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Construction Contract Leads

Scope

Reference

PP-UKIFS-447

Description

The purpose of this procurement is to establish a framework agreement with a number of pre-qualified, specialist corrosion testing providers to deliver corrosion testing services for the UKFE STEP programme over the next two years. The framework will enable efficient and compliant call-off contracts for testing of high-temperature coolants, carrier gases, and breeder materials against STEP coolant-facing alloys and candidate tritium breeding materials as requirements arise.

The framework is intended to streamline procurement and contract management, reduce the need for repeated tender exercises, improve consistency in quality and supplier performance, and enable faster delivery of future testing requirements through simplified call-off procedures.

The procurement also aims to establish long-term working relationships with expert testing organisations, promote innovation and market engagement, support a broad specialist supplier base (including SMEs), and ensure compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 through transparent, competitive, and value-for-money procurement.

Framework appointments are intended only for organisations that can undertake the testing directly. The testing will generate mechanistic understanding of corrosion interactions between high-temperature coolants (including light and heavy water, supercritical CO2 and helium), carrier gases (helium), STEP coolant-facing alloys, and candidate tritium breeding materials (including lithium ceramics and liquid metals), to quantify corrosion effects, identify mitigation strategies, and support the extension of component service life.

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Commercial tool

Establishes an open framework

A series of frameworks with substantially the same terms. Awarded suppliers are carried over and new suppliers can bid.

Total value (estimated)

• £6,000,000 excluding VAT
• £7,200,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Main procurement category

Services

Contract locations

• UK - United Kingdom

Not the same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.

Lot Lot 1. Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure.

Description

This lot covers the provision of corrosion testing services to assess the performance and compatibility of STEP candidate materials when exposed to high-temperature aqueous environments representative of future fusion reactor operating conditions.

Testing will focus on austenitic stainless steels, tungsten, copper-based alloys, and other candidate materials supplied by UKFE. The objective is to quantify corrosion behaviour, establish baseline performance data using unirradiated materials, and develop a mechanistic understanding of corrosion processes to support material selection, coolant chemistry development, and component lifetime assessment. Suppliers are encouraged to propose capabilities for testing under synergistic irradiation environments where available.

The scope includes exposure testing in recirculating high-temperature, high-pressure water environments, monitoring of relevant environmental and corrosion parameters, post-test material characterisation, and the generation of data including corrosion rates, material loss, crack initiation and growth behaviour, oxide characterisation, and material/coolant compatibility. Testing shall be undertaken using recognised industry standards where available, or mutually agreed methodologies where standards do not exist.

Suppliers should be capable of undertaking specimen testing, advanced post-exposure characterisation, data analysis, and reporting. Final deliverables will include raw and analysed test data, technical reports, microstructural characterisation results, and the return of all tested and untested materials to UKFE. A non-exhaustive list of anticipated testing requirements is provided in Appendix H – Test Matrix, and suppliers may offer all or part of the required services, as well as complementary capabilities.

Lot value (estimated)

• £2,000,000 excluding VAT
• £2,400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Contract dates (estimated)

• 24 September 2026 to 24 September 2028
• Possible extension to 24 September 2034
• 8 years, 1 day

Description of possible extension:

The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each.

CPV classifications

• 71632000 - Technical testing services
• 71610000 - Composition and purity testing and analysis services
• 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
• 71900000 - Laboratory services

Same for all lots

Contract locations are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot Lot 2. CO2, supercritical CO2 exposures & Helium - applicable to lot 2

Description

This lot is for the provision of specialist materials testing services to assess the performance and degradation of candidate fusion reactor materials under representative STEP operating environments. The work will evaluate uncoated and coated structural alloys, including austenitic stainless steels, ferritic steels and copper-based alloys, when exposed to high-temperature CO2, supercritical CO2 and helium environments, including helium in contact with lithium-rich breeder materials.

The supplier will undertake controlled exposure testing to quantify degradation mechanisms such as oxidation, carburisation, corrosion, creep-corrosion and crack growth, and provide mechanistic understanding of these processes together with potential mitigation strategies. Testing will primarily be performed on unirradiated materials to generate baseline performance data, although capability for irradiation-assisted testing is desirable.

The scope includes specimen manufacture (where required), high-temperature exposure testing in controlled gas environments, online environmental monitoring, post-test materials characterisation, microstructural and compositional analysis, measurement of corrosion and mass change, and comprehensive reporting of raw and analysed data. For helium testing, additional assessment of interactions between structural materials, protective coatings and lithium-rich breeder materials is required, including appropriate handling of air-sensitive materials.

All testing shall be conducted to recognised industry standards (e.g. ASTM where applicable) or agreed alternative methods where no standards exist, with all tested and untested materials returned to UKFE on completion of the contract.

Lot value (estimated)

• £2,000,000 excluding VAT
• £2,400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Contract dates (estimated)

• 24 September 2026 to 25 September 2028
• Possible extension to 25 September 2034
• 8 years, 2 days

Description of possible extension:

The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each.

CPV classifications

• 71610000 - Composition and purity testing and analysis services
• 71621000 - Technical analysis or consultancy services
• 71632000 - Technical testing services
• 71900000 - Laboratory services
• 73111000 - Research laboratory services

Same for all lots

Contract locations are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Lot Lot 3. Liquid metals - applicable to lots 3

Description

This lot is for the provision of specialist testing services to evaluate the compatibility and degradation of candidate fusion reactor materials in liquid metal environments representative of STEP operating conditions. The work will assess structural materials, including austenitic steels, ferritic steels, tungsten and SiC/SiC composites, for corrosion, dissolution, selective leaching, embrittlement and other degradation mechanisms that may affect component performance and lifetime.

The scope includes the manufacture and characterisation of lithium-lead (LiPb) liquid metals of varying compositions, measurement of thermophysical properties, controlled impurity addition and analysis, and long-duration corrosion exposure testing under representative operating conditions. Testing will investigate the influence of liquid metal composition, impurities and operating environment on both the liquid metal and exposed materials to improve understanding of corrosion mechanisms and materials compatibility.

Services include liquid metal manufacture and purity validation, thermophysical property assessment, static and dynamic corrosion testing, advanced post-exposure materials characterisation, analysis of corrosion products and impurity uptake, specimen manufacture where required, and comprehensive reporting of raw and analysed data. Testing will primarily be undertaken on unirradiated materials to generate baseline performance data, with capability for pre-irradiated materials and advanced exposure techniques considered advantageous.

All testing shall be carried out in accordance with recognised industry standards (e.g. ASTM where applicable) or agreed alternative methods where standards do not exist. The contract also includes testing of coated materials, handling of reactive liquid metals under inert conditions, and the return of all supplied materials to UKFE upon completion of the work.

Lot value (estimated)

• £2,000,000 excluding VAT
• £2,400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Contract dates (estimated)

• 24 September 2026 to 25 September 2026
• Possible extension to 25 September 2034
• 8 years, 2 days

Description of possible extension:

The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each.

CPV classifications

• 71610000 - Composition and purity testing and analysis services
• 71620000 - Analysis services
• 71632000 - Technical testing services
• 71900000 - Laboratory services
• 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
• 73111000 - Research laboratory services

Same for all lots

Contract locations are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

Framework

Open framework scheme end date (estimated)

25 September 2034

Maximum number of suppliers

15

Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers

0%

Further information about fees

N/A

Framework operation description

Different specific requirements for testing will be issued at different call-off points to the relevant lot suppliers, together with the required specifications at the time.

The suppliers appointed to the relevant lot of the framework will be notified of the requirements as early as possible, to enable them to prepare their response or submit quote.

The call-off mechanism is simplified to ensure that test facility bookings can be made within a month of requesting a quote. The call-off award will be based on Price competition between suppliers in the lot to ensure value for money while maintaining transparency.

UKFE reserves the right to award contracts via direct award (i.e. without competition) where it considers it is necessary for consistency. For example, it is on the same project, for testing of similar material, which is tested for similar properties.

If the price at the time of quoting is unaffordable, UKFE reserves the right not to award the test.

UKFE can accept quotes and issue purchase orders in a foreign currency.

A supplier will be notified of the requirement and asked for a quote. Once the quote is accepted, the supplier will be issued with the purchase order accompanied by the order form.

Award method when using the framework

Either with or without competition

Contracting authorities that may use the framework

Establishing party only

Participation

Particular suitability

Lot Lot 1. Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure.

Lot Lot 2. CO2, supercritical CO2 exposures & Helium - applicable to lot 2

Lot Lot 3. Liquid metals - applicable to lots 3

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Submission

Enquiry deadline

18 August 2026, 12:00pm

Tender submission deadline

24 August 2026, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

10 September 2026

Award criteria

Other information

Applicable trade agreements

• Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure

Contracting authority

UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd

• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCRM-7973-DCBL

Culham Science Centre, Abingdon

Abingdon

OX14 3DB

United Kingdom

Contact name: Operational Procurement

Email: operationalprocurement.step [at] ukifs.uk

Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire

Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)