Awarded contract

Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector

Details

Buyer: The Open University
Supplier(s): TELEDYNE UK LIMITED
Value: £585,000
Duration: 7 months
Topic: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Published: 20 August 2026
Source: uk:find_a_tender

Tender description

Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector. Qualification testing of bespoke CIS300 series UVIS detectors. This work is being performed under the remit of a UK Space Agency (UKSA) research grant, with costs for the procurement of this equipment specifically stated within the UKRI offer letter. This phase of work being performed by the OU is taking place in the broader context of a NASA led mission (HWO). The critical success factors for this phase of the activity are completion/delivery of the following items by 31/02/2027: CIS303-33: o Part thinning (to pre-AR coat) of 6 off wafers. Each wafer has 4 (unyielded) devices on it. o 8 Invar PCB packages • CIS303-66 o Part thinning (to pre-AR coat) of 4 off wafers. Each wafer has 1 (unyielded) device on it. o 4 Silicon Carbide Packages. • Back-thinning report • CIS300 test equipment o latest build standard of the Te2v CEB. o Interconnect board. o Flex rigid PCB. • FPGA update o As the requirements for this update are unknown a nominal number has been assumed, once the requirements are confirmed this cost may increase or reduce. Phase 2 would follow on to 31/03/2030, if required. ## Contract award Title: Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector

Timeline

Completed: Award published20 August 2026
Current notice
Completed: Award date20 August 2026
Next: Contract expiry date31 March 2027in 5 months

About the buyer

The Open University is a higher education provider that runs procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 through its own procurement service. Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium membership gives access to a shared framework used across UK universities. Lower-value purchases can go through a Direct Request for Quote instead of a full tender. A business team advises organisations on the most suitable procurement route before a contract begins.

Over the past 5 years, most of The Open University's contract awards have been in business services, software and information systems and education and training.

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@the-open-university.gov