On 21 July 2026 the UK defence ministry published its small and medium-sized enterprise action plan. The plan sets spending targets for SMEs and commits to cutting repeated bidding inputs and disproportionate contract terms.
The direct SME spend target is 1.48 billion pounds for 2026/27, rising to 2 billion pounds in 2027/28. The indirect SME spend target is 4.5 billion pounds for 2026/27, rising to 5.5 billion pounds in 2027/28. The plan also sets a headline aim of a 50 per cent rise in total SME spend, to 7.5 billion pounds, by summer 2028.
The page says about 75 per cent of SME spend flows through the supply chains of larger suppliers, rather than through direct contract awards. The plan therefore relies on those suppliers. It includes a Strategic Partners and Suppliers pledge, a relaunch of the SME Champions network, account reviews of how major suppliers perform on SME spend, and commitments on portal inputs and contract terms.
The money is meant to move, and the people controlling where it goes will be asked how much reaches smaller firms. Buyers who want to show SME growth will prefer suppliers that are easy to onboard and easy to check.
A buyer reviewing a larger supplier will ask for evidence from that supplier's own chain. A small firm that can show inspection results tied to a named person, with each change recorded and dated, is quicker to approve. A folder of paper sheets, or a spreadsheet anyone can overwrite, does not pass that check. Records a buyer can check without a visit to the shop are the ones that get a supplier onto the list.
For a small manufacturer, the practical step is to have inspection records ready to show before a tender asks for them. See how Verified keeps inspection records.