Quantum Market Analysis and Intelligence Platform

Tender description

NPL intends to engage with the market to explore solutions, delivery models, and commercial approaches for a Quantum Market Analysis and Intelligence Platform, delivered via a secure online portal. The objective is to access timely, structured, and actionable market intelligence on quantum technologies, companies, investments, research outputs, supply chains, standards, and policy/regulatory developments, to support evidence-based decision-making, business development, and strategic planning. This premarket engagement seeks to: • Understand the maturity of available platforms and datasets; • Validate feasible functional, data, and security requirements; • Explore delivery and licensing models (e.g., subscription/SaaS, enterprise seats); • Identify potential risks, dependencies, and interoperability constraints. The potential future procurement is expected to cover access to an online quantum market intelligence portal, optional API/data feeds, and associated support and services. 2.1 Core Deliverables • Online Portal Access (role-based): Browser-accessible, secure platform providing dashboards, search, filtering, and/or export for quantum market intelligence. • Data Coverage (quantum domain-specific), including: o Company & ecosystem data: Start-ups, SMEs, incumbents, labs, Catapults; profiles with locations, maturity stage, funding history, partnerships, products, and IP footprints. o Investment & funding: VC/PE, grants, public funding rounds; timelines, amounts, investors, co-investments, and geographic trends. o Research outputs: Publications, patents, standards development, datasets; linkages to organisations/authors and topics. o Technology segmentation: E.g., ion traps, superconducting, photonics, neutral atoms, NV centres, quantum communications, quantum timing and quantum sensors, enabling components, software stacks. o Policy & regulation: HMG and overseas policies, standards activity (e.g., BSI/ISO/ETSI), export controls, subsidy regimes, and public programmes. o Market sizing & forecasts (where available): Methodology disclosure and refresh cadence. o Supply chain intelligence: Key suppliers, manufacturing capabilities, critical materials, bottlenecks, geographic exposure. • Analytics & Reporting: o Custom dashboards, saved views, alerting (e.g., new funding rounds, policy changes), comparison tools. o Methodology transparency: Source lists, update frequency, inclusion/exclusion criteria. • User Enablement: o Onboarding, training sessions, knowledge base, and helpdesk access. o Named-user or enterprise licensing, with flexible seat management. 2.2 Technical & Integration (Indicative) • Security: SSO (SAML/OIDC) preferred, role-based access control, audit logging, data encryption in transit and at rest, UK GDPR compliance, documented data provenance and licensing. • Availability & Performance: Target uptime (e.g., ≥99.5%), responsive UX with scalable backend. • Hosting: UK/EU data residency preferences (EU/FVEY accepted), clarity on sub-processors and cloud regions. • Auditability: Clear citation trails, confidence scoring, and version history for datasets and outputs. 2.3 Service & Support • Support Channels: Email/ticketing, dedicated CSM (for enterprise). • Training: Initial and refresher training; materials suitable for different user personas (policy, BD, technical). • Roadmap Engagement: Mechanism to suggest feature enhancements and receive updates. 2.4 Commercial & Contractual (Indicative) • Licensing: Subscription (annual/multi-year), named or concurrent seats; enterprise licenses. • Pricing Transparency: Clear rate cards; volume tiers; fair usage parameters. • IP & Data Rights: Clarity on: o Rights to use platform outputs internally; o Restrictions on redistribution; o Ownership of any custom analyses developed for the Authority. • Data Ethics: Approach to bias, representativeness, methodology robustness, and corrections/dispute processes. 2.5 Optional Components • Bespoke analyst support: Periodic briefings, deep dives, or validation of key assumptions. • Custom dashboards aligned to policy/business questions (e.g., UK supply chain resilience; regional clustering). This is not an evaluation exercise and nothing in this activity will limit the opportunity to engage in any follow on ITT.