Planning

Mission Led AI Data Centre and a Strategic Investment Partnership Funder for Future Campus Development

UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

14 Feb 2025 at 15:46

Summary of the contracting process

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has initiated a planning stage for a procurement process, seeking interest in a "Mission Led AI Data Centre and a Strategic Investment Partnership Funder for Future Campus Development". This opportunity is categorized under real estate services, located at Culham Campus in Abingdon, Oxfordshire (UKJ14). The date for an information day is set for Monday 10th March 2025. This notice aims to engage third-party interest and to clarify the vision for the Culham Campus development, especially in alignment with the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan. The future communication details highlight that additional notices will be provided by 1st May 2025.

This tender offers significant business growth potential by targeting companies specialising in AI data centre development, cloud service providers, HPC/AI users, and private investors. Businesses in corporate finance and venture capital services, construction and engineering, and data services will find this opportunity particularly lucrative. The strategic partnership impresses upon long-term investment and developmental master planning, fostering an internationally recognised fusion technology cluster. The robust infrastructure and proximity to London strengthen prospective commercial benefits, making it a fertile ground for businesses looking to collaborate with UKAEA in vital AI and fusion research applications.

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Notice Title

Mission Led AI Data Centre and a Strategic Investment Partnership Funder for Future Campus Development

Notice Description

Future Partnership Opportunities at UKAEA's Culham Campus: Mission Led AI Data Centre and a Strategic Investment Partnership Funder for Future Campus Development. This PIN is to establish third party interest in these opportunities and to enable interested parties to gain a further understanding of UKAEA's future vision at the Culham Campus. UKAEA is offering the opportunity for interested parties to attend an Information Day on Monday 10th March 2025. Full registration details are contained in the attachment to this PIN.

Lot Information

Lot 1

AI Data Centre Following on from the Government announcement and publication of the supporting AI Opportunities Action Plan on 13th January 2025, Culham Campus was identified as the first AI Growth Zone. AI Growth Zones are designated areas that will rapidly accelerate AI data centre development and the needed infrastructure, ensuring no community is left behind as we harness the benefits of this revolutionary technology. By focusing government support on planning and energy and committing to scaling each zone up to 500MW in collaboration with network operators, these zones will attract significant private investment, create local jobs, and strengthen the UK's global AI leadership - delivering opportunities for working people across the country. Culham's unique existing high-power infrastructure by virtue of connection to the National Grid, land capacity, proximity to London and its DC network infrastructure, proximity of other regeneration projects with commercial tenants, and world-class fusion research capabilities make it the perfect location for the first AI Growth Zone. To deliver on this ambition, UKAEA intends to release c10 acres of land and its reconfigured power connections. The high voltage infrastructure provides connections to both 132kV and 400kV electricity grids with available spare capacity to initially deliver approximately 100MW of steady state, dual resilient power for the development of a mission-led AI data centre, potentially adjacent to other use cases (either Government led or commercial) - ideally with a focus upon driving near term economic growth and longer-term economic opportunities towards realisation of UK Net Zero. UKAEA expects that a portion of this facility (up to 20MW, or equivalent services) would be available on demand for fusion and broader R&D research. The land earmarked for the facility also sits inside a secure, patrolled fence and is surrounded by tall, mature trees which will make it invisible to the outside world. UKAEA would like to gauge industry's interest in partnering opportunities to deliver the AI capabilities needed for fusion, in the most sustainable manner possible, whilst exploring commercial terms which make this an attractive investment opportunity. This opportunity may be of interest to Data Centre hosting organisations, Cloud Service Providers, industrial HPC / AI users, OEMs within the HPC supply chain and other forms of private investment. UKAEA is aiming to establish a partnership that recognises the value of the site as ideally suited for an AI data centre, that creates a significant UK AI capability, and that produces mutual commercial benefit for both UKAEA and investing partners. Strategic Investment Partner UKAEA is considering a process to secure a long-term investment partner to contract with via a non-corporate Strategic Investment Partnership to fund the development and further expansion of the Culham Campus as an internationally leading fusion and fusion related technology cluster in South Oxfordshire. It is the current intention that UKAEA shall seek to appoint a long-term investment partner to initially develop a commercial masterplan and delivery strategy for Culham Campus based on UKAEA's goals and a shared vision between UKAEA and the investment partner. Thereafter the investment partner will be responsible for securing funding to facilitate the delivery of development, redevelopment, refurbishment and repurposing for the growth of the campus in line with the masterplan and delivery strategy on a plot-by-plot basis. This will also include the branding and international marketing of the campus to attract commercial occupiers in relevant sectors that complement and benefit from the established campus activities. Additional information: This PIN is to establish third party interest in these opportunities and to enable interested parties to gain a further understanding of UKAEA's future vision at the Culham Campus. UKAEA is offering the opportunity for interested parties to attend an Information Day on Monday 10th March 2025. Registration details can be found in the supporting information.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04e218
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005218-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages

45 - Construction work

66 - Financial and insurance services

70 - Real estate services

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


CPV Codes

30211100 - Super computer

30211300 - Computer platforms

45000000 - Construction work

45220000 - Engineering works and construction works

66122000 - Corporate finance and venture capital services

70000000 - Real estate services

72300000 - Data services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Feb 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
30 Apr 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Emma Davies
Contact Email
emma.davies@ukaea.uk
Contact Phone
+44 123546

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
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC

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

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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