STEP Engineering System Partners Procurement

Buyer
UK Fusion Energy Ltd
Value
£115,000,000
Closes
29 January 2027
Where
Abingdon
Type
Open tender

In plain English

UK Fusion Energy Ltd is looking for engineering partners to help build and run a prototype fusion power plant, known as STEP, by 2040. The work is split into five lots, and the estimated total value is about £115 million, with each lot run as a contract of two years plus up to two one-year extensions (four years maximum). The notice shown here is incomplete, so the full details for the other lots and the requirements are not included.

What the buyer wants

• Design, integrate and manage the engineering for specific parts of the fusion plant, such as the Breeder Blanket System or Fuel Cycle System, working alongside UK Fusion Energy and other partners. • Take responsibility for detailed design of plant systems, equipment and components, manage all engineering data, and lead the move from design through to manufacture and operation. • Contract and manage a supply chain to deliver the work, either as a single organisation, a consortium or a joint venture.

Lots

Requirements

What could rule a small business out: The notice does not state financial, insurance or experience thresholds, but the scale (around £115 million over up to four years), the complex engineering design and integration duties, and the need to lead a large supply chain would most likely rule out most small businesses unless they bid as part of a consortium or joint venture; the full capability statements in the procurement documents would need checking for any specific minimums.

Always check the tender documents.

How to bid

This is an open tender: any eligible business can respond directly to the buyer by the deadline, with no framework membership needed.

Where to apply

Bids go through Delta eSourcing. Make a free account there, then search for this tender's title.

Go to Delta eSourcing

Questions about this tender? Email the buyer at operationalprocurement.step@ukifs.uk.

How to write a tender response

Similar open IT and digital contracts

Check whether your business could win this, free

Get a plain-English bid plan for this tender with the bid coach