---
title: "Optical Fibre Time Transfer Hardware"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY"
published: "2021-01-19"
---

# Optical Fibre Time Transfer Hardware

Buyer: NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5

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## Summary

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), based in Teddington, has completed a procurement process for "Optical Fibre Time Transfer Hardware" under the goods category, specifically classified as laboratory, optical, and precision equipment. The contract, valued at £500,000, was awarded to PikTime Systems sp. z o.o. NPL used a limited procurement method, opting for an award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, reflecting the specialised nature of the requirement. This initiative was part of NPL’s efforts to develop a new national time scale, crucial to ensuring high accuracy and reliability in timekeeping applications.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in advanced optical technologies and fibre-optic solutions. Companies that specialise in manufacturing electronic stabilised fibre-optic modules or have expertise in time and frequency distribution systems would be particularly well-suited to participate. Given NPL's collaborative history with research institutions and its high standards for technology, businesses with proven reliability and innovation in optical equipment may find avenues for growth and collaboration in future projects. This tender underlines the potential for ongoing advancements in timekeeping technology, which may open pathways for further partnerships and contracts in the sector.

## Notice

NPL proposes to award a contract to PikTime Systems for the supply of ELSTAB fibre-optic time and frequency distribution hardware.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The requirement is for ELSTAB (electronically stabilised fibre-optic time and frequency distribution) modules and optical distribution amplifiers for use in a time scale application.

### Procurement Information

NPL proposes to award a contract for ELSTAB (electronically stabilised fibre-optic time and frequency distribution) modules to PikTime Systems sp. z o.o. In its role as the UK's National Measurement Institute, NPL is developing a new, resilient time scale for national use. The time accuracy and stability, and also the reliability, of the system will depend heavily on the supporting fibre-optic technology employed in its operation. The ELSTAB technology developed by AGH University of Science and Technology, for which PikTime is the commercial supplier, will therefore be key to the success of the new time scale. NPL has previously worked collaboratively with AGH University to assess the suitability of ELSTAB for use in the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) space mission. As part of ACES, NPL rigorously tested and evaluated the performance of the University's ELSTAB technology. This was a time-consuming process which has made it clear that the testing of any alternative technology which might potentially be suitable for NPL's new application would have serious impacts on our project timings and budget because it couldn't feasibly be completed in less than 6 months. NPL has also collaborated on published research with the University, concerning the use of the ELSTAB technology during the development of our caesium fountain primary frequency standard. PikTime Systems is the only supplier worldwide that can provide technology that NPL has sufficient confidence in to serve in our application. No equivalent product is known to be available from any other source. Alternative technologies are known to be in development around the world but aren't expected to be launched as commercial products in the short to medium term. NPL published a Prior Information Notice (2019/S 127-309989) in 2019. There were no expressions of interest from appropriately qualified suppliers.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001119-2021 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 19 Jan 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 19 Jan 2021 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £500,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY |
| Locality | TEDDINGTON |
| Post town | Twickenham |
| Postcode | TW11 0LW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI7 Outer London - West and North West |
| ITL 3 | TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames |
| Local authority | Richmond upon Thames |
| Electoral ward | Teddington |
| Westminster constituency | Twickenham |
| Delivery location | TLI London |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | PIKTIME SYSTEMS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 31221600 - Time relays
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

## Release History

- 19 Jan 2021 at 23:08 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001119-2021

## Notice URLs

- http://www.npl.co.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028bb5.json.