Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
Western Bank
SHEFFIELD
S102TN
Contact
James Noble
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKE32 - Sheffield
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sheffield
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
3023/JN - Dilution Refrigerator and Magnet System
Reference number
3023/JN
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
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Sheffield, with funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) requires a dilution refrigerator and magnet system for use in a search for hidden sector dark matter. The dilution refrigerator will be appropriate for cooling a two-component payload, consisting of (i) An electromagnetic resonator, such as a conducting-wall resonant cavity; and (ii) Ultra-low-noise readout electronics in as close proximity as possible to the resonator, allowing them to be coupled together. The space for the electromagnetic resonator should be threaded by a static magnetic field of nominal magnitude 8T, The ultra-low-noise readout electronics should be in a magnetic-field-free region, with magnetic field exclusion achieved via a combination of a field compensation coil and passive normal-conducting and superconducting shields mounted in the bore of the compensation coil. The operating base temperature of the refrigerator should be not more than 10mK at the mixing chamber plate, where the cooling power should be at least 12 microwatts at 20mK and at least 400 microwatts at 100mK. The experiment will run cold and at with the magnetic field threading the cavity for at least 6 months at a time without need to be warmed up. The refrigerator should utilize mechanical pre-cooling to a sufficiently low temperature for the dilution refrigerator to operate, so that the only liquid cryogens that are required are the helium3/helium4 mixture in the closed cycle dilution refrigerator unit and some liquid nitrogen that may be required for a cold trap in the gas handling unit. The system should incorporate its own reliable control system and software for ease of control, and this control system should also be remotely operable from the data acquisition system of the experiment, via an appropriate cable interface. A schedule of tests required to demonstrate function upon delivery of the apparatus are supplied in the technical specification.
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: £700,628
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKE32 - Sheffield
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Sheffield, with funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) requires a dilution refrigerator and magnet system for use in a search for hidden sector dark matter. The dilution refrigerator will be appropriate for cooling a two-component payload, consisting of (i) An electromagnetic resonator, such as a conducting-wall resonant cavity; and (ii) Ultra-low-noise readout electronics in as close proximity as possible to the resonator, allowing them to be coupled together. The space for the electromagnetic resonator should be threaded by a static magnetic field of nominal magnitude 8T, The ultra-low-noise readout electronics should be in a magnetic-field-free region, with magnetic field exclusion achieved via a combination of a field compensation coil and passive normal-conducting and superconducting shields mounted in the bore of the compensation coil. The operating base temperature of the refrigerator should be not more than 10mK at the mixing chamber plate, where the cooling power should be at least 12 microwatts at 20mK and at least 400 microwatts at 100mK. The experiment will run cold and at with the magnetic field threading the cavity for at least 6 months at a time without need to be warmed up. The refrigerator should utilize mechanical pre-cooling to a sufficiently low temperature for the dilution refrigerator to operate, so that the only liquid cryogens that are required are the helium3/helium4 mixture in the closed cycle dilution refrigerator unit and some liquid nitrogen that may be required for a cold trap in the gas handling unit. The system should incorporate its own reliable control system and software for ease of control, and this control system should also be remotely operable from the data acquisition system of the experiment, via an appropriate cable interface. A schedule of tests required to demonstrate function upon delivery of the apparatus are supplied in the technical specification.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 85
Price - Weighting: 15
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-005585
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
3023/JN
Title
Dilution Refrigerator and Magnet System
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
28 June 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Oxford instruments nanotechnology tools Ltd T/A Oxford Instruments Nanoscience
Tubney Woods, Abingdon
Oxon
OX13 5QX
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £685,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £700,628
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The University of Sheffield
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Country
United Kingdom