Tenders

UKRI-5440 - Control Systems for Superconducting Quantum Computing Research

Open
Deadline
3 days left
March 06, 2026
Contract Details
Category
Other
Reference
009730-2026
Value
£6,000,000
Location
United Kingdom
Published
February 24, 2026
CPV Code
Project Timeline

Tender Published

February 04, 2026

Deadline for Questions

February 27, 2026

Submission Deadline

March 06, 2026

Contract Start Date

March 29, 2026

Budget
£6,000,000
Duration
13 months
Location
United Kingdom
Type
Other
57
Quality Score/100
Fair

Original Tender Description

The UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) plans to build and scale quantum computers based on superconducting circuit qubits for its research activities. This tender is for the purchase of one (1) superconducting qubit control system in the first instance, with the option to procure additional compatible systems and associated upgrades over the contract duration (up to five years) to support the ongoing scaling of NQCC’s quantum computing platforms and related research and development activity. The control system must enable NQCC researchers to measure and control superconducting multi-qubit systems for experimental research in quantum error correction for superconducting quantum computing. A suitable control system solution that can be scaled and upgraded over the contract term while maintaining technical compatibility will accelerate NQCC’s research programme in superconducting quantum computing.

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Requirements & Qualifications

14 requirements across 5 categories

Submission (4)
Mandatory (1)
Compliance (1)
Technical (7)
Financial (1)
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS4
--Submit a bid for the purchase of one (1) superconducting qubit control system.
--Acknowledge the option for UKRI to procure additional compatible systems and associated upgrades over the contract duration (up to five years).
--Submit the bid by the deadline: 2026-03-06T14:00:00+00:00.
MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS1
--No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are mentioned in the provided information.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS1
--No specific eligibility requirements for bidders are mentioned in the provided information.
TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS7
--Provide one (1) superconducting qubit control system.
--The control system must enable NQCC researchers to measure and control superconducting multi-qubit systems.
--The control system must support experimental research in quantum error correction for superconducting quantum computing.
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS1
--No specific financial requirements for bidders (e.g., minimum turnover, financial stability) are mentioned in the provided information.

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Documents

4 documents available with AI summaries

OCDS RecordDOC
009730-2026_ocds_record.json

This OCDS record provides structured data about the UKRI tender for a superconducting qubit control system, detailing the buyer, contact, and tender identification for quantum computing research.

OCDS Release PackageDOC
009730-2026_ocds_release.json

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) seeks a superconducting qubit control system for its National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) to support experimental research in quantum error correction, with potential for additional systems and upgrades over a five-year contract.

Official PDF VersionPDF
009730-2026_official.pdf

UK Research & Innovation seeks a scalable superconducting qubit control system for its National Quantum Computing Centre's research, with an initial purchase and options for upgrades over five years, valued up to £5M.

Tender NoticeHTM
009730-2026.html

UKRI's NQCC seeks a scalable and upgradable superconducting qubit control system for quantum computing research, with an initial 12-month contract and options for extension up to five years, valued at up to £5M.

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57
Fair

Tender Quality Score

This tender presents a clear technical objective for advanced quantum computing research but suffers from significant deficiencies in transparency, accessibility, and completeness of procedural information, notably lacking evaluation criteria and e-submission options.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance65/100

The tender defines the procedure type and CPV code correctly, and no disputes are reported. However, the absence of a reveal date, explicit mandatory exclusion grounds, and crucially, specified evaluation criteria, raises significant legal compliance concerns for an open procedure.

Missing reveal date
No specific mandatory exclusion grounds mentioned
Clarity60/100

The technical description and requirements for the superconducting qubit control system are clear and unambiguous. However, the overall clarity for bidders is severely hampered by the explicit absence of evaluation criteria, eligibility requirements, and financial requirements.

Missing evaluation criteria
No specific eligibility requirements mentioned
Completeness65/100

Basic information such as title, organization, value, and duration are provided. However, the tender is incomplete due to the stated absence of eligibility requirements, financial requirements, and evaluation criteria, which are fundamental components of a comprehensive tender package. Some codes and the liable person are also missing.

Missing evaluation criteria
No specific eligibility requirements mentioned
Fairness45/100

Fairness is significantly compromised by the lack of specified evaluation criteria, which are essential for transparent and objective assessment. The absence of e-submission and document URLs creates barriers to equal access. The requirement for 'technical compatibility' for future upgrades, while understandable for research, could potentially limit competition to a specific vendor's ecosystem.

Missing evaluation criteria
No e-submission supported
Practicality40/100

Practicality is notably low for a tender in 2026. The lack of electronic submission capabilities and the absence of direct URLs for tender documents create significant logistical hurdles for potential bidders, hindering efficient participation. The contract start date and duration are clearly specified.

No e-submission supported
No document URL provided
Data Consistency70/100

Most key fields are populated, and dates are logical. However, there are minor inconsistencies such as missing codes for the procedure type and liable person, a missing reveal date, and a discrepancy in the estimated value (EUR vs. GBP in document summaries).

Missing reveal date
Inconsistency in estimated value (EUR vs GBP in summaries)
Sustainability50/100

The tender inherently focuses on innovation through its advanced quantum computing research objective. However, it completely lacks explicit criteria for green procurement or social aspects, which are increasingly important considerations in modern public procurement.

No explicit green procurement criteria
No explicit social criteria

Strengths

Clear technical description of the required system
Estimated value and contract duration are specified
Focus on innovation in quantum computing research
CPV code and procedure type are defined
No reported disputes or suspensions

Concerns

Absence of evaluation criteria, eligibility, and financial requirements
Lack of electronic submission and document URLs
Potential for requirements to be tailored due to 'technical compatibility'
Missing reveal date and some data inconsistencies
No explicit green or social procurement criteria

Recommendations

1. Immediately publish comprehensive evaluation criteria, eligibility, and financial requirements to ensure transparency and legal compliance.
2. Enable electronic submission and provide direct URLs to all tender documents to improve accessibility and fairness.
3. Clarify the 'technical compatibility' requirement to ensure it does not unduly restrict competition, or justify it thoroughly.

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