---
title: "UKRI-4697 EPAC Optic Bundle 4"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04de94"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04de94"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de94.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de94.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION"
published: "2025-02-13"
---

# UKRI-4697 EPAC Optic Bundle 4

Buyer: UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04de94

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## Summary

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), based in Swindon, United Kingdom, has recently completed the procurement process for upgrading the EPAC facility by introducing a second beamline in the pump laser section. The tender, titled "UKRI-4697 EPAC Optic Bundle 4", falls under the laboratory, optical and precision equipment industry category. This procurement, classified as goods, pertains to the highly specialised and operationally critical Optic Bundle 4. The contract was awarded to Manx Precision Optics Ltd. on 12th February 2025 for £184,500. The procurement method was a limited award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, justified by the absence of competition for technical reasons. The contract involved significant collaboration between UKRI and the original equipment supplier to ensure compatibility and operational efficiency.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in the development and supply of specialised optical and precision equipment. Companies with expertise in high-tech laboratory equipment, particularly those experienced in similar collaborative projects, would find this type of procurement beneficial for business growth. The bespoke nature of the equipment and the strategic importance of compatibility and operational efficiency in the EPAC facility highlight the need for suppliers with a deep understanding of technical integration and long-term project involvement. Such tenders provide avenues for businesses to establish or strengthen relationships with prominent research organisations like UKRI, potentially leading to further collaborative and mutually beneficial opportunities.

## Notice

The work involves an upgrade of the existing EPAC facility to introduce a second beamline in the pump laser section of EPAC. This purchase is for an EPAC Bundle 4.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

In order to ensure efficiency of operation, maintenance and to share operational costs of spares and resources this second beamline will be a duplicate of the original. This requires an additional Optic Bundle 4. This optical bundle is highly specialist, and operationally critical pieces of equipment, which have been developed in collaboration with the CLF over the past 10 years. The previous designs have been fully tested and integrated into the current facility and work very well for the intended use. They are based on 10 years of development work and represent significant work on both the part of STFC and MPO to ensure effective integration and operation. They are absolutely necessary components of the EPAC laser system, the optics already in place have been fully integrated into the EPAC overall control and machine protections systems. In taking this approach we ensure that spare parts for these optics can be used on the original system and on the second beamline. The compatibility between the two beamlines is critical as we already have spare parts from the first beamline which can, if needed, be used on the second beamline, this in turn saves the facility money as the spare parts are already available and time as these spare parts are already stored on site at RAL. The upgrade will ensure the optical systems for the second beamline operate in the same manner as the existing system. Additional information: The term and conditions relating to this purchase are provided in the Contract, which matches the Contract number cited in the narrative to this Purchase Order and are specific to this Contract. Where the Contract number is not so cited, then our standard terms and conditions will apply which are available at :- https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/UKRI-090123-ProcurementContractData-2658-December2022.pdf

### Procurement Information

The original manufacturer of the optical system for EPAC's first beamline was supplied by MPO who have intimate knowledge of the design and operation of the existing system from previously contracted deliveries under contracts PR16037. This is a direct replica of the existing system in EPAC. The previous designs have been fully tested and integrated into the current facility. They are based on 10 years of development work and represent significant work on both the part of STFC and MPO to ensure effective integration and operation. The spare parts for these optics can be used on the original system and on the second beamline. The compatibility between the two beamlines are critical, as we already have spare parts from the first beamline which can, if needed, be used on the second beamline which allows the beamlines to stay functioning. For these reasons, STFC have awarded to MPO in accordance to regulation 32 for absence of competition, for technical reasons.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004906-2025 |
| 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 | 13 Feb 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 12 Feb 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £184,500 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION |
| Locality | SWINDON |
| Post town | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 1FL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | MANX PRECISION OPTICS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 13 Feb 2025 at 12:05 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004906-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ukri.org
- https://mpo.im/
- https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=921305575
- https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/UKRI-090123-ProcurementContractData-2658-December2022.pdf

## 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-04de94. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de94.json.