Supply AFM Atomic Force Hi Resolution Scanning Probe Microscope
We invite tenders for a high resolution scanning probe microscope.
UK-Nottingham: Scanning probe microscopes
2013/S 102-174101
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.3)Main activity
Education
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
AFM Atomic Force Hi Resolution Scanning Probe Microscope (ITT/515).
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Supplies
Purchase
NUTS code UKF14
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
We invite tenders for a high resolution scanning probe microscope. The microscope will be used to acquire images of adsorbed layers of molecules and metal organic frameworks on inhomogeneous substrates such as graphene, gold and silicon dioxide. The imaging of surfaces of active regions of devices with areas on the order 1 micron is a complementary objective. The microscope should be operable in liquid or under ambient conditions and either include holders for variable temperature (0-100C) and electrochemical applications or have these available as retrofittable components. The microscope should complement our existing range of ambient SPMs, namely
2 x Asylum Research MFP 3D,
1 x Veeco Multimode AFM STM,
2 x Agilent/Molecular Imaging STMs
by enhancing the capability of our equipment pool in the following ways
Primary factor
1
increased resolution in non-contact mode AFM mode aiming for less than 1nm lateral resolution on adsorbed molecular films
Secondary factors
2
ease of alignment using optical microscopy to specific sites on the sample. Reproducible placement accuracy of probe tip to within equivalent to tilde symbol 5microns of site of interest is acceptable, but a lower value would be preferable.
3
ease of operation and time taken to acquire high resolution images.
4
the facility for imaging the same area in STM and AFM modes with minimal disruption due to tip exchange.
We stress that we require an enhancement in the capability of our instrument pool and that increase of capacity is not our aim. We will assess the performance of the new microscopes against our existing suite of instruments. A minimum requirement is that the new microscope demonstrates a significant increase of resolution in noncontact/tapping mode AFM using the test samples identified below. Tenders are welcome from companies who can meet a sub-set of the objectives identified above and will be considered in competition if a solution which solves all three objectives is not forthcoming. In this case AFM resolution will be used as the primary performance comparator.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: yes
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
one system.
II.2.2)Information about options
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Starting 27.9.2013. Completion 31.1.2014
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
Please see tender document.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Please see tender document.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Please see tender document.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions:
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Completion of Questionnaires and various other tender documents. Any supplier may be disqualified who is: a) bankrupt or is being wound up, whose affairs are being administered by the Court, who has entered into an arrangement with creditors or who is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under National Laws and Regulations b) is the subject of proceedings for a declaration of bankruptcy, for an order for compulsory winding-up or administration by the Court or for an arrangement with creditors or is the subject of any other similar proceedings under National Laws or Regulations c) has been convicted of an offence concerning his professional conduct by a judgement which has the force of res judicata d) has been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contracting authorities can justify g) is guilty of serious misrepresentation in supplying the information required under the provisions of the Directive on the criteria for qualitative selection e) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or those of the country of the contracting authority f)has not fulfiled obligations relating to the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or those of the country of the contracting authority.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: As contained in the Questionnaires and various other tender documents.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
See tender document.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
See tender document.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
PROC HF ITT/519
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 27.6.2013 – 12:00
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
8.7.2013 – 12:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
in days: 60 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Date: 27.6.2013 – 12:30
Place:
UoN offices Nottingham.
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: yes
Additional information about authorised persons and opening procedure: Authorised officers of UoN.
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: yes
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): This Contract is part financed by European Regional Development Funded Project Name Chemistry Innovation Laboratory Project number EMX 06785 ERDF Programme 2007 to 2013.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs.
VI.3)Additional information
All correspondence and expressions of interest relating to this project MUST be made through the University of Nottingham e-tendering website: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofnottingham/
Non compliant expressions of interest will not be considered or acknowledged.The UoN reserves the right to cancel the tender process at any stage.The UoN does not accept any liability for costs incurred in tendering.Variation will be accepted where adequately explained by the tenderer and provided that these variations comply with the standards specified in the selection and claims criteria of the the tender document.
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
SEE V1.4.2
UNITED KINGDOM
Body responsible for mediation procedures
n/a
UNITED KINGDOM
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The UoN will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:27.5.2013