The New Commercial Operating Model: A Conversation on What's Changing at MOD - 11.00 - 11.30
A fireside conversation on MOD's commercial transformation agenda — backed by £900m of procurement reform and a £400m contribution to the new Multilateral Defence Mechanism — including changes to commercial skills, category management and contracting authority.
Inside the Segmented Acquisition Model: One Year On - 11.35 - 12.00
A sponsor-led session assessing the Segmented Acquisition Model, launched in April 2026, one year into implementation, with six Commercial Pathways now covering more than 300 self-selecting procurements.
Commercial Pathways Explained: Which Route Is Right for Your Bid? - 12.05 - 12.30
A practical walkthrough of the six Commercial Pathways now covering more than 300 self-selecting procurements — including the now-public SME-specific pathway — and how suppliers can work out which route applies to their bid, drawing on the Accelerating Commercial Pathways programme and Commercial X vehicles such as the Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation and the Dynamic Marketplace (contracts up to £50m in under two years).
The Defence Investment Unit: A New Front Door for Private Capital - 12.35 - 13.00
A sponsor-led introduction to the new Defence Investment Unit, MOD's answer to mobilising private capital at the pace and scale the Defence Investment Plan demands.
Social Value in Defence Contracts: Beyond the Tick-Box Exercise - 13.05 - 13.40
A panel exploring how social value commitments — from regional jobs to skills and supply chain diversity — are being assessed and delivered in defence procurement, and how to avoid it becoming a compliance exercise, as the SME Action Plan commits to reviewing social value, offsets, consortia bids and open frameworks to ensure SME views and needs are properly heard.
Outcome-Based Contracting: Moving Beyond Inputs to Real Performance - 14.15 - 14.50
A panel discussing the shift towards outcome- and availability-based contracts in defence support — part of a wider £500m Transformation Fund push for smarter buying — and the cultural change this demands from both sides.
Bid to Win: Adapting Your Approach to Outcome-Based Contracts - 14.55 - 15.20
As outcome-based frameworks spread across defence contracting, this session sets out how suppliers need to adapt their bidding approach to compete for and win them.
Collaborative Contracting: Can Alliances and Partnering Models Really Work in Defence? - 11.00 - 11.35
A panel examining alliance and partnering contract models used elsewhere in infrastructure and construction, their applicability to defence programmes, and what the new £400m Multilateral Defence Mechanism could mean for joint buying.
Commercial Skills for the Future: Developing the Next Generation of MOD Buyers - 11.40 - 12.10
A fireside conversation on how the Defence Investment Plan's £500m Transformation Fund is being used to build commercial skills and capability — including routes into the profession through CIPS, graduate schemes and apprenticeships — so MOD can negotiate complex, high-value contracts more effectively.
Pitching to the Defence Investors' Advisory Group: Lessons from Year One - 13.25 - 13.50
A sponsor-led session on the Defence Investors' Advisory Group, MOD's new mechanism for engaging private capital, drawing on lessons from its first year of pitches and decisions.
Risk Allocation Reimagined: What New Contracting Models Mean for Suppliers - 13.55 - 14.20
A look at how new risk-allocation models are changing what a winning bid looks like, and what suppliers need to understand before taking on outcome-based risk.
Category Management in Action: Working with Dstl's Commercial Teams - 14.25 - 14.50
A practical session on category management approaches pioneered by Dstl's commercial teams, and how they are spreading across the wider MOD commercial function.
Inside the £500m Transformation Fund: What It Means for How MOD Buys - 14.55 - 15.20
A practical look at how the £500m Transformation Fund — part of a wider £900m procurement reform package — is being spent on AI and workforce productivity, and what suppliers should expect as MOD's buying behaviour changes.
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