Following the sell-off of the Defence Support Group to Babcock, the Defence Electronics and Components Agency was retained as an in-house MOD agency. MOD DCB features writer Paul Elliott met Jason Leeks, Head of Strategy, Governance and Secretariat at DECA, to find out all about the agency and its plans for the future.

Much intrigue was prompted at London ExCeL in September by the appearance of an unfamiliar name at DSEI 2015 alongside the Ministry of Defence badge. The stand belonged to the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA), an agency retained by the MOD following the sale of the Defence Support Group (DSG) to Babcock, and was opened by Minister of State for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne MP. Attendance at DSEI was DECA’s first opportunity to clearly communicate to the defence community why the agency had been retained by MOD, its critical role in supporting defence and its plans for the future.

DECA’s journey as an Executive Agency of the MOD began in 2000 as the Electronics and Components Business Unit (ECBU) of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency, subsequently merging with ABRO in 2008 to form part of DSG prior to its sale. Since 2000, DECA and its predecessors have developed an impressive pedigree in the delivery of assured electronics, components and engineering capabilities.

DECA was retained as a ‘trading’ Executive Agency of the MOD on 1 April 2015. This marked a significant milestone for the MOD in terms of ensuring retention and in-house access to electronics, components and general engineering capabilities. Right now DECA is working with DE&S and MOD Centre to look at how the Department can generate simpler and more effective commercial arrangements, clarify DECA’s in-house procurement status and help ensure DECA capability is considered appropriately in future support solutions.

Alongside the work it does with the MOD, DECA also raises revenue through the sale of services through to industry, often as the preferred sub-contractor to Industry Primes and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). According to Jason Leeks, Head of Strategy, Governance and Secretariat at DECA, the key feature of retained Executive Agency status is that it provides DECA the opportunity to continue undertaking work and charge both public and private sector customers for the services it delivers.

Jason explained: “Unlike the previous DSG Trading Fund, retention as a standard Executive Agency would mean DECA’s services for its industry customers would cease as contracts came to an end. However, due to the Department’s strategic need to preserve DECA capability for operational outputs, and provide maximum flexibility over potential future ownership models, ‘principles of operation’ in line with Government policy were agreed that allowed this work to continue.

“Part of setting us up as a ‘trading’ Executive Agency was the need to maintain some of these more commercial freedoms to allow expansion to fulfil our core function while continuing as an on-vote Executive Agency.”

DECA’s ability to bid for work through industry is an important part of its business development strategy going forward and commercial work forms around a quarter of the agency’s current workload.  This work has traditionally been through MOD Primes and OEMs, supporting legacy platforms such as Tornado and Chinook by providing secure and affordable support solutions.

MOD also sees a longer-term future and larger role for DECA through growth in support of newer in-service and future platforms, with the generation of capabilities and support solutions with industry for the air domain on platforms such as Typhoon. DECA is therefore looking to continue to position itself as the ‘preferred sub-contractor’ to defence industry partners to help develop affordable MOD support solutions.

Jason explained: “DECA has quite a varied workload and portfolio. Most people would associate us with fixed and rotary wing avionic work, but part of MOD’s retention rationale was that we look to promote the full range of things we do and look to expand these where they offer value for money for defence.

“So, we’re also working with MOD and industry to further expand these capabilities into the Land, Maritime and Joint Enabler arenas where we have already seen some success in particular with work we did in supporting our forces in Camp Bastion.

“We contributed significantly to DSG’s manning of around 120 people throughout the duration of Camp Bastion operations where DECA technicians provided critical support including electronic and communication equipments from land platforms and base force protection.”

Aside from the expansion of DECA capability into other defence environments, the agency has a proven track record in mitigation and management of equipment and platform obsolescence. As part of MOD, DECA is able to make use of Crown access to Intellectual Property Rights, certain International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Government to Government arrangements to best position the agency for opportunities with industry to deliver holistic service support solutions and bespoke test packages.

DECA sounds like a very large organisation but in reality it’s not. It only has a £25 million turnover with approximately 430 staff spread across its two main sites and deployed locations across the UK. The success of the DECA retention strategy and establishment of the new agency is not lost on Mr Leeks.

He commented: “The rapid set-up of DECA as a new and innovative agency, with its own IT, governance structure, business strategy and corporate plan, has been a major achievement by DECA employees, and with the seamless transition in terms of delivery to our customers is something that was recognised by Min(DP) Philip Dunne in his recent visit and address to DECA staff.”

The MOD now expects DECA to build on these initial successes, continuing to focus on supporting the UK’s Armed Forces and develop and grow its skills through increasing partnerships and strategies with industry. Right now DECA is keen to let the entire defence industry know it’s still here – and open for business.

For more information including details of the full range of DECA’s capabilities, visit: www.gov.uk/deca