Strategic partners Jacobs and PA Consulting have been handed a four-year contract extension from the UK government to lead the National Security Science and Research programme. PA Consulting has already been involved with the project for the four previous years.
The National Security Science and Research (NSSR) programme is a Department for Transport (DfT) division acting as the primary source of technical expertise for transport security in to the UK government. Spanning all transport modes, including aviation, maritime, and rail, it delivers research, analysis, and innovation to enhance the security and resilience of UK transport systems, with a recent focus on areas like AI, cybersecurity, and canine detection. This helps to provide an evidence-based foundation for transport security policy, and set standards for the sector.
Launched in 2022, it first selected PA Consulting to oversee the project, with a maximum £12 million value for the initial contract. Now, the DfT has confirmed a four-year contract extension for the firm – and its owner Jacobs – to continue leading the programme.
Headed up by Jacobs and PA Consulting, the consortium involved in the programme also experts from includes QinetiQ, TNO, Iconal Technology, Cambridge University Technical Services, and Prometheus Policing Services. Over the next four years, the team will deliver science-led solutions designed to help the Department for Transport anticipate risks, respond to emerging threats and safeguard critical transport infrastructure.
Jacobs Executive Vice President Richard Sanderson remarked, “This programme applies science, technology and agile delivery discipline to real-world transport security challenges. Continuing this work supports the DfT’s goal of maintaining a secure, resilient and adaptable transport network over the long term.”
Jacobs employs more than 5,000 people across the UK, operating from 15 core offices and over 35 additional sites, regularly working with the national government, local authorities and the private sector. Supporting a coordinated approach across modes and agencies, Jacobs contributes capabilities in transport infrastructure, systems integration and resilience planning, while PA brings deep innovation and scientific expertise in quantum, cyber, aviation security and program management.
Steve Carden, a PA Consulting transport innovation expert, added, “This strategically important work sits at the intersection of innovation, security and public impact. The renewed contract shows how collaboration can address complex national security challenges and scale impact across critical areas like cyber, standards and characterization, and behavioural science. Together we are working to strengthen national security while building a more resilient transport network and keeping the UK’s transport systems moving safely, every day.”
Jacobs currently holds a majority stake in PA Consulting. The two companies have reached an agreement for Jacobs to acquire the remaining stake in PA Consulting. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Jacobs’ fiscal 2026 second quarter, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions – until which, the two firms will continue to operate as separate businesses, each responsible for serving clients independently.
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