Scope
Description
The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), led by Queen's University Belfast, is key to an exciting future for manufacturing in Northern Ireland, as an industry-led, open-access centre for manufacturing and engineering innovation with state-of-the-art facilities and an expert engineering team, underpinned by academic excellence.
Queen's University Belfast (hereafter referred to as "Queen's") is seeking to undertake a pre-market engagement exercise in order to identify suitably qualified and experienced suppliers to supply, install and provide ongoing maintenance for a Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching tool within the Factory of the Future.
In order to understand market offerings for this equipment, Queen's would like to invite Suppliers to provide information on their equipment, including relevant knowledge and experience and how this could benefit the applications Queen's may have for the equipment.
Interested suppliers are required to complete and return the PME survey published on In-Tend tendering platform.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 29 May 2026 to 29 May 2031
- Possible extension to 29 May 2040
- 14 years, 1 day
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Contract locations
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Engagement
Engagement deadline
5 January 2026
Engagement process description
AMIC is expanding its core capabilities in Digital Factory, Smart Design, Sustainable Polymers and Composites, Nanotechnology and Photonics.
As part of this project, Queen's University Belfast is seeking expressions of interest from suppliers as we wish to procure a CAIBE Tool.
Queen's staff wish to engage with suppliers prior to procuring this equipment to: 1 - gain a better understanding of what the market can offer and if the market can respond to a tender meeting our requirements. 2 - identify potential suppliers able to provide the requirement. 3 - understand potential lead times. 4 - gain an understanding of the commercial profile for the requirement.
A pre-market engagement questionnaire has been published here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/queensuniversitybelfast.
Interested parties are asked to complete and return this questionnaire via the In-Tend platform.
Queen's may then contact suppliers for further discussion of the information received in the questionnaire. Queen's do not guarantee that they will speak to every supplier who submits a return. Participation in the pre-market engagement exercise is not a pre-requisite to participation in any future tender exercise, however, the information provided may be used to inform decisions around the tender exercise. Queen's welcome all participation in this Pre Market engagement exercise.
This Pre Market Engagement exercise is not a call for competition and does not commit Queen's to proceed with a formal procurement. Queen's is not obligated to adopt supplier feedback into the process.
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
23 February 2026
Contracting authority
Queen's University Belfast
- Charity Commission for Northern Ireland: 101788
University Rd
Belfast
BT7 1NN
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@qub.ac.uk
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland