critical Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) exploitation capability used by the Field Army. The contract will run from September 2026 to April 2028. The contractor will provide full in-service support, including routine maintenance, break/fix repairs, and software and firmware updates. The contract also includes annual trainer recertification, user training, secure connectivity support for deployed and home base operations, OEM liaison, engineering assurance, and quarterly performance reporting. Suppliers must ensure full operational availability of OBSIDIAN systems, compliance with MOD safety and environmental standards, and delivery of all training and connectivity requirements.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Ministry of Defence scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £2,375,520, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: deadlines are tight and a strong bid takes iteration.

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