Tendering to ESS

The European Spallation Source (ESS) will be a multi-disciplinary research centre based on the world’s most powerful neutron source. UK-ESS is the UK’s contribution to the project. Once constructed, in Lund, Sweden, it will provide new opportunities for researchers in a broad range of scientific areas including life sciences, energy, environmental technology, cultural heritage and fundamental physics.

The ESS will be an accelerator-based facility producing neutrons for a large array of advanced instruments. It is one of Europe’s largest scientific projects. Construction started in July 2014, aiming at the source producing first neutrons around 2020.

We are keen for UK industry to play a major role in building the 1.8 B€ ESS project. There are three routes for industrial involvement in the ESS:

1. By directly bidding to the ESS for work. This will be funded by the ESS. Invitations to bid competitively are announced on the procurement section of the ESS website. The ESS have a E-tendering tool for the procurement services, you can register to be notified of upcoming procurements and for active procurements once registered you are able to register your interest in tenders, access tender documentation, ask questions and submit bids. Please note during registering when asked for the corporate identity number please use the company VAT or registration number. The STFC Business Opportunities team is the UK’s ILO for ESS, and opportunities are advertised via STFC’s Tender Opportunities service. To receive opportunities by sector please register here. As an ERIC, the ESS may adopt its own procurement rules based on transparency, non-discrimination and competition; the ESS procurement rules can be found here.
    
2. By winning contracts to supply elements of the UK’s in-kind contributions. The contributions are listed here – STFC will use its normal procurement procedures including the use of approved local suppliers and OJEU announcements where appropriate. UKAEA through RACE are delivering the ESS hot cell as part of the UK’s in-kind contributions to ESS and information about upcoming opportunities is available on their website.
    
3. By winning contracts to supply parts of other nations’ national contributions. This is likely to happen mostly through existing collaborative links. A list of signed In-Kind Contribution (IKC) agreements can be found here.

An event was held on 22 November 2016 focused on how UK industry can engage with the ESS. All presentations from the event can be found here.

Links

• ESS
• ESS supplier portal
• ESS procurement homepage
• ESS procurement rules
• ESS in-kind contributions
• STFC tender opportunities registration page
• RACE Industry Opportunities

Contacts

For more information, contact the UK industry liaison to the ESS:

Carol Watts
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442015