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Pd Ag Functional Testing

UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

24 Jul 2026 at 14:05

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

29 May 2026 at 12:12

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Fusion Energy Ltd procured specialist research, laboratory analysis and technical testing services for its STEP Fuel Cycle system. The work investigates the manufacture of palladium-silver membrane assemblies for hydrogen separation and recovery. It covers characterising membrane tubes, including microscopy and hardness testing; developing and carrying out annealing, brazing and diffusion-bonding trials; destructive testing of joints; manufacturing membrane assemblies; and establishing an inspection regime. The completed assemblies are to be inspected and delivered to UK Fusion Energy Ltd for subsequent testing. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. The requirement is a single service package covering research and experimental development, technical testing and laboratory analysis, including CPV 71620000, 71632000, 73100000 and 73111000.

This was a completed, above-threshold open procedure. The tender deadline was 29 June 2026 at 12:30, enquiries closed on 22 June 2026 at 12:30, and the award decision was due by 9 July 2026. Three bids were received, and Amentum Clean Energy Ltd was selected on 9 July 2026 for the single lot. The award value is £195,000 excluding VAT, or £234,000 including VAT. The tender’s planned contract period was 22 July 2026 to 22 January 2028; the award records a contract period of 7 August 2026 to 31 March 2027. The award was subject to a standstill period ending 5 August 2026, with signature scheduled for 6 August 2026. Evaluation weighted technical quality at 70%, commercial price at 20% and social value at 10%.

This requirement suits organisations able to combine advanced materials research with practical manufacturing and testing of palladium-silver membrane assemblies. Credible competitors would need facilities and expertise for microscopy, hardness testing, annealing, brazing and diffusion bonding, particularly for joining palladium-silver tubes to steel fittings. They would also need to complete destructive and cross-sectional joint assessment, control process variables, manufacture assemblies and operate a documented inspection regime. The work calls for a supplier capable of taking experimental results through to inspected hardware suitable for delivery to a fusion-energy programme, rather than providing laboratory analysis alone. UK Fusion Energy Ltd’s use of an open procedure and its identification of the opportunity as suitable for SMEs indicate a technically focused requirement that could suit a specialist materials, joining, laboratory or engineering business with integrated capability.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Pd Ag Functional Testing

Notice Description

The STEP Fuel Cycle (FC) system requires advanced technologies for hydrogen separation and recovery. The aim of this investigation is to demonstrate the manufacturability of palladium silver membrane assemblies. This will be achieved through conducting annealing trials, brazing trails, and diffusion bonding trials. The effect of these processes on the alloy and its properties will be evaluated through microstructural characterisation and hardness testing, respectively. These techniques will then be used to manufacture membrane assemblies which will be inspected and delivered to UKFE for subsequent testing. The objectives of this investigation are to conduct the following: 1. Tube characterisation, characterise and test the different batches of palladium silver membrane tubes, including microscopy and hardness testing, as received. 2. Annealing trials, refine and execute the process control variables for the annealing of the palladium silver membrane tubes. The effects of annealing on the alloy shall be characterised via microscopy and hardness testing. 3. Brazing trials, refine and execute the process control variables for the brazing of palladium silver membrane tubes to steel fittings. 4. Diffusion bonding trials, develop and execute the process control variables for the diffusion bonding of palladium silver membrane tubes to steel fittings. 5. Destructive testing, to complete the manufacture, inspection, and destructive testing of brazed and diffusion bonded assemblies. The microstructure and hardness of the of the joint shall be evaluated cross-sectionally. 6. Assembly manufacture, the manufacture of membrane assemblies (Figure 1) via annealing, brazing or diffusion bonding. 7. Assembly inspection, refine and execute an inspection regime on all assemblies.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a8be
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070322-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

71620000 - Analysis services

71632000 - Technical testing services

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73111000 - Research laboratory services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£195,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£195,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£195,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
29 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
9 Jul 20263 months ago
Contract Period
7 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
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
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ABINGDON
Postcode
OX14 3DB
Postcode Area
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

Amec Nuclear UK Ltd

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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