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Dilution Refrigerator for Cryogenic Characterisation of RF Hardware

NPL Management Limited

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

02 Oct 2026 at 10:49

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

02 Oct 2026 at 10:43

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Planning

20 Apr 2026 at 10:43

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NPL Management Limited is buying a dry, cryogen-free dilution refrigerator for cryogenic characterisation of quantum hardware, RF equipment and circuits, with samples held under vacuum. The system is intended to complement NPL’s existing measurement capability and support repeated, higher-throughput testing with faster cooldowns. It must include thermometry, wiring and readout electronics, and allow additional sensors to be integrated. RF capability is central: the specification calls for more than 20 coaxial lines, including attenuated inputs for sensitive quantum devices and low-loss outputs for low-noise amplifiers and related equipment. Some lines must operate at frequencies up to 40 GHz. The equipment will be delivered in the United Kingdom; a specific delivery site is not stated.

The procurement has been awarded to Oxford Nanoscience Limited following a direct award. NPL says it moved to direct award after an earlier competitive tender was terminated because no suitable bids were received. The award is valued at £687,000 excluding VAT (£824,400 including VAT). The stated contract period is 14 October 2026; the wider lot period runs from 28 September 2026 to 27 September 2029, with a possible extension to 27 September 2031. The award is dated 2 October 2026. The purchase is a single lot, marked complete. The refrigerator must reach a base temperature of 10 mK or below, provide access to intermediate temperature stages and have at least 0.19 m² of horizontal mixing-chamber plate area. No magnet is required.

For suppliers preparing for a future requirement from NPL, the award demonstrates demand for a complete, specialist cryogenic measurement system rather than a basic refrigerator alone. A credible competitor would need to supply a dry pulse-tube-cooled dilution refrigerator with low-temperature performance, experimental space and integrated thermometry, wiring and readout, while supporting complex quantum and RF measurements. Relevant capability includes high-attenuation input and low-loss output coaxial lines, operation to 40 GHz, and sufficient configurable DC wiring for biasing multiple RF switches and amplifiers. The system must also allow future expansion of sensor, RF cabling and DC loom provision. Suppliers should be able to deliver equipment for repeated testing of quantum devices and cryogenic RF hardware, including superconducting qubits and parametric amplifiers. The stated purchase is a substantial, technically demanding equipment package; the earlier competition attracted no suitable bids.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Dilution Refrigerator for Cryogenic Characterisation of RF Hardware

Notice Description

NPL is seeking engagement from suppliers who can provide "Dry" ("cryogen-free") pulse tube cooled dilution refrigerator system to be used for characterisation of quantum hardware including RF and quantum circuits with sample volume under vacuum. The system should include thermometry and associated wiring and readout electronics with provision to integrate additional temperature sensors in future for comprehensive diagnostics. The purpose is to complement our existing measurement systems and add measurement capability, for characterisation of quantum and RF hardware with high throughput and faster cooldowns repeated typically every 2 weeks. The dilution refrigerator needs to be suitable for RF measurements of complex quantum circuits and hardware, meaning it must be equipped with 20+ coaxial lines with provision to further increase the number of coaxial lines in the future. These lines must include high attenuation input lines suitable for use with sensitive quantum devices such as superconducting qubits and parametric amplifiers and low-loss output coaxial lines suitable for use with low-noise amplifiers, isolators and parametric amplifiers. Some of these coaxial lines must operate up to 40 GHz with provision to integrate even higher frequency RF cabling in the future. There should be sufficient number of DC lines with sufficient reconfigurability to enable biasing of at least tens of RF multi-way switches, at least four low noise amplifiers and few dedicated high resistance and low resistance DC looms for devices under test with provision to integrate more DC looms in the future. The asset must enable the characterisation of quantum and cryogenic RF hardware based on the following: - Base temperature of less than or equal to 10 mK with access to PT2 and other intermediate stages for testing components at intermediate temperatures. - Mixing chamber plate area of at least 0.19m2 in horizontal space and vertical experimental apparatus - We do NOT require a magnet

Planning Information

Prior to initiating the procurement, NPL wishes to establish the level of market interest in the forthcoming procurement process. Suitably qualified and experienced suppliers who may have an interest in this project are invited to register for this Preliminary Market Engagement. The purpose of the market engagement is to help assess the reaction of the market, to understand risks and future possibilities to ensure a future proofed procurement strategy and resulting contract. Any submission received in response to this exercise will not constitute any contractual agreement between the respondent and NPL. Nor does the receipt of a response automatically include the respondent in the procurement process. A Tender Notice will be issued to the market which will provide details of how the relating procurement documentation can be accessed and timescales for submission of the said tender response. Interested parties shall bear their own costs of participation in this Market Engagement of whatever nature. NPL shall not be liable for the costs, expenses or losses howsoever arising (including, without limitation, any loss of profit or other economic loss incurred), regardless of the outcome of the Market Engagement. The next stage in the process will be considered once this exercise has been completed.

Procurement Information

Following a terminated tender process due to no suitable bids in response to a call for competition, where NPL discharged our duty to go to the market, NPL is switching to direct award under section 43 of PA23.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0685fe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093195-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting

38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

42 - Industrial machinery

CPV Codes

31000000 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting

38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

42000000 - Industrial machinery

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£500,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£687,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
14 Oct 2026 - 14 Oct 2026 24 hours
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NPL Management Limited
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
TEDDINGTON
Postcode
TW11 0LW
Postcode Area
Twickenham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI7 Outer London - West and North West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Richmond upon Thames
Electoral Ward
Teddington
Westminster Constituency
Twickenham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

OXFORD NANOSCIENCE LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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