GB-Swindon: UKRI-1919 SWIMMR S1 Technical Contributions to Space Trusted and Space Aviation Lines

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has a requirement to provide SWIMMR with a supplier who can give technical contributions to Space Trusted and Space Aviation lines.

SWIMMR (Space Weather Instrumentation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk) is a £20 million, four-year programme that will improve the UK's capabilities for space weather monitoring and prediction. There will be an emphasis on space radiation, which can affect aircraft systems, changes in the upper atmosphere, affecting communications, and surges in the current in power grids and other ground-level systems. These are significant risks to the infrastructures we rely on in daily life and are recorded in the UK's National Risk Register.

SWIMMR will develop and deploy new instruments, models and services to support the UK space weather community and the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre. This programme will significantly add to the UK's capability to predict and mitigate the hazards of space weather, as well as providing a basis for wider international collaboration over the four year lifetime of the proposal and beyond.

SWIMMR has the following high level objectives:

I.Mitigate the potential radiation hazards of space weather to satellites and aviation operations;

II.Mitigate potential space weather effects on communication and global positioning;

III.Mitigate the potential risks of space weather to electric power distribution.

This procurement is concerned with the Space Trusted and Aviation Trusted strands.

The main aim of this tender is to provide world-class contributions to the Space Trusted and Aviation Trusted strands covering a wide range of areas within science, engineering and operations: space-based missions, aviation missions, space systems design, space radiation sensors design, aviation sensors design, aviation flight campaigns, ground systems, specialist procurement, trade-offs of complex systems with user-specific and complex high-order criteria, first-hand experience of flight operations, established wide contacts within aviation industry including RAF and commercial flights.

WP1: Technical Co-ordination support to Space Trusted strand delivery (specific tasks and deliverables);

WP2: Technical Co-ordination support to support to Aviation Trusted strand delivery (specific tasks and deliverables);

WP3: Technical Co-ordination support to IMF (Interface Management Facility) based at RAL Space;

WP4: Procurement for the Aviation Trusted strand;

The estimated value of the opportunity is between £100,000-£110,000 excl. VAT with £110,000 being the maximum budget available which cannot be exceeded.

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.