National Instruments Enterprise Agreement

National Instruments (NI) provides software and hardware that is extensively used across UKAEA projects. For much of our hardware—most notably the CompactRIO (cRIO)—NI software is a mandatory component for operation. Key projects that rely on NI tools include H3AT, MRF, HIVE, HIVE-II, CHIMERA, EBW, HiCRIS, and numerous STEP test systems and ELSA. NI software is also integrated into various subsystems on JET and MAST-U. While comprehensive tracking across all projects is limited, it is clear that transitioning away from NI would introduce significant disruption, making only high-level estimates feasible. Additionally, NI tools are widely used by third-party collaborators, such as RACE in partnership with the European Spallation Source (ESS). NI’s software suite is widely recognized across engineering and scientific industries and is a standard part of university curricula. Consequently, graduates familiar with NI software are readily available, mitigating training overheads compared with alternative platforms. The requested purchase is an Enterprise Agreement, which provides UKAEA with company-wide access to a comprehensive suite of NI software, technical support, and training (self-paced online courses, exams, and in-person sessions where required).