MOD Contracts Online

MOD Contracts Online (MODCO) is the Ministry of Defence's public transparency portal, available at contracts.mod.uk. It publishes details of awarded MOD contracts, prior information notices for upcoming competitions, and general information about MOD's procurement intentions. Unlike DSEP, which is the closed eProcurement platform for managing active competitions, MOD Contracts Online is publicly accessible without registration and serves primarily as a market intelligence and transparency tool.

What is MOD Contracts Online?

MOD Contracts Online publishes contract award notices covering MOD's direct procurement activity, including contracts let by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the Strategic Command, and other MOD agencies. The notices include supplier name, contract value, duration, and a brief description of the goods or services procured. They are also published on Contracts Finder in parallel, though MODCO sometimes contains MOD-specific detail not included in the Contracts Finder version.

The portal also publishes Prior Information Notices (PINs) when MOD wishes to signal upcoming major competitions to the market in advance of a formal contract notice. PINs give the supply chain time to assess their capability and interest, form teaming arrangements, and engage with MOD through formal market engagement events before the competition formally opens.

MOD is one of the UK's largest public sector buyers, with an annual procurement spend exceeding 20 billion GBP across equipment, support, professional services, estates, and IT. The breadth of MOD spending means that MODCO is relevant not only to prime contractors in the traditional defence sector but also to SMEs in logistics, IT, construction, facilities management, and professional services.

Why it matters for bidders

MOD Contracts Online is a valuable market intelligence resource for any supplier considering the defence sector. Award notices reveal current supplier relationships, typical contract values, duration patterns, and the types of goods and services MOD procures through different routes. Mapping the incumbent supply chain on MODCO helps new entrants identify sub-contracting opportunities and partnership targets, since many large defence contracts are won by primes who need specialist subcontractors.

Prior information notices give forward pipeline visibility. Monitoring PINs means suppliers can begin capability assessment, form consortia, and engage in early market dialogue months before a formal contract notice is published.

Example

A professional services firm with public sector experience is considering expanding into defence. Searching MODCO for management consulting and programme management contracts over the past 24 months, the firm identifies the three largest prime contractors winning similar work, the typical contract values (250,000 to 5 million GBP), and two upcoming PIns suggesting major programme management requirements over the next year. The firm uses this intelligence to approach one of the primes about sub-contracting opportunities on the anticipated competitions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is registration required to use MOD Contracts Online?

No. MOD Contracts Online is a publicly accessible website. Registration is not required to browse award notices or prior information notices. Registration and vetting are required only when participating in a live tender through DSEP.

Does MODCO publish all MOD contracts?

No. Contracts that are classified or sensitive for national security reasons may not be published. MODCO covers the non-classified portion of MOD procurement. Some contracts may be partially redacted (for example, the precise technical specification) even when the award notice itself is published.

How current is the data on MODCO?

Award notices are published shortly after contract signature, but there can be a lag of several weeks to months between contract award and publication. For the most timely view of above-threshold MOD awards, Find a Tender Service (FTS) and Contracts Finder should be monitored in parallel with MODCO.