Vacuum and Cryogenic services and minor mechanical works

The European Union Funding & Tenders Portal has published a call for tenders referenced as F4E-OFC-1592, aimed at securing vacuum and cryogenic services along with minor mechanical works. This opportunity, announced by Fusion for Energy (F4E), is categorized as an open procurement process, wherein organizations are invited to submit proposals electronically. The closing date for tender submissions is set for September 23, 2025.

The scope of this framework contract includes a comprehensive range of services essential for supporting the ITER project's cryogenic and vacuum systems. These services will encompass testing, servicing, and installation of components such as cryogenic lines and dewar stations. The project is focused on construction, maintenance, and commissioning activities aligning with the ongoing development of the ITER facility.

Eligible applicants for this tender will primarily include companies specializing in engineering services, particularly with expertise in cryogenics, vacuum technology, and mechanical works. While no specific requirement for consortia is mentioned, any qualified entity can respond to the tender. The geographic eligibility is expected to encompass EU member states and potentially other countries involved in ITER, aligning with EU procurement regulations.

This is classified as a service contract under the procurement type, meaning there is no funding grant involved. Therefore, applicants will receive financial compensation for services rendered, rather than needing to provide co-funding. However, the specific funding amount is not disclosed, being marked as unknown or variable due to the framework nature of the contract.

The application process involves a single stage, requiring submissions to be evaluated based on technical and financial criteria. No historical data on success rates or specific countries is provided in the announcement.

The main target sector for this tender is the energy sector, specifically focusing on fusion technology and engineering services, which are vital for the infrastructure development tied to fusion energy initiatives.

Overall, this tender represents an important opportunity for qualified companies to engage in work critical to the advancement of fusion energy through the ITER project, with an emphasis on ensuring the reliability and maintenance of vacuum and cryogenic systems.

The European Union Funding & Tenders Portal has announced a call for tenders, reference number F4E-OFC-1592, for vacuum and cryogenic services and minor mechanical works. This is an open procedure, and the submission method is non-electronic. The contract type is for services.

The scope of the framework contract encompasses the provision of vacuum and cryogenic services, along with minor mechanical works, to support the construction, maintenance, and commissioning activities related to the ITER Cryogenic and vacuum distribution system, including equipment provided to F4E (Fusion for Energy).

The procurement of services will include a range of activities, from testing and servicing existing cryogenic and vacuum components to supplying and installing various components such as dewar stations. It also includes the supply, installation, and testing of a cryogenic line to connect the cryoplant to a distribution loop.

The TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) publication date for this call for tenders is July 18, 2025. The deadline for receipt of tenders is September 23, 2025, at 16:00 (4:00 PM) Central European Time.

The estimated total value of the contract is not available (N/A). The main CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) code is 71300000, which corresponds to engineering services. The award method is not available (N/A). The address of the buyer profile is not available (N/A). Information about a public contract, a framework agreement, or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is not available (N/A).

Questions and answers related to the tender are available for download in PDF format (English version only). No translations are available.

In summary, this tender opportunity seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive vacuum and cryogenic services, as well as minor mechanical works, to support the ITER project's cryogenic and vacuum systems. This includes everything from routine maintenance and testing of existing components to the supply, installation, and testing of new equipment and infrastructure. The work is crucial for the construction, maintenance, and commissioning phases of the ITER project, specifically focusing on the cryogenic and vacuum distribution system managed by F4E. Companies with expertise in cryogenic engineering, vacuum technology, and mechanical engineering are encouraged to apply, keeping in mind the non-electronic submission requirement and the deadline of September 23, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly define eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the services required (vacuum and cryogenic services and minor mechanical works), it can be inferred that eligible applicants would likely include companies, SMEs, or organizations with expertise in engineering, cryogenics, vacuum technology, and related mechanical services.

Funding Type: Procurement. The opportunity is a call for tenders, indicating a procurement process where the contracting authority (F4E) seeks to purchase services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not specify whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. It is possible that both single applicants and consortia are eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The provided text does not explicitly state geographic eligibility. However, since the call is published on an EU funding portal and related to ITER, it is highly probable that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and potentially other countries involved in the ITER project.

Target Sector: The target sector is engineering services, specifically focusing on vacuum and cryogenic services and minor mechanical works. This includes areas related to cryogenics, vacuum technology, mechanical engineering, and support for large-scale scientific infrastructure like ITER.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the opportunity details. The opportunity is related to the ITER project, which is an international collaboration, but the text itself does not list specific countries.

Project Stage: The project stage relates to construction, maintenance, and commissioning activities. The services are intended to support the ongoing work on the ITER Cryogenic and vacuum distribution system. This suggests that the project is in the development, validation, and potentially demonstration phases.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is indicated as N/A, meaning the specific budget or financial scale for this framework contract is not disclosed in the provided information.

Application Type: Open call. The procedure type is described as an "Open procedure," indicating an open call for tenders.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered. This is a service contract.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned. However, as an open call for tenders, it is likely to involve at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided information.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not specify whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders (F4E-OFC-1592) for a framework contract concerning the provision of vacuum and cryogenic services and minor mechanical works to support the construction, maintenance, and commissioning activities related to the ITER Cryogenic and vacuum distribution system. The services to be procured range from testing and servicing existing cryogenic and vacuum components to supplying and installing new components such as dewar stations and cryogenic lines. This is an open procedure, meaning any qualified organization can submit a tender. The contract type is for services. The deadline for submitting tenders is 23 September 2025. The estimated total value of the contract is not available. The main CPV code is 71300000, which corresponds to engineering services. The submission method is non-electronic. The successful tenderer will be responsible for providing specialized engineering services related to cryogenics and vacuum technology to support the ITER project.