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Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

07 Sep 2026 at 11:04

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

20 Aug 2026 at 12:39

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

20 Aug 2026 at 12:22

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Open University is procuring specialist laboratory, optical and precision equipment and associated technical services for the NASA-led Habitable Worlds Observatory mission. The requirement covers qualification testing of bespoke Teledyne e2v CIS300-series UVIS detectors, including back-thinning six CIS303-33 wafers and four CIS303-66 wafers, preparation for anti-reflective coating, Invar and silicon-carbide packaging, and production of a back-thinning report. It also includes CIS300 test equipment, including the latest Te2v CEB build, an interconnect board and flex-rigid PCB, together with an FPGA update. The work supports space qualification and radiation-effect testing under a UK Space Agency research grant held by the Open University in Milton Keynes. A possible later phase would redesign, manufacture, coat and package detectors using the test results.

This procurement is complete and has been awarded through a direct award to Teledyne UK Limited. The award was made on 20 August 2026 and the contract was signed on 1 September 2026. The confirmed first phase runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027 and is valued at £702,000 including VAT (£585,000 excluding VAT). The contract includes a renewal or extension option: a provisionally planned second phase could run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030, with an estimated value of £1,902,000 including VAT, subject to funding and successful completion of the first phase. The direct award was justified by prototype and development work, technical absence of competition, and the stated lack of reasonable alternatives. The award covers one lot.

This requirement demonstrates demand for suppliers able to develop and qualify highly specialised ultraviolet imaging detectors and supporting space-test hardware. A credible future competitor would need capability in semiconductor detector processing, wafer back-thinning, anti-reflective-coating preparation, precision packaging and assembly using Invar and silicon carbide. It would also need to supply or integrate bespoke detector test equipment, including electronics, interconnect and flex-rigid PCB assemblies, and provide FPGA development against evolving technical requirements. Experience of space qualification, radiation-effect testing, prototype development and research-led engineering would be particularly relevant. The buyer’s rationale shows that continuity of detector design, access to the specific CIS300 technology and proven technical capability were decisive, so any alternative supplier would need demonstrable compatibility with the existing mission technology and testing programme.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector

Notice Description

Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector. Qualification testing of bespoke CIS300 series UVIS detectors. This work is being performed under the remit of a UK Space Agency (UKSA) research grant, with costs for the procurement of this equipment specifically stated within the UKRI offer letter. This phase of work being performed by the OU is taking place in the broader context of a NASA led mission (HWO). The critical success factors for this phase of the activity are completion/delivery of the following items by 31/02/2027: CIS303-33: o Part thinning (to pre-AR coat) of 6 off wafers. Each wafer has 4 (unyielded) devices on it. o 8 Invar PCB packages * CIS303-66 o Part thinning (to pre-AR coat) of 4 off wafers. Each wafer has 1 (unyielded) device on it. o 4 Silicon Carbide Packages. * Back-thinning report * CIS300 test equipment o latest build standard of the Te2v CEB. o Interconnect board. o Flex rigid PCB. * FPGA update o As the requirements for this update are unknown a nominal number has been assumed, once the requirements are confirmed this cost may increase or reduce. Phase 2 would follow on to 31/03/2030, if required.

Procurement Information

Prototypes and development The public contract concerns the production of a prototype, or supply of other novel goods or services, for the purpose of-- (a) testing the suitability of the goods or services, (c) other research, experiment, study or development. Single suppliers The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract-- (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. The Open University (OU) has been awarded research grant funding via the UK Space Agency (UKSA) for the NASA Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) mission. For this, bespoke CIS300 series UVIS detectors from Teledyne e2v Ltd need to be procured along with associated test equipment for space qualification and radiation effect testing. These specific detectors were initially procured as part of an earlier phase of work for the Canadian Space Agency's Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and UV Research (CASTOR) mission. The work of the current and future planned phases for the HWO mission is a continuation of the work initially completed for the Canadian CASTOR mission which was testing the same technology. The OU's continued inclusion in the HWO mission was subject to funding awarded by the UKSA and they have agreed to increase funding (FY26-27) for the OU to procure more Teledyne-e2v CIS300 detectors and test equipment for the mission. The funding agency's request is specifically for the OU to continue the testing of this specific detector. As this is a continuation of work already being undertaken and it is specific equipment, it is not possible to procure the necessary items from any supplier other than Teledyne e2v Ltd. The project is split into two stages. Stage 1 is for existing detectors to be back thinned and made ready for packaging, and testing for future space missions, specifically HWO. It is planned for 01/09/2026 - 31/03/2027 with a value of PS702,000 including VAT and is confirmed. Stage 2 would be a larger project to use the outcome of the testing from stage 1 to make changes to the design of the detectors. Following this, the newly designed detectors would be manufactured, back thinned, surface coated and packaged. It is provisionally planned for 01/04/2027 - 31/03/2030 with an estimated value of PS1,902,000 including VAT and is subject to funding and the successful completion of stage 1.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e87e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084273-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£585,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£585,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Aug 20262 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK7 6AA
Postcode Area
Milton Keynes
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Monkston
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Teledyne UK Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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