PRACTICAL, IMPARTIAL
RESPONSES TO
COMPLEX DEFENCE
PROBLEMS
is a part of the MOD
INTRODUCTION
Niteworks is a partnership between
the MOD, Dstl and industry, with an
established commercial model that
enables quick access to industrial
expertise for military capability decision
support. It operates predominantly in
the pre-competition stages of capability
acquisition, described variously as
the concept, precursor, exploratory or
assessment phases. It also provides
support in the later stages of acquisition,
bringing together the MOD sponsor,
user and industry to introduce innovative
approaches and best practice to support
defence capability.
About us
Why should I use Niteworks?
Established by the MOD in 2003, the
Niteworks partnership consists of the
major UK defence companies, a diverse
associate community of small and
medium sized enterprises and a range of
specialists together with the MOD and
Dstl. By bringing together the best of the
UK’s defence capability, Niteworks can
help to:
Making decisions made on the basis of
partial or inadequate information can
lead to expensive, late-stage fixes. The
issue was highlighted by Lord Levene’s
Defence Reform Report which is now
being implemented across the MOD.
{ Demonstrate the likely outcomes
of different options in Capability
Planning to inform decisions
{ Refine and simplify requirements in
Capability Acquisition and Delivery
to enable innovation and reduce
cost
{ Inform decision-making for current
and future operations, ensuring
coherency across the Defence
Lines of Development (DLoDs)
MOD staff are encouraged to consider
using Niteworks for military capability
decision support, where complex
problems exist which would benefit from
wide-ranging, collaborative and impartial
investigation. Niteworks is particularly
relevant when there is a need for a
combined MOD/industry perspective
to solve a problem, when a pan MOD/
industry consensus is required or when
a diversity of expertise is needed to
solve a problem.
Niteworks has developed a robust
model for MOD and industry to work
together for the common good, in an
atmosphere where company origins and
individual competitive advantage are not
a driving force.
In 2013 Niteworks worked on more than
90 projects for the MOD, with over 500
people from across the partnership.
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What can Niteworks do for me?
{ Solution / architecture development
How do I use Niteworks?
Points of contact
We are able to undertake tasks on behalf
of any part of the MOD with an approved
business case and have recently
provided support to Army HQ, HQ Air
Command, Navy HQ, JFC, MOD Centre,
DE&S and Dstl.
{ Programme formulation and
support
If you’re interested in finding out more
then please get in touch with us. Our
team includes MOD civil servants,
uniformed officers and Dstl staff working
alongside industry who would be happy
to explain how we can support you.
MOD (DE&S) Niteworks team
Tel: 01252 385239
DESTECH-TDNiteworks-AsstHd@mod.uk
Niteworks output is tailored to meet
your needs, ranging from support to a
major acquisition case or gate decision
to meeting immediate operational
integration and support needs. The
approach is individually tailored to
ensure that Project Sponsors and the
wider MOD can utilise the output quickly
and easily. Please be aware that as
Project Sponsor, you are required to
fund the direct cost of project delivery.
Niteworks seeks to ensure coherence
with related MOD programmes and
stakeholders, and specifically addresses
the Defence Lines of Development
implications. MOD formats and language
is used and architecture work is MODAF
compliant.
Niteworks can help you to make better
decisions through:
{ Problem formulation / requirements
definition
{ Context setting for policy formulation
{ Option definition, assessment and
trade-offs
{ Cross-DLOD integration and, if
necessary, trade-offs
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{ Best practice process development
and guidance
{ Review, analysis and audit
{ Stakeholder forum facilitation and
management
{ Structured workshops
{ Simulation and modelling
{ Capability Concept Demonstrators
{ Practical demonstrations and
visualisations
{ ‘Man-in-the-loop’ warfighting
experimentation
{ Addressing systems integration and
interoperability issues
{ Transformation and business
change support
Some of our recent areas of activity
include:
{ Tactical C4ISR
If you wish to take things forward then
Niteworks will work with you to scope
the problem and define the boundaries
of the potential project. The startup process will normally include the
following activities:
Military Advisor team
Tel: 01252 385422
DESTECH-TDNiteworks-SO1A@mod.uk
For general enquiries
call us on 01252 383934
or email enquiries@niteworks.net
{ Developing a description of the
problem, desired outputs and
timescales;
{ Supporting you to develop a
Business Case to secure funding
for the work;
{ Engaging key stakeholders
to develop the Project
Approach/Concept
of Analysis
{ Transformational support to the
Commands
{Cyber
{ Open Source Intelligence
{ Logistics and Sustainability
{ Air C2 / ISTAR
{ Test, Simulation and Training
{ Information Systems and Services
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PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS
The Niteworks partnership embraces more than 100 companies as well as the MOD
and continues to grow.
Industry - how to get involved
We welcome enquiries from companies
and academic organisations who
are interested in becoming members
of Niteworks. Applicants must
demonstrate that they have capabilities
or Intellectual Property which could be
applied to Defence problems as well as
compliance against other membership
criteria. There is no fee for joining the
partnership.
Once an organisation has been
confirmed as a Niteworks member,
it receives all of our partnership
communications including resource
requests, invitations to our industry
workshops and activity (‘pipeline’)
updates. In this way, members are able
to identify the Niteworks activities most
suited to their business capabilities
and recognise opportunities for
their participation in projects. This
contribution may not only be in the
form of expertise but also through the
provision of systems, equipment or
other forms of intellectual property.
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Niteworks
membership provides
benefits to industry
through access to
Intellectual Property (IP)
generated within Niteworks in
order to inform internal investment
and bid decisions, as well as
providing a potential source of
revenue to companies through the
placement of individuals in projects.
If you are interested in joining the
Niteworks partnership please email our
commercial team on membership@
niteworks.net including a brief overview
of your company’s capabilities. Please
note that demand for Niteworks
membership is high and the joining
process can take several months to
complete.
x
For the last 10 years Niteworks has successfully demonstrated the benefits of
bringing together the MOD and industry early on in the decision-making process.
It provides an impartial environment where decisions on military capability can be
informed by the latest subject-matter expertise from across industry and academia.
AVM Julian Young
Director Technical, DE&S
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For further information contact:
Niteworks
York House
PO Box 87
Farnborough Aerospace Centre
Farnborough
Hampshire GU14 6YU
United Kingdom
T +44 (0) 1252 383934
F +44 (0) 1252 383907
E enquiries@niteworks.net
Wwww.niteworks.net
Defence Intranet:
searchword ‘Niteworks’
Niteworks is a registered trademark of the Secretary of State for Defence
Published June 2014
© Crown Copyright 2014
NW/CR/0495/196