Award

Procurement of LW30-UK5

  • Defence Equipment and Support

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-067540

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05d1c1

Published 22 October 2025, 2:53pm



Scope

Description

The procurement of LW30 ammunition.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £50,000,000 excluding VAT
  • £60,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

1 July 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 2 July 2026 to 2 July 2034
  • 8 years, 1 day

Main procurement category

Goods

Options

The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Option years shall be included.

CPV classifications

  • 35330000 - Ammunition

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Special regime

Defence and security

Direct award justification

Single supplier - technical reasons

The Defence General Munitions (DGM) Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), has a requirement for LW30 ammunition and intends to award up to an 8 Year contract to Northrop Grumman (NG) via the direct award procedure in accordance with the procurement Act 2023 (PA23). The estimated total value of the proposed award is £50m ex-VAT (£60m inclusive of VAT).

It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a Tender notice in the UK e-notification service is lawful in accordance with Paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the PA23 for technical reasons.

This is on the basis that NG have the rights to manufacture LW30 ammunition on licence from the US Department of Defence. NG are approved by the US DOD to manufacture LW30 ammunition for use in the Apache M230 Cannon. Only Rounds manufactured in accordance with the US DOD Design Authority can be used on the Apache Platform. UK MOD must utilise US DOD Endorsed companies when procuring UK Ammunition stores to ensure compatibility with the Apache platform. Compatibility with current in-service weapon systems is paramount and NG have the technical knowledge, expertise and legal rights to manufacture these Rounds.


Supplier

Northrop Grumman International inc.

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZTJ-2919-VRZL

4700 Nathan Ln

Plymouth, MN

55442

United States

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

Defence Equipment and Support

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVRL-5831-GLMM

MOD Abbey Wood

Bristol

BS34 8JH

United Kingdom

Region: UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Organisation type: Public authority - central government