Responsible Procurement at STS Defence

Following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 on 24 February 2025, the Procurement Team at STS Defence ensure that our process is managed and executed at all times. The Procurement Act 2023 will improve and streamline procurement processes, and benefit prospective SME suppliers to STS Defence of the South East region.

Our Design and Manufacturing techniques are helping to deliver innovative solutions and programmes, designing and assembling equipment and systems and integrating and supporting capability through-life. The STS Defence Procurement team are highly skilled at recognising obsolescence End of Life (EoL) components, products and services which help mitigate the risk of re-design, providing military capability, protecting national security, and people. The buyers are engaged during the design stage which allows for valuable input into any potential risks, drives cost efficiency and also ensures the project success. This involves building relationships with key suppliers, implementing framework agreements which therefore creates trust with all suppliers.

The diversity of Procurement at STS Defence incorporates all 13 steps of the Procurement Cycle, with the emphasis over the last few years on Sustainability, Continuous Improvement, Innovation and Mitigation. Within the Procurement Cycle, the STS Defence Procurement team is expected and empowered to conduct due-diligence on potential suppliers, analyse market trends, supplier source selection and Contract award. We ensure all procurement activities across the business comply with our policies as well as our vision for the future.

We actively engage with manufacturing and business exhibitions such as the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics show, and the Business Expo, where we have the opportunity to network with new businesses from across Hampshire who showcase their services. We believe this promotes the diversity of our suppliers, increases open and regular communication to expand our opportunities with these businesses, and delivers the latest technology for our products.

We strive to support diverse suppliers to win business by co-designing and working collaboratively together.

Before awarding any contracts, we conduct a comprehensive, risk-based due diligence process to thoroughly assess and understand the supplier’s business operations, financial stability, and overall risk profile. This ensures we are making informed decisions and entering into partnerships with suppliers who align with our values and standards.

At the contracting stage, we make it clear that our suppliers are required to adhere to our Code of Conduct. This document outlines our expectations in key areas such as business ethics, product safety and quality, anti-corruption practices, and fair competition. By integrating these principles into our agreements, we ensure that the suppliers are committed to upholding the same high standards we set for ourselves, fostering a culture of integrity and accountability throughout the supply chain. Once a supplier has been approved and a contract has been executed we continue to actively manage and monitor that supplier. This includes managing any significant changes in our relationship with the supplier.

We conduct procurement risk assessments on a regular basis, and work with our suppliers to address any identified key risks to their businesses and supply to our programmes which would include risk associated with the supply of critical materials.

We are committed to act in accordance with the ethical, social and environmental standards and to treat others with dignity and respect. We expect our suppliers, manufacturers, service providers and all our other partners to act in the same manner. The relationship between us and our business partners is an important component to building sustainable business success which we are very proud of.