Tender

ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies

ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

16 Jul 2024 at 16:58

Summary of the contracting process

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency is seeking proposals for the tender titled "ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies" in the research services category. The call is at the active stage, with an application deadline set for 27 August 2024. The opportunity involves exploring how advancements in AI, control, materials, and manufacturing can enhance robot capabilities. The procurement method is selective, with a competitive procedure with negotiation. The submission is via electronic means, and the tender period ends on 27 August 2024.

This tender by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency presents a lucrative opportunity for businesses involved in research services, particularly those with expertise in AI, control systems, materials science, and robotics. The agency is looking for innovative ideas that challenge existing assumptions and open new research avenues. Businesses with ambitious proposals aligned with the Smarter Robot Bodies opportunity space document are encouraged to apply. The estimated funding value is significant, with potential for multiple contracts and grants to be awarded, making it an attractive proposition for businesses seeking to expand their research capabilities.

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Notice Title

ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies

Notice Description

Breakthroughs require finding people who think differently about what's possible - and empowering them to follow their vision. To support scientific and technological breakthroughs, outside of programmes, ARIA Programme Directors can award opportunity seeds to support ambitious research aligned to the opportunity spaces they've identified. To understand how opportunity seeds work within our model, see how we're working here (https://www.aria.org.uk/how-were-working/).

Lot Information

Lot 1

The opportunity space, Smarter Robot Bodies (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf), led by Programme Director Jenny Read, asks how we can exploit progress in AI, control, materials, and manufacturing to build robots that approach or even exceed the capabilities of living bodies. We're looking to fund high potential proposals with up to PS500k each. We initially expect to fund up to 10 opportunity seeds in this space. We're looking for bold ideas that could challenge assumptions, open up new research paths, or provide steps towards new capabilities. If you have an important idea you're obsessed with, but you don't currently have the resources or support to take it forward, we'd like to hear from you. Ideas could come from anywhere, so we welcome applications from individuals and teams who are early in their career or who have atypical backgrounds. We care more about your idea and your intrinsic motivation than we do about your CV.To help you decide if this is the right funding call for you, below is some guidance on the scope. In scope: Ideas that sit within the Smarter Robot Bodies (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf) opportunity space. By this, we mean your proposal should show how your idea either aligns with or challenges the assumptions of the Summary, Beliefs, or Observations in the opportunity space document (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf). Ideas that could change the conversation about what is possible or valuable. Ideas that range from early stage curiosity-driven research through to pre-commercial science and technology. Out of scope: Ideas that are within scope of the programme Robot Dexterity - Handling our future (https://www.aria.org.uk/robot-dexterity/). Such ideas should be submitted to that programme funding call (https://www.aria.org.uk/robot-dexterity/). If you are unsure whether your idea is in scope of the programme, ask us by sending an email to clarifications@aria.org.uk. Ideas that are undifferentiated or that are likely to happen without ARIA support. Commercial or close-to-commercial stage products. Beyond this scope and our evaluation criteria outlined in the opportunity seed call for proposals document on ARIA's website here, we don't have preconceptions about what ideas you might send our way. You don't need to contort your project to fit our goals: we want to hear what you really want to do.

Options: The estimated total funding value is the maximum budget available. We expect to fund multiple applicants.Funding is anticipated to be award via both contracts and grants. Additional funding, scope and duration could be added to any contracts awarded.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-047de9
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021926-2024
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive procedure with negotiation
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services


CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Jul 20241 years ago
Submission Deadline
27 Aug 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
clarifications@aria.org.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
NW1 2DB
Post Town
North West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI36 Camden
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Camden
Electoral Ward
St Pancras & Somers Town
Westminster Constituency
Holborn and St Pancras

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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