What are we commissioning?
We are commissioning a supplier - either an organisation or a consortium - to deliver non-financial support (NFS) services to 10 innovator teams from the UK track of the Aqualunar Challenge.
Between June 2024 and January 2025, 10 innovator teams will develop detailed designs for their proposed technologies and will also build and test key components of their design. This period of support will conclude with innovators submitting a written innovator report and a video demonstration.
This ITT relates specifically to the delivery of non-financial support for the UK track of the Aqualunar Challenge. However, we plan to open up the UK support to Canadian teams whenever practical, for example, for online events, webinars and workshops.
Additional background information, which will help to inform the required NFS services, can be found in Appendices 1-5 in the invitation to tender document.
This invitation to tender (ITT) is for work for a 16-month period, from February 2024 until May 2025, with core activities taking place from May 2024 to January 2025. The deadline to apply is Wednesday 17 January 2024, at 11:59 pm GMT.
How to apply
Written responses outlining your approach should be submitted via this online form by Wednesday 17 January 2024, at 11:59 pm GMT (London, UK). Please keep proposals under six A4 pages. Budget, biographies of team members and links to other information will not be counted within the six-page limit.
Please contact aqualunarchallenge@challengeworks.org if you have any questions in the meantime.
Please note that our offices will be closed between 22nd December 2023 and 1st January 2024.
Background to the Challenge
The Aqualunar Challenge is a challenge prize with a £1.2m prize pot to drive the creation of innovative technologies for use on the Moon to purify water on the lunar surface.
The Aqualunar Challenge is a project of international collaboration between the United Kingdom and Canada, with joint but distinct tracks for each of the UK and Canada.
In the UK, the Aqualunar Challenge is delivered by Challenge Works on behalf of the UK Space Agency.
In Canada, the Aqualunar Challenge is organised and delivered by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in partnership with the Privy Council Office’s Impact Canada program, situated within the Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU).
The UK track of the Challenge is made up of two stages.
- Stage 1: Teams develop a proposal for their technology
- Stage 2: Teams develop detailed designs and build key components
In parallel, the Canadian track of the Aqualunar Challenge will support 8 teams during Stage 2.
