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Framework Active Services
Corrosion Testing Framework for STEP
Published 22 Jul 2026
22 Jul 2026
Closed 24 Aug 2026
- Primary CPV
-
71632000 *
Technical testing services
- Location
- 🇬🇧 Oxfordshire, South East
- Value
- £6,000,000
- Contract
-
2 years Duration
24/09/2026 24/09/2028
- Contract Types
-
71 *Architectural, engineering & inspection...Full CPV Breakdown
- SME suitable
- Not stated
Publisher Address
Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, United Kingdom · UKJ14
Contact
Operational Procurement
Award Criteria
- Commercial (10%)
- Technical (80%)
- Social Value (10%)
Related tenders
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd
All notices from this publisher Same CPV code
71632000 *
All notices with this CPV code
Reference: PP-UKIFS-447
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.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:
https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Abingdon:-Composition-and-purity-testing-and-analysis-services./88ZKGJCP2S
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/respond/88ZKGJCP2S
Full CPV breakdown
- 71632000 — Technical testing services (primary)
Notice details
- Buyer type
- Other public body
- Competition
- Open competition (any supplier can bid)
- Contract type
- Services
- Lots
- 3
- Procurement method
- Open procedure
- Main category
- Services
- Above threshold
- Yes
- Legal basis
- UKPGA 2023/54
- Notice status
- Active
- Renewal
- The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each.
- Framework agreement
- Yes
- Framework details
- 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.
- Submission method
- https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com
- Enquiries close
- 18 Aug 2026
- Award decision expected
- 10 Sep 2026
- Covered by GPA
- Yes
- Number of lots
- 3
- Language
- EN
- Published
- 22 Jul 2026 10:09
- Deadline
- 24 Aug 2026 12:00
- OCID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06d079
- Notice ID
- PP-UKIFS-447
Lots (3)
Lot Lot 1: Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure.
£2,000,000
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-base...
24 Sep 2026 to 24 Sep 2028 · Active
Lot Lot 2: CO2, supercritical CO2 exposures & Helium – applicable to lot 2
£2,000,000
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 an...
24 Sep 2026 to 25 Sep 2028 · Active
Lot Lot 3: Liquid metals – applicable to lots 3
£2,000,000
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...
24 Sep 2026 to 25 Sep 2026 · Active
Full notice record
135 detailsEverything the publisher included in this notice, organised by section.
Organisations
| Name | UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd |
| Address › Street | Culham Science Centre, Abingdon |
| Address › Town / city | Abingdon |
| Address › Postcode | OX14 3DB |
| Address › Country | GB |
| Address › Country | United Kingdom |
| Address › Region (NUTS) | UKJ14 |
| Contact › Name | Operational Procurement |
| Contact › Email | operationalprocurement.step@ukifs.uk |
| Role | buyer |
| Classification › Description | Public undertaking |
Buyer
| Name | UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd |
Tender
| Title | Corrosion Testing Framework for STEP |
| Status | active |
| Item › Item 1 › CPV › CPV 1 › Description | Technical testing services |
| Item › Item 1 › CPV › CPV 2 › Description | Composition and purity testing and analysis services |
| Item › Item 1 › CPV › CPV 3 › Description | Research and experimental development services |
| Item › Item 1 › CPV › CPV 4 › Description | Laboratory services |
| Item › Item 1 › Delivery › Region (NUTS) | UK |
| Item › Item 1 › Delivery › Country | GB |
| Item › Item 1 › Delivery › Country | United Kingdom |
| Item › Item 2 › CPV › CPV 1 › Description | Composition and purity testing and analysis services |
| Item › Item 2 › CPV › CPV 2 › Description | Technical analysis or consultancy services |
| Item › Item 2 › CPV › CPV 3 › Description | Technical testing services |
| Item › Item 2 › CPV › CPV 4 › Description | Laboratory services |
| Item › Item 2 › CPV › CPV 5 › Description | Research laboratory services |
| Item › Item 2 › Delivery › Region (NUTS) | UK |
| Item › Item 2 › Delivery › Country | GB |
| Item › Item 2 › Delivery › Country | United Kingdom |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 1 › Description | Composition and purity testing and analysis services |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 2 › Description | Analysis services |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 3 › Description | Technical testing services |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 4 › Description | Laboratory services |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 5 › Description | Research and experimental development services |
| Item › Item 3 › CPV › CPV 6 › Description | Research laboratory services |
| Item › Item 3 › Delivery › Region (NUTS) | UK |
| Item › Item 3 › Delivery › Country | GB |
| Item › Item 3 › Delivery › Country | United Kingdom |
| Value › Value incl. VAT | £7,200,000 |
| Value › Value | £6,000,000 |
| Value › Currency | GBP |
| Procedure type | open |
| Procedure | Open procedure |
| Category | services |
| Above threshold | Yes |
| Covered by | GPA |
| Participation Fees › Type | win |
| Participation Fees › Description | N/A |
| Techniques › Framework agreement | Yes |
| Techniques › Framework agreement › Is Open Framework Scheme | Yes |
| Techniques › Framework agreement › Maximum Participants | 15 |
| Techniques › Framework agreement › Method | With and without reopening competition |
| Techniques › Framework agreement › Type | closed |
| Techniques › Framework agreement › Open Framework Scheme End Date | 25 Sep 2034 |
| How to submit | https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com |
| Submission Terms › Electronic submission | allowed |
| Submission Terms › Languages | en |
| Bidding period › End | 24 Aug 2026 |
| Questions period › End | 18 Aug 2026 |
| Award decision period › End | 10 Sep 2026 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Title | Light (H2O) and heavy (D2O) water exposure. |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Status | active |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Value › Value incl. VAT | £2,400,000 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Value › Value | £2,000,000 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Value › Currency | GBP |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Type | price |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Name | Commercial |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Name | Technical |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight | 80 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Name | Social Value |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Suitable for › SMEs | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Contract period › Start | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Contract period › End | 24 Sep 2028 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Contract period › Can be extended to | 24 Sep 2034 |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Can be renewed | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 1 › Renewal › Description | The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each. |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Title | CO2, supercritical CO2 exposures & Helium – applicable to lot 2 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Status | active |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Value › Value incl. VAT | £2,400,000 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Value › Value | £2,000,000 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Value › Currency | GBP |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Type | price |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Name | Commercial |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Name | Technical |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight | 80 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Name | Social Value |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Suitable for › SMEs | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Contract period › Start | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Contract period › End | 25 Sep 2028 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Contract period › Can be extended to | 25 Sep 2034 |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Can be renewed | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 2 › Renewal › Description | The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each. |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Title | Liquid metals – applicable to lots 3 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Status | active |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Value › Value incl. VAT | £2,400,000 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Value › Value | £2,000,000 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Value › Currency | GBP |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Type | price |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Name | Commercial |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 1 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Name | Technical |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight | 80 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 2 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Type | quality |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Name | Social Value |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight | 10 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Award criteria › Criterion › Criterion 3 › Weighting › Weight type | Percentage exact |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Suitable for › SMEs | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Contract period › Start | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Contract period › End | 25 Sep 2026 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Contract period › Can be extended to | 25 Sep 2034 |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Can be renewed | Yes |
| Lot › Lot 3 › Renewal › Description | The framework may include up to three extensions of two years each. |
| Document › Document 1 › Document type | Conflict of interest |
| Document › Document 1 › Description | Not published |
| Document › Document 2 › Document type | Tender notice |
| Document › Document 2 › Description | Tender notice on Find a Tender |
| Document › Document 2 › Link | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068996-2026 |
| Document › Document 2 › Published | 22 Jul 2026 |