SIT NMS - NPL Programme Excellence

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      {
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        "dueDate": "2025-09-03T23:59:59+01:00",
        "description": "Preliminary Market Engagement for National Measurement System Programmes 2026-2030 \nBackground Information:\nThe National Measurement System (NMS) is the UK’s infrastructure of laboratories and capabilities that deliver world-class measurement science and provide accurate, precise, and traceable measurements that underpin research, innovation, and trade.\nThe NMS enables the UK to compete in global trade and manufacturing by ensuring consistency and recognition of measurement units and standards throughout the world. Internationally-leading knowledge and expertise is passed on to UK stakeholders by a coordinated programme of knowledge transfer.\nThe Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) supports the NMS because of the substantial impact it has on every aspect of UK life and its economic success. DSIT does so by funding science programmes delivered by the UK’s National Metrology Institute, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and other nationally designated metrology institutes.\nThe science programmes are focused across a range of sectors and technology areas, including:\n•\tAdvanced manufacturing, including power electronics, metamaterials, semiconductors, and mass, dimensional, and temperature measurements. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tProviding and maintaining the UK’s national primary standards for temperature, humidity, mass, force, and length.\no\tEstablishing metrology capabilities to test and evaluate new semiconductor materials.\n•\tDigital, including communications and time and electromagnetic measurements. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tResearch to maintain the UK’s world-class optical frequency metrology and influence the international redefinition of the SI second.\no\tMaintaining and delivering SI-traceable realisations of electrical, magnetic, and optical units.\no\tDeveloping data science capabilities and tools to improve end-users’ confidence in their use of metrology data and AI systems.\n•\tLife sciences and health, including radiation dosimetry, bioimaging, and engineering biology. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tMaintaining and developing the UK’s primary standards for ionising radiation, and providing validation and measurement confidence for radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and associated imaging provided by the NHS and other healthcare providers.\no\tResearch and development to establish measurement capabilities, SI-traceable phantom materials, uncertainty assessments, and guidance for quantitative imaging in PET, SPECT, MRI and ultrasound.\n•\tEnergy and environment, including gas composition and fluxes, and metrology for clean technology. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tMaintaining and developing the UK’s primary standards for gas composition and aerosol measurements.\no\tDeveloping measurement procedures and reference materials for the measurement of environmental DNA (eDNA).\n•\tQuantum, including quantum sensing, computing, and timing and navigation. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tDeveloping test and evaluation capabilities for security assurance of commercially available quantum communications products such as Quantum Key Distribution systems and Quantum Random Number Generator devices.\no\tProviding metrology, testing, and benchmarking for UK industry in the development of the next generation of quantum sensors for magnetometry and imaging, including their applications in health care and critical infrastructure.\n•\tChemical and biological metrology, including purity measurements, organic analysis, and isotope ratios. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tMaintaining and delivering accredited, SI-traceable calibration and reference materials for purity determination. \no\tDeveloping and validating measurement methods to quantify particle additives in regulated consumer products and accidental food and environmental pollutants.\n•\tFlow measurement, including gas flow and metrology for alternative fuels. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tProviding and maintaining the UK’s primary standards for the flow of oil, water, gas, CO2, and Hydrogen.\no\tResearch to investigate and develop new primary standards for high-pressure, high-flow-rate gas flows.\n•\tGears metrology. \nCurrent projects include:\no\tProviding and maintaining the UK’s primary standards for the measurement and characterisation of gears.\nThese programmes are currently provided via contracted services for DSIT by:\n•\tThe National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Metrology Institute;\n•\tThe National Measurement Laboratory at LGC (formerly the Laboratory of the Government Chemist), the UK’s designated institute for chemical and biological measurement;\n•\tTÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory, the UK’s designated institute for flow measurement;\n•\tThe National Gear Metrology Laboratory, the UK’s designated institute for gear measurement.\nThe purpose of this questionnaire is to better understand the market for fundamental metrology capabilities in the UK ahead of the current contracts expiring on 1st April 2026, and assess whether any of the DSIT NMS programmes could be delivered, in whole or in part, by alternative providers. \nService Description:\nThe aims of these programmes are to:\n1)\tEnsure that industry, researchers, regulators, and other users in the UK can reliably, accurately, and precisely measure, test, calibrate, and validate their products, services, and processes, as necessary to support, for example, trade, scientific research, the development of innovative technologies, environmental monitoring and protection, and public health.\n2)\tDirectly support innovation by helping businesses to overcome measurement and analytical problems, and bringing more businesses, researchers, and other stakeholders to the technological frontier through consultancy and training services.\nThe services involved in delivering these programmes may include, across all sector and technology areas set out above:\n•\tDeveloping and maintaining, to the highest accuracy, precision, and traceability, the UK’s fundamental measurement standards in a given area. The accuracy and uncertainty of these standards must be evidenced through, for example, the highest standards of accreditation. This will involve applied research and the development, validation and documentation of measurement protocols, instrumentation, reference materials, and reference data, and will involve collaboration with partners as appropriate.\n•\tCollaborating with standards bodies, regulators, and other stakeholders to develop and advise on technical standards, regulatory frameworks, and testing and calibration methodologies to support technological development.\n•\tHorizon-scanning and engagement with stakeholders (including industry, researchers, and the government) to identify, and develop the capabilities required to meet, new measurement needs.\n•\tCollaborating with national metrology institutes and designated institutes in other countries on joint research and development projects. \n•\tKnowledge transfer and support for industry, researchers, and other stakeholders through collaboration with businesses, publication of research, training, and consultancy services. This work will leverage the expertise developed through the development and maintenance of the fundamental measurement standards.\nQuestions:\nYour Organisation\n1.\tWhat is your organisation’s name?\n2.\tWhat is your name and role at the organisation?\n3.\tPlease provide a brief description of your organisation, including information on:\na.\tThe services you provide and the sectors and technologies you cover.\nb.\tThe approximate size and revenue of your business (or the parts thereof that deliver measurement services or R&D).\nc.\tWhere your services are carried out.\nMeasurement Capabilities\n4.\tWhat fundamental measurement capabilities and services does your organisation provide? Please describe:\na.\tThe measurement, testing, calibration, or validation activities your organisation carries out, and the sectors and technologies in which these are offered.\nb.\tThe level of uncertainty your organisation achieves in those activities.\nc.\tAny accreditations your organisation holds, or is in the process of securing, in relation to the preceding.\nd.\tThe traceability of your activities.\ne.\tWhether your measurements are, or could function as, a UK primary standard. Please explain and justify any claim.\n5.\tWhat experience does your organisation have in providing measurement services to customers? \n6.\tWhat experience does your organisation have in undertaking applied research in fundamental metrology?\nCollaboration\n7.\tWhat experience does your organisation have in working with other organisations to develop or advise on technical standards, regulatory frameworks, and measurement protocols?\n8.\tWhat other experience does your organisation have working with government, industry, academia, international partners, and other stakeholders in relation to metrology?\nKnowledge Transfer\n9.\tWhat experience does your organisation have in disseminating the knowledge and expertise developed through the measurement capabilities and services your organisation provides? Please describe any activities you undertake (e.g., training, publications, consultancy services, and collaborative projects with business) and your audiences.\nQuality Assurance\n10.\tWhat quality assurance plans do you have in place to ensure the reliability and accuracy of your measurements?\nProgramme Delivery\n11.\tWhat parts, if any, of the NMS programmes could your organisation deliver? In which fields, technologies, or sectors could your organisation deliver them? Justify this by reference to your previous answers.\nIf you have any further questions, or would like to provide a response to the above, please email barney.rankin2@dsit.gov.uk to request a “DSIT National Measurement System Preliminary Market Engagement Supplier Questionnaire FOR RESPONSES” excel sheet.\nWe then politely request that all responses are returned to barney.rankin2@dsit.gov.uk by 17:00, Wednesday 03rd September, 2025."
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