Award

Chemical Vapour Infiltration and Deposition of Silicon Carbide, Carbon, and Oxides

UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

19 Nov 2024 at 15:52

Planning

13 Jul 2022 at 16:41

Summary of the contracting process

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has completed a tender process for the provision of "Chemical Vapour Infiltration and Deposition of Silicon Carbide, Carbon, and Oxides" under the procurement ID T/JM119/22. This procurement falls under the industry category of "Engineering-related scientific and technical services" and was conducted through a limited procurement method, following an invitation for response from eligible suppliers. The contract was awarded to Archer Technicoat Ltd on 19th November 2024. The key objective was to understand the capabilities of suppliers and the technical limitations associated with manufacturing silicon carbide fibre reinforced composites, especially for use in material testing for tokamak fusion reactors. The primary delivery location is the UKAEA Culham in the UK.

This tender offers substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in engineering and scientific technical services, particularly those with expertise in advanced material coatings and fibre composites. Companies can leverage this opportunity to expand their clientele within the high-tech fusion energy sector. The successful bidder, Archer Technicoat Ltd, exemplifies the type of SME that can thrive in providing specialised services and products where competition is limited due to technical requirements. The procurement aims to support innovation and industrialisation in fusion energy materials, presenting growth potential for businesses capable of meeting these advanced and highly specific technical needs.

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Notice Title

Chemical Vapour Infiltration and Deposition of Silicon Carbide, Carbon, and Oxides

Notice Description

The purpose of this RFI is to have a better understanding of the capabilities for chemical vapour infiltration of fibre reinforced composites which currently exist. The materials of interest to be manufactured by chemical vapour infiltration or deposition (CVI or CVD) are silicon carbide fibre reinforced composites. The CVI materials will act as the interphase coating on the fibres, and the matrix. Interphase materials of interest include pyrolytic carbon, and rare earth oxides (eg. erbia) and silicates (eg. yttrium disilicate). Matrix materials of interest are silicon carbide, and coatings of interest are silicon carbide and rare earth oxides. Alternative methods of applying sub-micron scale interphases are also of interest.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The purpose of this RFI is to have a better understanding of the capabilities for chemical vapour infiltration of fibre reinforced composites which currently exist. The materials of interest to be manufactured by chemical vapour infiltration or deposition (CVI or CVD) are silicon carbide fibre reinforced composites. The CVI materials will act as the interphase coating on the fibres, and the matrix. Interphase materials of interest include pyrolytic carbon, and rare earth oxides (eg. erbia) and silicates (eg. yttrium disilicate). Matrix materials of interest are silicon carbide, and coatings of interest are silicon carbide and rare earth oxides. Alternative methods of applying sub-micron scale interphases are also of interest. The main objective is to find out supplier's capabilities to produce parts, and obtain an understanding of the possible size, and geometric complexity which can be achieved, including limitations on the supply of raw materials. These parts are intended for material testing, with potential application as structural materials in the blanket of a tokamak fusion reactor. The aims of this RFI are given in section 3.1. UKAEA wish to ask prospective suppliers to answer the requirements in section 3.2. Estimation of cost and timelines would also be appreciated to aid us in planning.

Procurement Information

A PIN (Prior Information Notice) was issued in August 2022 for these services, and responses were invited from eligible suppliers via an RFI (Request for Information). Following this exercise, Archer Technicoat Ltd were found to be the primary UK supplier of these specialist services. Recent market engagement in 2024 has confirmed that Archer Technicoat Ltd are still the primary UK supplier for these specialist services, and therefore the award is justified on the grounds that the "services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator [because] competition is absent for technical reasons".

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0351be
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037407-2024
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

71350000 - Engineering-related scientific and technical services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£140,298 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Nov 20241 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
13 Oct 2022Expired
Award Date
19 Nov 20241 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Charlotte Byrne
Contact Email
charlotte.byrne@ukaea.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1235467082

Buyer Location

Locality
ABINGDON
Postcode
OX14 3DB
Post Town
Oxford
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
South Oxfordshire
Electoral Ward
Sandford & the Wittenhams
Westminster Constituency
Didcot and Wantage

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ARCHER TECHNICOAT

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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