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HiCrIS Full Design & Build

UK Fusion Energy Ltd.

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

25 Aug 2026 at 16:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Fusion Energy Ltd. is developing HiCrIS, a full design-and-build test rig for the STEP programme’s fusion research. The service will support testing of Rare-earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) coated-conductor superconductor samples under fusion-relevant conditions: neutron and gamma irradiation, cryogenic temperatures, rated electrical current, strain and high applied magnetic fields. The resulting data will be used to assess changes in superconducting performance, compare conductor options and inform lifetime predictions for STEP’s high-temperature-superconductor magnet coils. This is a specialist research, experimental development and engineering design requirement, including the design and execution of research and development and testing equipment. Delivery is in the United Kingdom, for UK Fusion Energy Ltd. at Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, within the STEP spherical tokamak powerplant programme.

This procurement is at the planning stage. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand supplier solutions and capabilities and to refine a future specification; it is not a request for quotation or an invitation to tender. The engagement is scheduled to close on 25 September 2026, with a possible supplier question-and-answer or discussion session. The buyer expects the future contract to run from 30 April 2027 to 30 April 2028, although these dates are indicative and do not commit the buyer to procure. The requirement is above the applicable threshold and is planned as one lot. The published financial figure is £0 gross in GBP. The eventual procurement is expected to use the UK public procurement regime, but no tender procedure, submission requirements or award criteria are settled here.

The work is likely to suit organisations that can combine superconducting-magnet or fusion engineering with the full design and build of specialist scientific test equipment. Relevant capability includes designing cryogenic systems able to operate with high-current superconductors, integrating neutron and gamma irradiation environments, and managing high magnetic fields, mechanical strain and associated safety controls. Suppliers should be able to develop experimental apparatus, instrumentation and test methods, then produce reliable data on REBCO coated-conductor performance under operational conditions. Experience in materials characterisation, superconductivity, nuclear or fusion research, engineering design and experimental development would place a supplier well for the future competition. Businesses with multidisciplinary engineering, research and testing teams should use the engagement to explain available solutions, technical constraints and delivery approaches; participation is voluntary and does not guarantee an advantage later.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

HiCrIS Full Design & Build

Notice Description

The following summary is not intended as a complete or definitive specification of the requirement. A purpose of this engagement is to seek information from the market to help refine our understanding and aid the development of a future specification. The Hi-CrIS project is being developed under the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme. STEP plasma will be confined by electromagnets based on high temperature superconductors (SC). These magnetic components will form a substantial part of the STEP Prototype Powerplant (SPP) and represent ~25% of the total cost. With such a substantial element of the SPP being represented by the magnetic components, it is critical to have confidence in the lifetime predictions of the down-selected magnets. To achieve this, investigations of down-selected superconductor (SC) material samples are required under operational conditions: i.e., when SCs are simultaneously irradiated with fusion spectrum neutrons and gammas whilst at their cryogenic operating temperatures, carrying its rated current, and subject to strain and high applied fields ("fusion in-situ conditions"). STEP has an implementation plan for characterising Rare-earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) for use in its magnetic field coils. This plan involves several key activities which, together, will provide sufficient experimental data to thoroughly examine the properties of a REBCO Coated Conductor (CC) and allow its use in each of STEP's magnetic field coils to be justified (or not). Running several CCs through this process will then identify which CCs constitute the best choices for each magnetic coil. STEPs Hi-CrIS Test Rig will enable REBCO CCs samples to be subjected to STEP relevant neutron fluences, at cryogenic temperatures, so that the evolution of their superconducting properties can be determined and evaluated. The data will then be used in conjunction with STEP's other characterisation activities to allow predictions about STEP's performance in fusion in-situ conditions to be made and judged based on STEP's requirements in terms of magnetic lifetime. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://ukfe.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Abingdon:-Machines-and-apparatus-for-testing-and-measuring./88EJ65WYMH To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://ukfe.delta-esourcing.com/respond/88EJ65WYMH

Planning Information

This PME Exercise aims to gather information from potential suppliers on solutions and capabilities in relation to the provision of HiCrIS Full Design & Build. This is not a request for quotation but a preliminary stage to assess the market. Suppliers responding to this PME Exercise will have the opportunity to contribute insights that may shape the final tender requirements. All answers and correspondence will be used for market sounding purposes only and will be treated confidentially. Any supplier that chooses to not respond to this PME Exercise will not exclude themselves from any subsequent procurement for this workstream. Information provided by suppliers during this engagement stage may be used by UKIFS for any or all of the PME purposes (as laid out in section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023). UKIFS does not seek to obtain confidential, sensitive or proprietary information at this stage, and it is up to suppliers to determine the information that they provide. Should an NDA or similar be required, please contact UKFE via the messaging function on Delta. Any estimated contract values and contract dates associated with the PME Exercise are indicative and do not represent a commitment by UKFE. Neither the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice nor this Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise constitutes a formal commitment to procure. This PME Exercise does not constitute a formal commitment to procure. UKFE reserves the right to cancel, amend, or delay this exercise, in whole or part, at any stage, without incurring any liability or obligation to any party. Participation in this PME Exercise is entirely voluntary, and participating is not intended to confer any advantage in any future procurement process. UKFE may invite interested suppliers to attend a Q&A/discussion session. Suppliers will need to confirm that they wish to participate by indicating this within the PME Questionnaire and submitting this via Delta as directed.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ebdc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080991-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

38540000 - Machines and apparatus for testing and measuring

38970000 - Research, testing and scientific technical simulator

71320000 - Engineering design services

73120000 - Experimental development services

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Aug 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
25 Sep 20265 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Apr 2027 - 30 Apr 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK Fusion Energy 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

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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