5 Aug 2026 · 074225-2026 · tenderUpdate
{
"id": "074225-2026",
"tag": [
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"date": "2026-08-05T13:54:40+01:00",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06d079",
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-PPON-PCRM-7973-DCBL",
"name": "UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd"
},
"tender": {
"id": "PP-UKIFS-447",
"lots": [
{
"id": "Lot 1",
"title": "Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure.",
"value": {
"amount": 2000000,
"currency": "GBP",
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},
"status": "active",
"renewal": {
"description": "The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each."
},
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{
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"title": "CO2, supercritical CO2 exposures & Helium – applicable to lot 2",
"value": {
"amount": 2000000,
"currency": "GBP",
"amountGross": 2400000
},
"status": "active",
"renewal": {
"description": "The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each."
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"description": "This lot is for the provision of specialist materials testing services to assess the performance and degradation of candidate fusion reactor materials under representative STEP operating environments. The work will evaluate uncoated and coated structural alloys, including austenitic stainless steels, ferritic steels and copper-based alloys, when exposed to high-temperature CO2, supercritical CO2 and helium environments, including helium in contact with lithium-rich breeder materials.\nThe supplier will undertake controlled exposure testing to quantify degradation mechanisms such as oxidation, carburisation, corrosion, creep-corrosion and crack growth, and provide mechanistic understanding of these processes together with potential mitigation strategies. Testing will primarily be performed on unirradiated materials to generate baseline performance data, although capability for irradiation-assisted testing is desirable.\nThe scope includes specimen manufacture (where required), high-temperature exposure testing in controlled gas environments, online environmental monitoring, post-test materials characterisation, microstructural and compositional analysis, measurement of corrosion and mass change, and comprehensive reporting of raw and analysed data. For helium testing, additional assessment of interactions between structural materials, protective coatings and lithium-rich breeder materials is required, including appropriate handling of air-sensitive materials.\nAll testing shall be conducted to recognised industry standards (e.g. ASTM where applicable) or agreed alternative methods where no standards exist, with all tested and untested materials returned to UKFE on completion of the contract.",
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{
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}
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],
"title": "Corrosion Testing Framework for STEP",
"value": {
"amount": 6000000,
"currency": "GBP",
"amountGross": 7200000
},
"status": "active",
"coveredBy": [
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"description": "Not published",
"documentType": "conflictOfInterest"
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{
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"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074225-2026",
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"scheme": "UKPGA"
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"description": "Different specific requirements for testing will be issued at different call-off points to the relevant lot suppliers, together with the required specifications at the time.\nThe suppliers appointed to the relevant lot of the framework will be notified of the requirements as early as possible, to enable them to prepare their response or submit quote. \nThe call-off mechanism is simplified to ensure that test facility bookings can be made within a month of requesting a quote. The call-off award will be based on Price competition between suppliers in the lot to ensure value for money while maintaining transparency. \nUKFE reserves the right to award contracts via direct award (i.e. without competition) where it considers it is necessary for consistency. For example, it is on the same project, for testing of similar material, which is tested for similar properties. \nIf the price at the time of quoting is unaffordable, UKFE reserves the right not to award the test.\nUKFE can accept quotes and issue purchase orders in a foreign currency.\nA supplier will be notified of the requirement and asked for a quote. Once the quote is accepted, the supplier will be issued with the purchase order accompanied by the order form.",
"maximumParticipants": 15,
"isOpenFrameworkScheme": true,
"openFrameworkSchemeEndDate": "2034-11-02T23:59:59+00:00"
},
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"tenderPeriod": {
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"endDate": "2026-09-01T12:00:00+01:00"
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"procurementMethod": "open",
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"submissionMethodDetails": "https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com",
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"address": {
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"country": "GB",
"locality": "Abingdon",
"postalCode": "OX14 3DB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"streetAddress": "Culham Science Centre, Abingdon"
},
"details": {
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"language": "en",
"initiationType": "tender"
}22 Jul 2026 · 068996-2026 · tender
{
"id": "068996-2026",
"tag": [
"tender"
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"date": "2026-07-22T10:09:29+01:00",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06d079",
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"name": "UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd"
},
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"id": "PP-UKIFS-447",
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{
"id": "Lot 1",
"title": "Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure.",
"value": {
"amount": 2000000,
"currency": "GBP",
"amountGross": 2400000
},
"status": "active",
"renewal": {
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},
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"sme": true
},
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"value": {
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"currency": "GBP",
"amountGross": 2400000
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"renewal": {
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{
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"title": "Liquid metals – applicable to lots 3",
"value": {
"amount": 2000000,
"currency": "GBP",
"amountGross": 2400000
},
"status": "active",
"renewal": {
"description": "The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each."
},
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"description": "This lot is for the provision of specialist testing services to evaluate the compatibility and degradation of candidate fusion reactor materials in liquid metal environments representative of STEP operating conditions. The work will assess structural materials, including austenitic steels, ferritic steels, tungsten and SiC/SiC composites, for corrosion, dissolution, selective leaching, embrittlement and other degradation mechanisms that may affect component performance and lifetime.\nThe scope includes the manufacture and characterisation of lithium-lead (LiPb) liquid metals of varying compositions, measurement of thermophysical properties, controlled impurity addition and analysis, and long-duration corrosion exposure testing under representative operating conditions. Testing will investigate the influence of liquid metal composition, impurities and operating environment on both the liquid metal and exposed materials to improve understanding of corrosion mechanisms and materials compatibility.\nServices include liquid metal manufacture and purity validation, thermophysical property assessment, static and dynamic corrosion testing, advanced post-exposure materials characterisation, analysis of corrosion products and impurity uptake, specimen manufacture where required, and comprehensive reporting of raw and analysed data. Testing will primarily be undertaken on unirradiated materials to generate baseline performance data, with capability for pre-irradiated materials and advanced exposure techniques considered advantageous.\nAll testing shall be carried out in accordance with recognised industry standards (e.g. ASTM where applicable) or agreed alternative methods where standards do not exist. The contract also includes testing of coated materials, handling of reactive liquid metals under inert conditions, and the return of all supplied materials to UKFE upon completion of the work.",
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"endDate": "2026-09-25T23:59:59+01:00",
"startDate": "2026-09-24T00:00:00+01:00",
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"items": [
{
"id": "Lot 1",
"relatedLot": "Lot 1",
"deliveryAddresses": [
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"region": "UK",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
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"additionalClassifications": [
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"scheme": "CPV",
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{
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"scheme": "CPV",
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{
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"scheme": "CPV",
"description": "Laboratory services"
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},
{
"id": "Lot 2",
"relatedLot": "Lot 2",
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UK",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"id": "71610000",
"scheme": "CPV",
"description": "Composition and purity testing and analysis services"
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{
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{
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},
{
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"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
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{
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{
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{
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{
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{
"id": "73111000",
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"title": "Corrosion Testing Framework for STEP",
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"type": "closed",
"method": "withAndWithoutReopeningCompetition",
"description": "Different specific requirements for testing will be issued at different call-off points to the relevant lot suppliers, together with the required specifications at the time.\nThe suppliers appointed to the relevant lot of the framework will be notified of the requirements as early as possible, to enable them to prepare their response or submit quote. \nThe call-off mechanism is simplified to ensure that test facility bookings can be made within a month of requesting a quote. The call-off award will be based on Price competition between suppliers in the lot to ensure value for money while maintaining transparency. \nUKFE reserves the right to award contracts via direct award (i.e. without competition) where it considers it is necessary for consistency. For example, it is on the same project, for testing of similar material, which is tested for similar properties. \nIf the price at the time of quoting is unaffordable, UKFE reserves the right not to award the test.\nUKFE can accept quotes and issue purchase orders in a foreign currency.\nA supplier will be notified of the requirement and asked for a quote. Once the quote is accepted, the supplier will be issued with the purchase order accompanied by the order form.",
"maximumParticipants": 15,
"isOpenFrameworkScheme": true,
"openFrameworkSchemeEndDate": "2034-09-25T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"hasFrameworkAgreement": true
},
"awardPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-09-10T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"description": "The purpose of this procurement is to establish a framework agreement with a number of pre-qualified, specialist corrosion testing providers to deliver corrosion testing services for the UKFE STEP programme over the next two years. The framework will enable efficient and compliant call-off contracts for testing of high-temperature coolants, carrier gases, and breeder materials against STEP coolant-facing alloys and candidate tritium breeding materials as requirements arise.\nThe framework is intended to streamline procurement and contract management, reduce the need for repeated tender exercises, improve consistency in quality and supplier performance, and enable faster delivery of future testing requirements through simplified call-off procedures.\nThe procurement also aims to establish long-term working relationships with expert testing organisations, promote innovation and market engagement, support a broad specialist supplier base (including SMEs), and ensure compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 through transparent, competitive, and value-for-money procurement.\nFramework appointments are intended only for organisations that can undertake the testing directly. The testing will generate mechanistic understanding of corrosion interactions between high-temperature coolants (including light and heavy water, supercritical CO2 and helium), carrier gases (helium), STEP coolant-facing alloys, and candidate tritium breeding materials (including lithium ceramics and liquid metals), to quantify corrosion effects, identify mitigation strategies, and support the extension of component service life.\nFor more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: \nhttps://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Abingdon:-Composition-and-purity-testing-and-analysis-services./88ZKGJCP2S\nTo respond to this opportunity, please click here: \nhttps://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/respond/88ZKGJCP2S",
"tenderPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-08-24T12:00:00+01:00"
},
"enquiryPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-08-18T12:00:00+01:00"
},
"aboveThreshold": true,
"submissionTerms": {
"languages": [
"en"
],
"electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed"
},
"participationFees": [
{
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06d079",
"type": [
"win"
],
"description": "N/A"
}
],
"procurementMethod": "open",
"mainProcurementCategory": "services",
"submissionMethodDetails": "https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Open procedure"
},
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PCRM-7973-DCBL",
"name": "UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd",
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"address": {
"region": "UKJ14",
"country": "GB",
"locality": "Abingdon",
"postalCode": "OX14 3DB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"streetAddress": "Culham Science Centre, Abingdon"
},
"details": {
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicUndertaking",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public undertaking"
}
]
},
"identifier": {
"id": "PCRM-7973-DCBL",
"scheme": "GB-PPON"
},
"contactPoint": {
"name": "Operational Procurement",
"email": "operationalprocurement.step@ukifs.uk"
}
}
],
"language": "en",
"initiationType": "tender"
}