GB-Swindon: High Purity Niobium

The Proton Improvement Plan (Phase 2) - PIP-II, is a US-led international project that will provide the linear accelerator to create neutrinos for the Long Beamline Neutrino Facility (LBNF). LBNF itself will be the world's most intense high-energy neutrino beam facility. The PIP-II linear accelerator (linac) will fire neutrinos 1300 km from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (also known as Fermilab) in Illinois towards the 70,000 tonne Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) far detector at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota in order to study neutrino oscillations.

As part of the UK in-kind contribution to the PIP-II project, The UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation, is responsible for delivering 3 high-β cryomodules for the linac at Fermilab. STFC must source material for 20 high-β SRF cavities capable of achieving 19.9 MV/m at 650 MHz, with a Q0 better than 3 x 1010. The cavities must be manufactured from high purity niobium.

The Niobium procured in this tender shall be used for the fabrication of the prototype high beta cavity for the PIP-II project as described above.

The scope required from this contract consists of the following:

High Purity Niobium Material

•Supply of high purity Niobium material for the production of a prototype PIP-II super-conducting RF (SRF) cavity in semi-finished form.

Quality Assurance Planning and Execution

•The supplier shall provide a Quality Assurance Plan (QAP), detailing all necessary quality activity for the execution of the contract, which shall be approved by STFC

•The supplier shall execute all steps within the QAP during contract execution

•The supplier shall deliver formal reports and documentation to STFC including technical analysis, quality control measurements, materials analysis data and specific inspection reports

Delivery of all Niobium Material

•Delivery of niobium material to STFC or its designated representative, under Delivered, Duty Paid (DDP) incoterms (VAT exempt).

For the full Specification, please see document UK SBS PR19077 Specification, and any other relevant supporting information.

Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.This notice is linked to a Future Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder:

UK SBS Niobium Material

Niobium material for DUNE PIP-II High Beta SRF Cavities (Prototype and Series Production)