TDPs are the understated lynchpin of Defence OME supply. Often referenced simply as ‘supply of a TDP” the exacting requirements including prescriptive testing, document content and format are complex, and your obligations are hidden in references within references spanning numerous DEFCONs, Defence Standards and international agreements. We can help remove the confusion.
In many cases, it is about more than just the technical detail. When supplying to Defence you are handing your product over to a self-contained organisation that must be capable of providing any inspection, safety and suitability assessment, maintenance, repair, breakdown and disposal by their own specialist personnel without the luxury of your extensive product knowledge as the OEM/supplier.
They must be able to internally certify the safety of the products for military handling, use and transport activities during kinetic military operations, many of which may well be prohibited under civil legislation. Almost certainly they require to certify the operational life of your product long after any warranty you are willing to provide.
The MOD has more than 3,000 unique OME items in its inventory covering everything from small arms ammunition right through to aircraft missiles and submarine torpedoes. In order for it to achieve this level of autonomy over internal assurances, not only does Defence require a significant amount of technical detail to the subcomponent level, but it must be presented in a standardised format, that every Defence stakeholder can recognise and assimilate and interpret quickly and easily. In order to provide assurance that these documents meet the required standards, they must be 'sealed' with a registered MOD document number long before supplies can be taken into Defence establishments. Even if your existing technical data is thorough, failure to present it in the correct format could put you in breach of contract.
However, as frustrating and exacting as TDPs for Defence may seem, consider the operators, technical specialists and scientific advisors who are reading, extrapolating and applying your data, and the data of every other product they handle during real-time security or peacekeeping operations. If your product has a place in the hands of our Armed Forces, don't let it, or them down with a substandard TDP.
Hephaestus OME has significant expertise in the compilation and presentation of TDPs to Defence Standards, and maybe more importantly we understand why. Let us bring our knowledge and enthusiasm for quality TDPs to your organisation.
Existing Suppliers
Many Defence OME procurements during the high tempo activities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and more recently in supprot of the Ukraine were conducted in 'short time' foregoing many of the finer requirements of Defence Standards.
Did you win a contract under these conditions? Are you hoping to renew, or are you about to recompete? Do you know all of the DEFCONs, regulations, and standards that apply to your TDPs? Are you compliant?
It may be the case that this hasn't even been raised by the Procurement Team. However, it is likely that this will not be the case on your next contract. Don't be caught out.
Hephaestus OME can conduct a cost-effective, impartial review of your current TDP against DEFCONs, DefStans and international agreements. We can help cut through the complexity, quickly mapping the technical data requirements of the contract and saving you considerable man-hours in research and production.
Alternatively, we provide full authoring of the full range of OME technical documents and reports which constitute the TDP
Defence Standards & International Agreements
UK Defence Standardisation (DStan) manages more than 1,00o current Defence Standards and international agreements. Many of these relate to OME and describe both mandatory and guideline requirements for substances, articles and components for Defence OME including practices, procedures and processes which influence or affect not only the product but the associated technical data requirements.
UK Defence Standards are available free of charge through DStan's Standardization Management Information System (StanMIS). Don't be fooled into paying a 3rd party simply for access to Standards.
Hephaestus OME staff have been previous members of the International Standardization Working Group and continue to advocate the improvement of the MOD’s approach to Standardization Management both internally and throughout industry.
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