Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Dilution Refrigerator for Cryogenic Characterisation of RF Hardware

NPL Management Limited

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

02 Oct 2026 at 11:58

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NPL Management Limited is procuring a cryogen-free, pulse-tube-cooled dilution refrigerator for cryogenic testing of quantum hardware and radio-frequency (RF) circuits. It is intended to complement NPL’s existing measurement systems and support higher-throughput testing with faster cooldowns. The system must include thermometry, wiring and readout electronics, and allow further sensors to be added. It needs more than 20 coaxial lines, including high-attenuation inputs and low-loss outputs, with some lines operating up to 40 GHz; future expansion of RF cabling and DC looms is also required. The equipment must support testing at very low and intermediate temperatures, with a spacious mixing-chamber plate. Delivery is to NPL’s National Physical Laboratory site in Teddington, England.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Oxford Nanoscience Limited. The award is pending, and the contract period is 14 October 2026 to 14 October 2027. The award value is £687,000 excluding VAT (£824,400 including VAT). NPL used a direct award under section 43 of the Procurement Act 2023 after an earlier competitive procurement found no suitable tender; it then reviewed its requirements and procurement strategy. The competition was arranged as a single lot. The equipment specification requires a base temperature of 10 mK or below, access to intermediate temperature stages, and at least 0.19 m² of horizontal mixing-chamber plate area. No magnet is required.

For suppliers considering a future requirement of this kind, the award indicates demand for a complete cryogenic measurement system rather than a refrigerator alone: temperature measurement, wiring and readout electronics must be integrated, with scope to add sensors and cabling. Credible suppliers would need to demonstrate experience equipping systems for sensitive superconducting devices and complex quantum and RF circuits, including high-attenuation input lines, low-loss output lines and RF operation to 40 GHz. The design must also provide configurable DC connections for multi-way RF switches and low-noise amplifiers, alongside high- and low-resistance device looms. Capacity to deliver the specified low-temperature performance, intermediate-stage access and experimental space is central. This award followed an unsuccessful competitive procurement and resulted in a direct award to Oxford Nanoscience Limited.

How relevant is this notice?

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

Procurement Information

The Authority previously conducted a competitive procurement for Contract Title under procurement reference Reference Number. The Authority concluded that no suitable tender was identified through the competitive procurement process. In accordance with section 43 of the Procurement Act 2023 the procurement was therefore terminated following a review of the authority's requirements and procurement strategy. The Authority now intends to make a direct award in accordance with section 43 of the Procurement Act 2023.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077f91
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093275-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency 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
£687,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
14 Oct 2026 - 14 Oct 2027 1-2 years
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)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...