Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
National Physical Laboratory
Hampton Road
Teddington
TW11 0LW
Contact
Mandy Morgan
Telephone
+44 2089436731
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
OrbiSIMS – simultaneous high-mass resolving power and high-spatial resolution mass spectrometry imaging for biological and advanced materials characterisation
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
NPL pioneered the next generation OrbiSIMS technology introduced in detail in Nature Methods (2017, PMID: 29131162). The instrument is equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ToF) for high-speed imaging of large areas or in 3D. It is also equipped with a high-field Orbitrap mass spectrometer with a mass resolving power of >240,000 at m/z 200 and a mass accuracy of approximately 1 ppm. Both ToF and Orbitrap analysers can be used simultaneously or separately. The OrbiSIMS shall be able to carry out cryogenic analysis under ultra-high vacuum with sample holder temperatures below –150 oC.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: 2,254,326.75 EUR
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The OrbiSIMS instrument shall be equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ToF) for high-speed imaging of large areas or in 3D. It shall also be equipped with a high-field Orbitrap mass spectrometer with a mass resolving power of >240,000 at m/z 200 and a mass accuracy of ~ 1 ppm. The instrument shall be equipped with 3 primary ion beams which are optimal for different materials systems. (1) A 20 kV gas cluster ion source with a spatial resolution < 2 µm used for biological imaging and depth-profiling of organic materials, (2) a low energy (250 eV to 2000 eV) dual source (Cs and O2) sputter beam with high-current (>50 nA at 500 eV with a spatial resolution < 40 µm) for depth profiling of semiconductor samples and (3) a 30 kV high-resolution Bi nanoprobe with a spatial resolution < 50 nm. The instrument shall be able to operate with either the ToF analyser or the Orbitrap analyser or a combination of the two as described in the Nat. Methods paper. (4) a Ga focused ion beam with accelerating voltages of up to 30 kV, minimum bema diameter of 60nm and beam current > 25 nA. The OrbiSIMS shall be equipped for cryogenic analysis (sample holder temperature < -150 oC) and be compatible with and including Leica sample holders and allow the docking of a Leica VCT-500 cryo transfer vessel. It shall have two high-resolution TV cameras for direct sample observation and rapid location of the area of interest, as well as a photo box for high-resolution sample navigation. In addition to mass analysers, the instrument shall have a pulsed high-quality Everhart-Thornley secondary electron detector, located at grazing incidence to the sample, for primary ion induced secondary electron imaging and a self-adjusting charge compensation system using a pulsed, low energy electron flood gun. Samples shall be mounted using a rapid sample introduction system, with one sample holder for rear mounting of up to 18 samples with maximum dimensions of 10 mm x 10 mm x 8 mm, including mounting accessories, one sample holder for top mounting of multiple samples on an area of 100 mm x 80 mm with a maximum thickness of up to 20 mm, and one sample holder for mounting samples for cryogenic analysis.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The OrbiSIMS concept was created at NPL and the first prototype instrument was built in a collaborative project with IONTOF and ThermoFisher Scientific. The instrument was subsequently commercialised by IONTOF and sold as the Hybrid SIMS. IONTOF are the only manufacturer of this type of instrument. A number of features of the OrbiSIMS instrument are protected by international patents. Unique features of the OrbiSIMS instrument include:
1. Imaging of biomolecules from tissue using a gas cluster ion beam with a spatial resolution of < 2 µm simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
2. Depth resolution of < 10 nm of organic molecules in an organic multilayer reference sample simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
3. Depth resolution of < 2 nm of ions in an inorganic semiconductor delta-layer reference sample simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
4. Cryogenic imaging (see requirement 1) with a sample holder temperature of < -150 oC. Samples shall be mounted on Leica sample mounts. The instrument shall accept docking of a Leica VCT-500 cryo transfer vessel and have provision to receive samples into the instrument.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
23 January 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
IONTOF GmbH
Heisenbergstr 15
Munster
48149
Country
Germany
NUTS code
- DE - Germany
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: 2,254,326.75 EUR / Highest offer: 2,254,326.75 EUR taken into consideration
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NPL Management Ltd
Hampton Road
Teddington
TW11 0LW
Country
United Kingdom