---
title: "Aerospace Composite Tooling Suite"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03993a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03993a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03993a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03993a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL"
published: "2023-07-26"
---

# Aerospace Composite Tooling Suite

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03993a

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## Summary

The National Composites Centre (NCC) has recently finalised the procurement process for the Aerospace Composite Tooling Suite. The University of Bristol, as the buying organisation, conducted a multi-Lot tender for the design, manufacture, and supply of composite tools for an aerospace project. The two Lots available were the Aerospace Composite Forming Tool and the Aerospace Composite RTM Tool. Although the Forming Tool Lot was not awarded due to budget restrictions, the RTM Tool was successfully awarded to Datum Tool Design Ltd. The location for delivery is the National Composites Centre in Bristol & Bath Science Park.

This tender presents valuable business growth opportunities for companies specialising in tool manufacturing within the aerospace industry. Businesses capable of meeting the specific design, manufacturing, and supply requirements for complex aerospace components would be well-suited to compete. The procurement stage has progressed from the planning phase to the award stage, with a clear focus on goods within the industry category of miscellaneous general and special-purpose machinery. The tender's completion date was July 26, 2023, and the main buyer is the University of Bristol with further details available on the NCC's website.

## Notice

The National Composites Centre (NCC) is ran a multi-Lot tender for the procurement of a suite of composite tools for an aerospace project. The two Lots that were available: * ITT_1261: Forming Tool (Tender) * ITT_1263: RTM Tool (Tender) Please note: ITT_1261 (Forming Tool) was Not Awarded, due to budget restrictions and revisions in requirements not yet fully defined.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

This RFI will be launched on the University of Bristol Tendering Portal, which can be found at the link below. In order to access the RFI, your organisation will need to create an account in the Portal (if not already in existence). Once access to the RFI has been obtained, all communications must only take place via the Message facility of the portal. Similarly, any responses to the Market Engagement questions must only be submitted by uploading your response to the relevant area of the portal; the deadline for submitting RFI responses will be visible in the details on the portal. Due to sensitivity of Customer data, an NDA must be in place before the Forming RFI Specification can be shared (it will not be available through the portal). To request the NDA template, please email leigh.jones@nccuk.com or get in contact via the Message facility of the portal. Once the NDA has been signed by both parties, the Specification will be sent to you via the portal. This RFI serves to alert the marketplace to this future opportunity. Participating in this market engagement exercise will not guarantee short-listing at a later stage in a future tender activity, nor will non-participation in this exercise restrict access to the opportunity. As a result of feedback or for any other reason, the NCC may make the decision not to go ahead with any proposed procurement exercise. The NCC will not meet any costs incurred by any party in responding to this RFI. The NCC reserves the right to award all, none, or part of the business. Additional information: University of Bristol Tendering Portal https://tenders.bris.ac.uk/web/login.html

Aerospace Composite Forming Tool

The NCC require the design, manufacture and supply of a tool for a forming manufacturing process using dry fibre non-crimp fabric (NCF) of a complex aerospace component. The component is approximately 6000mm x 750mm and up to 20mm thick. It is expected that process development will be carried out on the same tooling for a smaller component. Additional information: This Lot was not awarded, due to budget restrictions and revised technical requirements for the Forming Tool not yet full defined.

Aerospace Composite RTM Tool

The NCC require the design, manufacture and supply of a tool for a Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) manufacturing process of two complex Thermoset composite aerospace components. The first component is approximately 6000mm x 750mm and up to 20mm thick, and the second at 1500mm x 650mm and up to 20mm thick. The smaller component is a shorter version of the main component and will be used to develop and prove out the full-scale manufacturing process and tooling concept.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021680-2023 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Jul 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 7 Apr 2023 |
| Future notice date | 28 Feb 2023 |
| Award date | 25 Jul 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1,498,100 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled, Planned |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS16 7FS |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England |
| ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire |
| Local authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Electoral ward | Emersons Green |
| Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DATUM TOOL DESIGN |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 42 - Industrial machinery
- 44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

### Codes

- 42900000 - Miscellaneous general and special-purpose machinery
- 44510000 - Tools

## Release History

- 26 Jul 2023 at 14:08 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021680-2023
- 17 Mar 2023 at 16:39 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007905-2023
- 20 Jan 2023 at 12:06 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001820-2023

## Notice URLs

- http://www.nccuk.com
- https://tenders.bris.ac.uk/web/login.html

## 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-03993a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03993a.json.