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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesiser 2V (JAWS) primary voltage standard

NPL Management Limited · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 5 Oct 2026, 07:58.

Opportunity overview

NPL is procuring a Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesiser (JAWS) primary voltage standard. This is a series array of Josephson junctions in which single pulses of bias current each generate a small but precisely defined quantised voltage across the array. Accurate voltage waveforms are constructed by fast repetition of the pulses with accurately timed intervals between them. In the JAWS system, the output voltage is always precisely defined. This is in contrast to the Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard (PJVS) in which there are time intervals when the voltage output is not precisely known and is not suitable. NPL intends to award the contract for a 2V JAWS reference system to the manufacturer the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. NPL requires the following specifications: Range and accuracy of voltage output Output voltage:                               Up to 2 V Upper frequency limit:                          Up to at least 1 MHz Lower frequency limit:                          Down to 5 Hz (lowest frequency component), with the capability to output DC Pulse repetition rate:                           At least 10 Gsamples / second RMS uncertainty with 100 Hz sine wave generation:    better than 4 ppm (k=2) RMS uncertainty with 10 kHz sine wave generation:    better than 8 ppm (k=2) Cooling The system will not require any liquid cryogens Automation The system will be provided with software for custom waveform design or selecting standard sine waveforms. A detailed knowledge of the techniques used to generate the pulse patterns (e.g. delta-sigma conversion) should not be required of the operators. It is highly desirable that the software is able to perform automatic calibration of AC voltmeters and calibrators such as the Fluke 5700 series. Training The system should be simple enough to operate that users already experienced with programmable Josephson voltage standards can operate it after 2-3 days of training. The training will be provided by the supplier at the NPL Teddington site.

Classification

  • CPV31000000 — Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
  • CPV38000000 — Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
ocds-h6vhtk-06020f
Main Procurement Category
goods
Above Threshold
Yes
Status
planning

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planning

Contract period

Starts
1 Feb 2026, 00:00
Ends
1 Jul 2026, 23:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
31000000
Description
Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
38000000
Description
Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UK
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Planning and budget

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Description
This Engagement Notice is intended to act a s a Direct Award Notice that NPL will award this contract to U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology at the end of this engagement deadline .
Due
19 Jan 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled

Documents

Entry 1
Id
001546-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Published
8 Jan 2026, 15:18
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
NPL Management Limited
Id
GB-COH-02937881

Identifier

Scheme
GB-COH
Id
02937881

Additional Identifiers

Entry 1
Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PYDB-8862-JBYM

Address

Street Address
National Physical Laboratory
Locality
Teddington
Postal Code
TW11 0LW
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKI75

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicUndertaking
Description
Public undertaking

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Teddington · UKI75 · TW11 0LW · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UK · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. 001546-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·