Defence Explores Functional Nutrition for Future Military Ration Systems

Defence are currently investigating a future ration system that has at its very heart inclusion of functional ingredients at levels commensurate with delivering benefits to physical and cognitive performance, mood/ wellbeing, musculoskeletal health and immunity.

This change of focus by Defence on nutrition as a capability in its own right, provides opportunities for an extensive range of COTS products, providing low, medium and high levels of the functional nutrients to be incorporated into ORP, specifically for the purpose of mitigating illness/ injury of SP, enhance military operational capability, whilst also reducing weight and bulk.

The secondary benefit is to seek opportunities to minimise and change from single use plastic packaging where appropriate, in order to minimise waste and maximise sustainability benefits.

This request for information is an exploration to determine what products are available Commercially that can be adopted to create a lighter, more compact ration system that meets the cognitive and physical demands of Service Personnel operating in the future Battlespace.

It is a component part of a wider movement within Defence exploring how improvements in Operational feeding can further contribute to fighting power. This RFI is an information gathering exercise, no further discussions with industry are planned at this stage however any future procurement activity will be advertised in line with public procurement regulations on the Defence Sourcing Portal and Contracts Finder.

Suppliers should download the RFI Document, complete the sections with your response and submit via email to Nichola.Durham100@mod.gov.uk Additional information: Link to Opportunity notice published on the Defence Sourcing Portal