Official UK procurement notice
SBRI Cycle 2 Phase 2 Further Competition
Authority: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The aim of the competition is to develop solutions to fusion energy challenges in two key priority areas. The competition has two themes. Theme 1: Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems Theme 2: Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture
This is also a Phase 2 Competition from the successful delivery of Phase 1.
CPV: Research services
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · no lot values published · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systemsAwarded
A Phase 2 Pre-Commercial Procurement under SBRI.
- Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems.
Projects can focus on one or more of the following under this theme:
Microwave heating challenges:
high power, long pulse microwave sources with high electrical efficiency (greater than or equal to 55%)
development of special waveguide components, for example, diamond window assemblies, power monitors, expansion units, vacuum pumping access
improvements on the high voltage power supplies (50kV) for reduced voltage ripple in a compact assembly while maintaining high electrical efficiency (greater than or equal to 98%)
development of optical mirrors for evacuation of high thermal loads (approximately 5MW/m2)
high precision optical alignment assemblies for the free space to waveguide coupling
Neutral particle beam heating challenges:
negative ion beam system with high electrical efficiency (greater than 60%)
improved beam neutralisation efficiency, for example, Plasma or Laser Neutralisers
development of residual ion energy recovery.
improved negative ion source efficiency with caesium free operation
reduction in scale; improved ion optics, source uniformity and power handling to reduce size of components
development of actively cooled high heat flux components (approximately 5-10 MW/m2) with reactor relevant materials
development of fault tolerant 1-2MV fast switching power supply systems with high electrical efficiency
development of vacuum pumping systems with pumping speeds of millions of litres per second which allow continuous operation
Reactor high heat flux components:
jet impingement cooling technology transfer
sCO2 as coolant
diamond components for heat dispersion
novel discrete limiter designs, for example, vaporisation layers, speed of maintenance or increased heat flux performance Additional information: All applicants that received a total average score of 7 were invited to the second stage of the evaluation, which was an assessment centre, evaluated across four overarching topics, scored out of 5.
Lot #2Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufactureAwarded
A Phase 2 Pre-Commercial Procurement under SBRI.
. Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture
Projects can focus on one or more of the following under this theme:
fusion grade steels, for example, reduced activation Ferritic or Martensitic (RAFM) development, including, Castable Nanostructured Alloys (CNAs), and Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steels
liquid Metal testing, for example Li, PbLi and Pb
scalable or large volume manufacture of tritium breeder materials
irradiation resilient joining materials and processes, for example, Tungsten based armour materials, CuCrZr or vacuum vessel ports including fused silica, Mo, MgAl2O4, ZnS, ZnSe
novel manufacture of multi-metre complex structures and components for fusion environments testing and evaluation
scalable or large volume manufacture of neutron shielding materials
manufacture of complex geometry components in refractory metals
additive manufacture for non-water coolant components
anti-corrosion coatings or novel application methods of corrosion and tritium barrier coatings for complex geometry components
development of on-line activation measurements
in situ health monitoring of fusion reactor components
novel inspection of interfaces in complex multi-material fusion components
radiation hard improvements for fusion equipment and plant
novel energy conversion technology
high temperature superconductors
composite materials such as silicon carbide fibre, reinforced silicon carbide
novel materials for radiation hard electronic components Additional information: All applicants that received a total average score of 7 were invited to the second stage of the evaluation, which was an assessment centre, evaluated across four overarching topics, scored out of 5.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 19 Sept 2023, 08:36 BST
- Last source update
- 19 Sept 2023, 08:36 BST
- Authority reference
T/CMK053/23- FTS notice number
2023/S 000-027558- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0401c9Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
Pre-commercial Procurement. Not subject to Public Contract Regulation 2015.
- Review procedure
VI.4.2)Body responsible for mediation procedures
VI.4.3)Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.
This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the authority before a contract is entered into applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request. Additional debriefing and that information have to be provided within a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be sought from the contact named in this notice.
If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Any such action must be brought promptly.
(generally within 3 months).
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems2 awards | |||
| TWI LimitedFIP SBRI C2P2 - Coreflow | £999,428 † | — | Awarded |
| CAL GAVIN LIMITEDFIP SBRI C2P2 - Critical heat flux shifter and wall temperature reduction device | £1,040,326 † | — | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture8 awards | |||
| Duality Quantum PhotonicsSMEFIP SBRI C2P2 - TRONN | £1,426,160 † | — | Awarded |
| Alloyed LimitedFIP SBRI C2P2 - RAMP-UP | £1,498,202 † | — | Awarded |
| Full Matrix limitedSMEFIP SBRI C2P2 – Development of a prototype for remote in-service in situ health monitoring of complex fusion supply pipe | £534,939 † | — | Awarded |
| JacobsFIP SBRI C2P2 – Liquid Lithium Test Facility | £1,463,243 † | — | Awarded |
| Oxford SigmaSMEFIP SBRI C2P2 - Lithium Testing Facility by Oxford Sigma for Fusion | £1,499,705 † | — | Awarded |
| TWI LimitedFIP SBRI C2P2 - CSAM | £808,542 † | — | Awarded |
| University of BirminghamFIP SBRI C2P2 - FATHOM2Subcontracting: declared | £1,496,362 † | — | Awarded |
| 3-SciSMEFIP SBRI C2P2 - UHTEDS | £896,002 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
FIP SBRI C2P2 - TRONN · Duality Quantum PhotonicsSME
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,426,160
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - Coreflow · TWI Limited
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £999,428
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - RAMP-UP · Alloyed Limited
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,498,202
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - Critical heat flux shifter and wall temperature reduction device · CAL GAVIN LIMITED
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,040,326
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 – Development of a prototype for remote in-service in situ health monitoring of complex fusion supply pipe · Full Matrix limitedSME
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £534,939
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 – Liquid Lithium Test Facility · Jacobs
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,463,243
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - Lithium Testing Facility by Oxford Sigma for Fusion · Oxford SigmaSME
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,499,705
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - CSAM · TWI Limited
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £808,542
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - FATHOM2 · University of Birmingham
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £1,496,362
- Status
- active
FIP SBRI C2P2 - UHTEDS · 3-SciSME
- Signed
- 18 Aug 2023
- Value
- £896,002
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems | 17bids | — | — | — |
| 2 · Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture | 17bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- UK Atomic Energy AuthorityMediation bodyReview bodyReview contact point
Bidders & participating suppliers
10 commercial parties on the notice- 3-SciAwarded supplier
- Alloyed LimitedAwarded supplier
- CAL GAVIN LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- Duality Quantum PhotonicsAwarded supplier
- Full Matrix LtdAwarded supplier
- JacobsAwarded supplier
- Oxford SigmaAwarded supplier
- TWI LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- TWI LimitedAwarded supplier
- The University of BirminghamAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.