Optima is proud to announce that it has been awarded a place on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s multi-supplier Engineering Design Services (EDS) Framework, affirming our commitment to providing Systems Engineering expertise to the Culham Campus.
The Framework, with a value up to £9m, supports the development of a UK industrial supply chain capability by allowing companies to work closely with UKAEA as it undertakes fusion energy research.
EDS will support the complete lifecycles of programmes, from the initial identification of a business need through to execution and delivery. Framework suppliers will be expected to provide rigour and challenge through the stages of optioneering, concepting and detailed design, with the aim of fostering innovation in the delivery of UKAEA’s array of fusion energy research programmes.
Systems Engineering will be a key component of all aspects of delivery. The new framework has recognised this through the creation of a dedicated Systems Engineering services category, to include all aspects of requirements management, concept evaluation, interface management, Model Based Systems Engineering and verification/validation.
Since 2018, Optima has been actively engaged with the Fusion community at Culham, providing Systems Engineering expertise across several programmes, including STEP, MAST-U, RACE, JET24, H3AT, FTF and JDR (see our case study). Our inclusion in the EDS Framework marks a new chapter in our partnership, continuing our engagement with the UKAEA, as they advance fusion technology to deliver a commercial, UK-sovereign capability in support of a cleaner, greener tomorrow.
The team at Optima look forward to contributing to UK Fusion, to the success of the Authority and the realisation of a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
Colette Broadwith, Strategic Procurement Business Partner for UKAEA, said: “This framework has enabled UKAEA to work collaboratively and with maximum efficiency with the fusion supply chain.
“By renewing it for another four years, UKAEA can continue to leverage the engineering and technical expertise of our industrial partners to help accelerate fusion energy’s commercialisation, for the benefit of all.”
UKAEA announcement: UKAEA renews engineering framework agreement to boost fusion