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OpenFind a Tender · UK4

Laser Induced Desorption System for Measuring First Wall Retention in STEP

Buyer: UK Fusion Energy Ltd →

View official notice ↗Official source

BuyerUK Fusion Energy Ltd
StatusOpen
Deadline7 Sept 2026
Value£75,000
Published20 Aug 2026

What is being bought

UK Fusion Energy Ltd (UKFE) is seeking to appoint a supplier to undertake the concept design of a system capable of in-situ quantification of tritium retention within plasma-facing (first wall) materials for the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme. STEP is the UK's flagship fusion energy programme, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and aims to design and construct the UK's first prototype fusion power plant capable of demonstrating net energy production, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance. UKFE, a wholly owned subsidiary of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is responsible for delivering the programme. A key challenge for future fusion power plants is the management of tritium, which serves as a fuel for the deuterium-tritium fusion reaction. Tritium is both radioactive and scarce, making accurate measurement of its retention within plasma-facing components essential to demonstrating fuel self-sufficiency, supporting tritium accountancy, and monitoring the condition of first wall materials throughout plant operation. The successful supplier will develop a concept design for a measurement system capable of operating within the demanding environment of a fusion power plant, taking into account constraints such as neutron radiation, strong magnetic fields, thermal loading, limited installation space, and exposure to radioactive materials. This procurement represents the initial concept design phase of a wider programme of work. Subject to future funding and programme approvals, the outputs of this contract are expected to inform subsequent detailed design activities, technology maturation, de-risking and testing, and ultimately the development of an integrated tritium measurement system for deployment within the STEP tokamak.

Delivery location

UK, GB

Categories

Engineering services 71300000Engineering design services 71320000Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services 71600000Research and experimental development services 73100000Research laboratory services 73111000Experimental development services 73120000

Lot details

Lot 1

No lot description published.

Statusactive
Value£75,000
Contract periodFrom 8 Oct 2026 to 31 Mar 2027
SME suitabilitySuitable for SMEs

Award criteria
Commercial (20%)
Technical (60%)
Social Value (20%)

What is included

ItemCategoryQuantity
1Engineering services, Engineering design services, Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services, Research and experimental development services, Research laboratory services, Experimental development servicesNot published

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 71. The category anchor is Engineering services (71300000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison setProceduresReported bids per procedureNamed award suppliersPrice evidence
Market: CPV division 7110,1165 median · 30 average (4,041 of 10,116 with a bid count)4.1 average (4,444 of 10,116 with named award suppliers)Not published
Same buyer43Not publishedNot publishedNot published
Delivery region: UK2,3775 median · 59.1 average (893 of 2,377 with a bid count)6.6 average (1,005 of 2,377 with named award suppliers)Not published
Similar published value (0.5×–2×)4394 median · 4 average (2 of 439 with a bid count)1 average (2 of 439 with named award suppliers)Not published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleNot published
Rationale classificationsNot published
Special regimeNot published
Covered byNot published
Submission policyallowed
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetNot published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents0
Planning milestones0

No planning milestones published.

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Documents & submission route

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-06d4a1
Latest release ID079466-2026
Latest release timestampThu Aug 20 2026 12:52:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLhttps://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079466-2026
Tender statusactive
Procurement methodopen
Procurement method detailsBelow threshold - open competition
Main procurement categoryservices
Above thresholdNo
Legal basis2023/54
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: end2026-09-07T12:00:00+01:00
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadline2026-08-31T12:00:00+01:00
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsTo respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://ukifs.delta-esorcing.com/respond/GHYYZHV8Q5
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender value£75,000
Tender lots in source1
Tender items in source1
Tender documents in source1
Awards in latest release0
Contracts in latest release0
Parties in latest release1

Notice history

DateEventReference
20 Aug 2026tenderUpdate079466-2026
27 Jul 2026tender070950-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
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Complete JSON history (2 releases)
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