Award

DSIT NMS - NEL Flow Programme

DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

12 Mar 2026 at 17:17

Planning

20 Aug 2025 at 14:09

Planning

22 May 2025 at 20:14

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology located in London has concluded the DSIT NMS – NEL Flow Programme, awarding contracts directly due to the absence of market competition. This programme supports the UK's National Measurement System (NMS), which is pivotal for maintaining metrology standards. TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory in Glasgow is the contracted supplier, contributing to world-class measurement science and technological innovation across various sectors. The procurement method was direct award, and the award was announced on 12th March 2026. The contract period spans from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2028, enhancing national measurement capabilities and supporting emerging technologies such as quantum computing, AI, and IoT.

Business opportunities lie primarily in the realm of metrology and laboratory services, making it highly suitable for large organisations with specialised technical expertise in these fields. Companies in the areas of advanced manufacturing, life sciences, digital economy, energy, environment, and quantum technologies can leverage this contract to expand their existing services and innovate further. Moreover, these contracts support a wide array of sectors, offering avenues for collaboration with national and international metrology institutes and involvement in R&D projects that drive technological advancement. Firms already engaged in metrology or possessing unique technical capabilities stand to benefit significantly from competing in future related procurements.

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How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

DSIT NMS - NEL Flow Programme

Notice Description

This notice is to inform the market that a number of contract awards will be made in relation to the National Measurement System (NMS). The NMS is the system of laboratories and capabilities that underpin the UK's metrology. The NMS provides the UK with an infrastructure of laboratories that deliver world-class measurement science and technology and provide traceable and increasingly accurate standards of measurement. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the National Engineering Laboratory (TUV-NEL) develop and maintain measurement standards that support high-precision manufacturing processes. This ensures that UK manufacturers can produce high-quality products that meet international standards. The NMS labs support the digital economy by developing measurement techniques for emerging technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT), helping the UK stay at the forefront of technological innovation. Metrology labs contribute to environmental sustainability by providing accurate measurements for monitoring air and water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency. This supports the UK's efforts to transition to clean energy sources and mitigate climate change. The National Measurement Laboratory (NML) at LGC and other labs ensure the accuracy of measurements in healthcare, such as those used in medical diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. This helps improve public health outcomes and supports the development of new medical technologies. The NMS enhances national security by developing measurement standards for critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and emergency response. This ensures that the UK can effectively respond to and recover from various threats. The extensive scientific and technical infrastructure, expertise, and resources necessary to provide these services mean that there is an absence of competition from other providers. These contracts are therefore awarded directly. The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons.

Planning Information

Preliminary Market Engagement for National Measurement System Programmes 2026-2030 Background Information: The 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. The 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. The 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. The science programmes are focused across a range of sectors and technology areas, including: • Advanced manufacturing, including power electronics, metamaterials, semiconductors, and mass, dimensional, and temperature measurements. Current projects include: o Providing and maintaining the UK’s national primary standards for temperature, humidity, mass, force, and length. o Establishing metrology capabilities to test and evaluate new semiconductor materials. • Digital, including communications and time and electromagnetic measurements. Current projects include: o Research to maintain the UK’s world-class optical frequency metrology and influence the international redefinition of the SI second. o Maintaining and delivering SI-traceable realisations of electrical, magnetic, and optical units. o Developing data science capabilities and tools to improve end-users’ confidence in their use of metrology data and AI systems. • Life sciences and health, including radiation dosimetry, bioimaging, and engineering biology. Current projects include: o Maintaining 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. o Research and development to establish measurement capabilities, SI-traceable phantom materials, uncertainty assessments, and guidance for quantitative imaging in PET, SPECT, MRI and ultrasound. • Energy and environment, including gas composition and fluxes, and metrology for clean technology. Current projects include: o Maintaining and developing the UK’s primary standards for gas composition and aerosol measurements. o Developing measurement procedures and reference materials for the measurement of environmental DNA (eDNA). • Quantum, including quantum sensing, computing, and timing and navigation. Current projects include: o Developing 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. o Providing 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. • Chemical and biological metrology, including purity measurements, organic analysis, and isotope ratios. Current projects include: o Maintaining and delivering accredited, SI-traceable calibration and reference materials for purity determination. o Developing and validating measurement methods to quantify particle additives in regulated consumer products and accidental food and environmental pollutants. • Flow measurement, including gas flow and metrology for alternative fuels. Current projects include: o Providing and maintaining the UK’s primary standards for the flow of oil, water, gas, CO2, and Hydrogen. o Research to investigate and develop new primary standards for high-pressure, high-flow-rate gas flows. • Gears metrology. Current projects include: o Providing and maintaining the UK’s primary standards for the measurement and characterisation of gears. These programmes are currently provided via contracted services for DSIT by: • The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Metrology Institute; • The National Measurement Laboratory at LGC (formerly the Laboratory of the Government Chemist), the UK’s designated institute for chemical and biological measurement; • TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory, the UK’s designated institute for flow measurement; • The National Gear Metrology Laboratory, the UK’s designated institute for gear measurement. The 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. Service Description: The aims of these programmes are to: 1) Ensure 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. 2) Directly 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. The services involved in delivering these programmes may include, across all sector and technology areas set out above: • Developing 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. • Collaborating 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. • Horizon-scanning and engagement with stakeholders (including industry, researchers, and the government) to identify, and develop the capabilities required to meet, new measurement needs. • Collaborating with national metrology institutes and designated institutes in other countries on joint research and development projects. • Knowledge 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. Questions: Your Organisation 1. What is your organisation’s name? 2. What is your name and role at the organisation? 3. Please provide a brief description of your organisation, including information on: a. The services you provide and the sectors and technologies you cover. b. The approximate size and revenue of your business (or the parts thereof that deliver measurement services or R&D). c. Where your services are carried out. Measurement Capabilities 4. What fundamental measurement capabilities and services does your organisation provide? Please describe: a. The measurement, testing, calibration, or validation activities your organisation carries out, and the sectors and technologies in which these are offered. b. The level of uncertainty your organisation achieves in those activities. c. Any accreditations your organisation holds, or is in the process of securing, in relation to the preceding. d. The traceability of your activities. e. Whether your measurements are, or could function as, a UK primary standard. Please explain and justify any claim. 5. What experience does your organisation have in providing measurement services to customers? 6. What experience does your organisation have in undertaking applied research in fundamental metrology? Collaboration 7. What experience does your organisation have in working with other organisations to develop or advise on technical standards, regulatory frameworks, and measurement protocols? 8. What other experience does your organisation have working with government, industry, academia, international partners, and other stakeholders in relation to metrology? Knowledge Transfer 9. What 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. Quality Assurance 10. What quality assurance plans do you have in place to ensure the reliability and accuracy of your measurements? Programme Delivery 11. What 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. If 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. We then politely request that all responses are returned to barney.rankin2@dsit.gov.uk by 17:00, Wednesday 03rd September, 2025.

Procurement Information

Direct award is justified through absence of competition due to exclusivity requirements and technical market constraints.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-051f95
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022587-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

71900000 - Laboratory services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£15,013,451 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Mar 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Mar 2026Expired
Award Date
12 Mar 20261 months ago
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2EG
Post Town
South West London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

TÜV SÜD NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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