---
title: "Development of enhanced glass blown rubidium cells for UK tactical atomic clocks"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY"
published: "2026-03-17"
---

# Development of enhanced glass blown rubidium cells for UK tactical atomic clocks

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5

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## Summary

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology recently concluded a procurement process for the development of enhanced glass blown rubidium cells for UK tactical atomic clocks. This contract falls under the category of laboratory, optical, and precision equipment, with the Department situated at 22 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2EG. HCD Research, an SME based in Burgess Hill, has been identified as the supplier for this project. The tender was awarded under a direct award method, with the rationale being the limited availability of glass blowing expertise in the UK. The procurement stage is complete, with the award notice published on 17th March 2026. The contract is scheduled to start on 19th March 2026 and conclude by the end of the same month.

This procurement opportunity presents growth potential for businesses involved in laboratory and precision equipment manufacturing. SMEs, in particular, can benefit by showcasing their specialised capabilities in glass blowing and atomic clock technology, which are critical for this project. The contract allows HCD Research to bolster its technological advancements within the UK, creating sovereign capability in manufacturing vapour cells and rubidium standards. Businesses with expertise in rubidium frequency products or those looking to expand in the optical precision equipment sector would be well-suited to engage in similar opportunities in the future. The focus on direct awards emphasises the need for suppliers with niche technical skills, underscoring a lucrative niche in glass and rubidium technologies for tactical applications.

## Notice

Project to provide UK sovereign capability in both manufacturing the glass blown shapes for vapour cells and rubidium standards for use in atomic clocks.

### Procurement Information

There is a lack of glass blowing expertise in the UK to manufacture the glass shapes for vapour cells. HCD Research designs and manufactures various rubidium frequency products. The project's aim with is to provide UK sovereign capability in both manufacturing the glass blown shapes for vapour cells and rubidium standards for use in atomic clocks. HCD Research Ltd will develop the new technology and capability in the UK, to UK standards.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023846-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 17 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | 19 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £49,500 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1A 2EG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | HCD RESEARCH |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 17 Mar 2026 at 09:53 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023846-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023846-2026
  17th March 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-066bc5. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066bc5.json.