Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 19 Sept 2023, 08:36 BST

Official UK procurement notice

SBRI Cycle 2 Phase 2 Further Competition

Official notice

Authority: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

2 lotsServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Awarded value£11,662,91010 contracts · exc. VAT
Awarded 18 Aug 2023no call for competition
Awarded to Duality Quantum Photonics +8 more10 awards

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

This 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 lot
Lot #1Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systemsAwarded

A Phase 2 Pre-Commercial Procurement under SBRI.

  1. 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.

Delivery: South East
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.

Delivery: South East

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)
Research services
Delivery area
South East (UKJ1)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0401c9 Find 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.

www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk… ↗

Review and risk notes
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
Awards 10
Awarded value £11,662,91010 contracts exc. VAT
Bids received 34
Contracts signed 10latest 18 Aug 2023
Awarded toValueDateStatus
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

LotBidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1 · Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems17bids———
2 · Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture17bids———

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Contracting authorityBody governed by public lawFusion Research N/A Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, South East, OX14 3DBContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • UK Atomic Energy AuthorityMediation bodyReview bodyReview contact point Abingdon

Bidders & participating suppliers

10 commercial parties on the notice
  • 3-SciAwarded supplier Innovation Centre, 4 Meteor way, Lee-on-the-Solent, South West, PO13 9FU
  • Alloyed LimitedAwarded supplier Unit 15 Oxford Pioneer Park, Mead Road, Yarnton, Oxfordshire, South East, OX5 1QU
  • CAL GAVIN LIMITEDAwarded supplier Minerva Mill Innovation Centre, Station Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, West Midlands, B49 5ET
  • Duality Quantum PhotonicsAwarded supplier Bourse, St Brandon's House, 29 Great George Street, Bristol, South West, BS1 5QT
  • Full Matrix LtdAwarded supplier 27 Harcombe Road, Cambridge, East of England, CB1 9PD
  • JacobsAwarded supplier Cottons Centre, Cottons Lane, London, London, SE1 2QG
  • Oxford SigmaAwarded supplier Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Didcot, South East, OX11 0QG
  • TWI LIMITEDAwarded supplier03859442 Bevan Braithwaite Building Granta Park, Great Abington, East of England, CB21 6AL
  • TWI LimitedAwarded supplier Granta park, Great Abington, Cambridgeshire, East of England, CB21 6AL
  • The University of BirminghamAwarded supplier Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TT

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.