--- title: "Technical Operation of the National Space Propulsion Test Facility" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "UK SPACE AGENCY" published: "2022-04-27" --- # Technical Operation of the National Space Propulsion Test Facility Buyer: UK SPACE AGENCY Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1.json) ## Summary The UK Space Agency is seeking to award a contract for the Technical Operation of the National Space Propulsion Test Facility (NSPTF), located at Westcott Venture Park in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. This facility is essential for testing propulsion systems and has been operational since 1946. The contract falls under the industry category of Miscellaneous Repair and Maintenance Services, with a contract value of £1,309,125. The procurement method used was a limited award procedure, justified by the unique capabilities of the facility and its sole supplier, Nammo (U.K.) Limited. The procurement process is currently at the Award stage, having been finalised on 6 April 2022. This tender provides significant opportunities for businesses involved in the space industry, particularly those who can offer technical support, engine testing services, or facility management solutions. Potential competitors may include firms specialising in propulsion system technology, engineering services, or maintenance of testing facilities. Collaborating with or becoming a partner to Nammo (U.K.) Limited or leveraging access to the NSPTF can enhance business prospects and innovation within the space sector. ## Notice The UK Space Agency has a requirement to test customer engines using the NSPTF in a timely manner. Therefore, ensuring the test facilities are ready and available to perform testing of engines and propulsion systems for customers to the NSPTF, and to support ensuring the continuing testing of hardware in the event of a facility breakdown. The facility incorporates a range of testing hardware. The service provider will provide the test cells for the facility, from small thrust engine testing (1N+) up to medium thrust testing (up to 1500N). The latter test chamber will have new equipment (vacuum generating plant, common vacuum manifold, plume intercooler, vacuum chamber etc), owned by the UK Space Agency, that will be operated and maintained by service provider. Provide technical support for facility operations and enter into a technical support contract for running the facility with UKSA. This will include responsibility for all safety aspects in national facility operations and to support ensuring the continuing testing of hardware in the event of a facility breakdown. Provide cost estimates for customers through liaison with the brokers (STFC). ### Lot Information Lot 1 The UK Space Agency has a requirement to test customer engines using the NSPTF in a timely manner. Therefore, ensuring the test facilities are ready and available to perform testing of engines and propulsion systems for customers to the NSPTF, and to support ensuring the continuing testing of hardware in the event of a facility breakdown. The facility incorporates a range of testing hardware. The service provider will provide the test cells for the facility, from small thrust engine testing (1N+) up to medium thrust testing (up to 1500N). The latter test chamber will have new equipment (vacuum generating plant, common vacuum manifold, plume intercooler, vacuum chamber etc), owned by the UK Space Agency, that will be operated and maintained by service provider. Provide technical support for facility operations and enter into a technical support contract for running the facility with UKSA. This will include responsibility for all safety aspects in national facility operations and to support ensuring the continuing testing of hardware in the event of a facility breakdown. Provide cost estimates for customers through liaison with the brokers (STFC). The requirement is to: * Manage the operation of the NSPTF, supplying the personnel to operate the plant and to ensure that the maintenance, calibration and spares plans are in place. * Procure any consumables to support the operation of the NSPTF. * Management and storage of critical spares to support the aim. * To permit use of service provider test facilities (J3 test cell, mini-HATFA, HATFA) as part of the national facility and management of customers and third party users while on the site. * Provide the resources to run the testing of customer engines. * Demonstrate that compliance and strict governance is applied to Statutory and Regulatory requirements (including Health and Safety) * Maintain a sensible Health and Safety schedule, audited in an appropriate manner. * Handle customer's data securely * Provision of relevant insurance cover for activities. * Notification of issues to UKSA in line with notification protocol. * Liaison with the landlord for all landlord provided services (eg water, electrical supply etc) * Provide quarterly reports of use of the facility to the steering board and provide inputs into annual budgets definition for future running of the facility. Options: The contract duration will be for a year on a 1+1+1+1+1 basis (maximum 5 years) ### Procurement Information The Westcott facility and Nammo are the only location and supplier that can provide this service and therefore the authority are justified in awarding in accordance with regulation 32(5)(b). ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010803-2022 | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | 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 | 27 Apr 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 5 Apr 2022 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £1,309,125 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UK SPACE AGENCY | | Locality | SWINDON | | Post town | Swindon | | Postcode | SN2 1SF | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon | | Local authority | Swindon | | Electoral ward | Gorse Hill and Pinehurst | | Westminster constituency | Swindon North | | Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | NAMMO (U.K. | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 50 - Repair and maintenance services ### Codes - 50800000 - Miscellaneous repair and maintenance services ## Release History - 27 Apr 2022 at 10:20 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010803-2022 ## Notice URLs - http://www.BEIS.gov.uk/ukspaceagency - http://www.uksbs.co.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy ## 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-0330d1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0330d1.json.