Notice Information
Notice Title
Dilution Refrigerator for Cryogenic Characterisation of RF Hardware
Notice Description
The National Physical Laboratory (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: 1) Base temperature of less than or equal to 10 mK with access to PT2 and other intermediate stages for testing components at intermediate temperatures. 2) Mixing chamber plate area of at least 0.19m2 in horizontal space and vertical experimental sample space below the mixing chamber with a height of at least 400 mm accessible for custom experimental apparatus 3) We do NOT require a magnet.
Planning Information
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.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06b5a7
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058116-2026
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Planning, Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Goods
- Procurement Method
- Open
- Procurement Method Details
- Open procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
-
- CPV Codes
38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £650,000 £500K-£1M
- Lots Value
- £650,000 £500K-£1M
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 19 Jun 20265 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- 20 Jul 20264 weeks to go
- Future Notice Date
- 19 Jun 2026Expired
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Aug 2026 - 31 May 2027 6-12 months
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- 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
- Post Town
- 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
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058116-2026
19th June 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056509-2026
16th June 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
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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