Award

Isambard AI Data Facility (AIDF)

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

08 Jan 2026 at 10:51

Summary of the contracting process

The University of Bristol has concluded a selective tender process for the establishment of the Isambard AI Data Facility (AIDF), a national facility aimed at providing long-term data storage services for artificial intelligence datasets. With an industry classification focused on data storage services, this contract involves a call-off from a framework agreement. The location for the project is the South West of the United Kingdom, and the contract, valued at £11,584,291.01, will run from 22nd December 2025 to 31st December 2030. The procurement stage has reached the award phase, with Dell Corporation Limited being the awarded supplier as of 22nd January 2026. The completion of this procurement process highlights active stakeholder engagement and commitment to future-proofing national AI data resources.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in data storage infrastructure, particularly those capable of delivering secure, scalable, and compliant solutions compatible with existing computing resources. While the awarded supplier, Dell Corporation Limited, is a large-scale organisation, enterprises with similar capabilities but smaller footprints also stand to gain insights and potentially compete in future opportunities within this domain. This project can catalyse growth for firms aiming to expand their portfolio in AI-driven environments and collaborate with institutions such as the University of Bristol to address evolving data management needs.

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Notice Title

Isambard AI Data Facility (AIDF)

Notice Description

The UK AI Research Resource (AIRR) lacks a national facility for long-term storage of critical AI datasets when they are not actively processed. The requirement is to establish a secure, scalable, and sovereign data storage solution that integrates with existing compute resources (Isambard-AI and Isambard 3), supports compliance with cybersecurity standards, and enables future expansion to meet growing research and collaboration needs.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-52f88014-68f0-4b3c-9eb9-810e23c66b20
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c0369384-6808-4a97-a917-b0ed1bc8ee6d
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Not specified
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support


CPV Codes

72317000 - Data storage services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£11,584,291 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Jan 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
4 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
8 Jan 20261 months ago
Contract Period
22 Dec 2025 - 31 Dec 2030 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS1 5DS
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK51 Bristol, City of
Delivery Location
TLK South West (England)

Local Authority
Bristol, City of
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Bristol Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DELL

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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