United Kingdom-Newcastle: (NU/1722) Supply of a comprehensive Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Microscopy Facility

Type of document: Contract award
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2022/S 000-029427/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Type of bid required: Not applicable

Contract award notice
Supplies

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Newcastle University
Postal address: Newcastle University, Procurement Services, Kingsgate
Town: Newcastle
Postal code: NE1 7RU
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Mr Dave Anderson
Telephone: +44 1912085360
Email: dave.anderson@ncl.ac.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address:
Address of the buyer profile:

I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: (NU/1722) Supply of a comprehensive Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Microscopy Facility

Reference number: DN575877
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 38000000
II.1.3) Type of contract Supplies
II.1.4) Short Description: The North East ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and microscopy facility (based at
Newcastle University) will be a unique national facility to fulfil a strategically and critically
important research infrastructure gap in the region. The facility aligns with the institutional
strategy that includes the establishment of Centres for Research Excellence in Energy, Data
and Cancer and the establishment of NU Academic Track Fellowships, several of whom will
benefit from this facility. Transient absorption spectroscopy is a key tool that enables
scientists to probe the identity, formation and fate of short-lived, energetic species formed
on excitation with light (e.g. from a laser). It permits ultrafast optical and near infrared
spectroscopy on a range of molecular, biological and functional material systems to provide
critical mechanistic information on light-induced reaction pathways. This includes tracking
the dynamics of key excited state and charge-transfer intermediates that lie at the heart of a
vast amount of chemistry, from solar energy conversion to enzyme reactions. This national
facility will support several multidisciplinary fields with substantial potential for societal and
economic impact, including
(1) Energy (e.g. emerging photovoltaic technology, solar-driven H2 evolution and CO2
conversion to fuels and feedstocks) research which is supported by joint, collaborative
centres, the EPSRC/ISCF North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM) and the EPSRC
Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy at North east Universities (ReNU).
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(2) Photonic materials and metamaterials (e.g. Organic LEDs, energy transfer in solid state
materials, 2D and 3D materials in LEDs and waveguides).
(3) Chemical Biology and Biological Chemistry (bio-imaging, radiochemistry, photodynamic
therapy-related cancer research and drug discovery) including the Cancer Research centre
and EPSRC Centre for Doctoral training MosMed.
This facility is being funded though an EPSRC Strategic Equipment grant EP/W006340/1
The scope of this contract is for the supply, delivery and installation of the equipment as
detailed in the ITT to the University, with after-sales support and 24 months warranty and
maintenance.
The contract reference was NU/1722.
II.1.6) Information about lots:
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:618633
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The North East ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and microscopy facility (based at
Newcastle University) will be a unique national facility to fulfil a strategically and critically
important research infrastructure gap in the region. The facility aligns with the institutional
strategy that includes the establishment of Centres for Research Excellence in Energy, Data
and Cancer and the establishment of NU Academic Track Fellowships, several of whom will
benefit from this facility. Transient absorption spectroscopy is a key tool that enables
scientists to probe the identity, formation and fate of short-lived, energetic species formed
on excitation with light (e.g. from a laser). It permits ultrafast optical and near infrared
spectroscopy on a range of molecular, biological and functional material systems to provide
critical mechanistic information on light-induced reaction pathways. This includes tracking
the dynamics of key excited state and charge-transfer intermediates that lie at the heart of a
vast amount of chemistry, from solar energy conversion to enzyme reactions. This national
facility will support several multidisciplinary fields with substantial potential for societal and
economic impact, including
(1) Energy (e.g. emerging photovoltaic technology, solar-driven H2 evolution and CO2
conversion to fuels and feedstocks) research which is supported by joint, collaborative
centres, the EPSRC/ISCF North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM) and the EPSRC
Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy at North east Universities (ReNU).
Page 4 to 8
(2) Photonic materials and metamaterials (e.g. Organic LEDs, energy transfer in solid state
materials, 2D and 3D materials in LEDs and waveguides).
(3) Chemical Biology and Biological Chemistry (bio-imaging, radiochemistry, photodynamic
therapy-related cancer research and drug discovery) including the Cancer Research centre
and EPSRC Centre for Doctoral training MosMed.
This facility is being funded though an EPSRC Strategic Equipment grant EP/W006340/1
The scope of this contract is for the supply, delivery and installation of the equipment as
detailed in the ITT to the University, with after-sales support and 24 months warranty and
maintenance.
The contract reference was NU/1722.

II.2.5)Award criteria

II.2.11) Information about options
Options no
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:2021/S 000-025700
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: 1
Lot No: 1
Title: (NU/1722) Supply of a comprehensive Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Microscopy Facility

A contract/lot is awarded yes
V.2) Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract:2022-01-17
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received:1
Number of tenders received from SMEs:1
Number of tenders received from other EU Member States:0
Number of tenders received from non-EU Member States:1
Number of tenders received by electronic means:1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: no
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: Ultrafast Systems LLC
Postal address: 8330 Consumer Ct
Town: Sarasota
Postal code: 34240
Country: United States
Nuts code:
The contractor is an SME yes

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot(excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:618633
Currency:GBP

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: Newcastle University
Town: Newcastle upon Tyne
Country: United States

VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The University 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 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) 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) within 30 days of knowledge or constructive
knowledge of breach.

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2022-10-19