Official UK procurement notice
Development of enhanced glass blown rubidium cells for UK tactical atomic clocks
Authority: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (Central government)
Sectors: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Awarded value£49,500published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to HCD Research
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionProject to provide UK sovereign capability in both manufacturing the glass blown shapes for vapour cells and rubidium standards for use in atomic clocks.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 17 Mar 2026, 09:53 GMT
- Last source update
- 17 Mar 2026, 09:53 GMT
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-023846- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
There is a lack of glass blowing expertise in the UK to manufacture the glass shapes for vapour cells. HCD Research designs and manufactures various rubidium frequency products. The project’s aim with is to provide UK sovereign capability in both manufacturing the glass blown shapes for vapour cells and rubidium standards for use in atomic clocks. HCD Research Ltd will develop the new technology and capability in the UK, to UK standards.
Notice history
2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 17 Mar 2026- Transparency notice published17 Mar 2026, 09:53 GMTUK5
- Contract signature expected18 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastAwards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £49,5001 award exc. VAT
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCD ResearchSME19 Mar 2026 – 31 Mar 2026 | £49,500 | — | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- HCD ResearchAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender