Minister of State for Defence Readiness & Industry confirmed to deliver ministerial address at landmark supply chain event on 22 October 2026

DPRTE has announced the launch of the UK National Defence Procurement & Supply Chain Summit, taking place on 22 October 2026 at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester.

The summit – themed From Strategy to Contract: Unlocking Defence Supply Chain Growth to 2030 – brings together government, industry and suppliers to translate the UK’s record defence investment into real commercial opportunity. It is the latest event in the DPRTE series, delivered by BIP Solutions, and is designed specifically for the organisations best placed to benefit from the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) and the wider wave of procurement reform now underway.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister of State for Defence Readiness & Industry at the Ministry of Defence, has been confirmed to deliver the ministerial address. Minister Pollard holds responsibility for defence procurement reform, the Defence Industrial Strategy, UK Defence Innovation and armed forces readiness, and will set out the government’s position on how increased investment is being translated into contracts, pipeline and supply chain opportunity.

UK and European Defence: The Strategic Landscape

Among the other speakers already announced for this event, attendees will be able to hear from Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Former Chief of the Defence Staff, British Armed Forces. Admiral Radakin will be delivering his keynote on the timely subject of ‘UK and European Defence: The Strategic Landscape’.

The day’s programme is structured around five expert panel sessions covering the themes of most direct relevance to supply chain organisations:

  • From Plan to Pipeline – translating the Defence Investment Plan into a credible target-account list, including which capability areas, delivery agents and contracting cadence to expect through to 2030
  • Commercial Reform in Practice – the Single Source Contract Regulations review, the shift from Invitation to Tender to Invitation to Negotiate, the Innovation Uplift for self-funded R&D, and what the new commercial regime demands of bidders
  • Working with Mid-Tiers – how SMEs can secure subcontract positions on DIP-funded programmes through mid-tier integrators, without needing a direct MOD relationship
  • Crossing the Line – practical routes into defence for organisations in adjacent sectors including AI, cyber, advanced manufacturing, energy and logistics, featuring DASA representatives and Regional Defence and Security Cluster leads
  • The Export Opportunity – NATO, European collaboration and the Indo-Pacific, with representation from DBT Defence & Security Exports and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency

The summit is pitched at two audiences: organisations already operating in the defence supply chain who need practical intelligence on where the system is moving, and companies in adjacent sectors with capabilities that translate directly into defence.

Grahame Steed, Director of Research and Public Policy at BiP Solutions, said: “The UK defence market is entering a period of sustained increased investment, with a renewed focus on SME participation and diversified supplier engagement. This summit is about helping organisations turn that strategic context into commercial reality – understanding where the pipeline is, how procurement is changing, and how to position themselves to win.”

Registration is open now – and there is an early bird discount on tickets running until the end of June, so act today to secure your seat.