Official UK procurement notice
Procurement of the Femtosecond Spitfire ACE laser system
Authority: THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionProfessor Vas Stavros and his group recently (January 2023) relocated from the University of Warwick to the University of Birmingham.
The femtosecond laser system that is sought (as part of Vas Stavros's start-up package) is from a single supplier: MKS Newport Spectra-Physics. The Femtosecond Spitfire ACE laser system (termed henceforth Spitfire ACE) will replace a now obsolete MKS Newport Spectra-Physics Spitfire Pro XP, currently housed in the Stavros Lab at the University of Warwick. This is a like-for-like replacement with superior output stability.
The Spitfire ACE delivers 3) fractions, three of these fractions can be used to optically pump the OPAs that will be transferred from the University of Warwick. The tunability in wavelength output from the OPAs will enable multiple different measurements to be carried out concurrently.
CPV: Lasers · Specialist optical instruments
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The Spitfire ACE will dovetail three existing optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs,…
The Spitfire ACE will dovetail three existing optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs, essentially smaller lasers with unrivalled wavelength tunability) that will be transferred from the University of Warwick to the University of Birmingham. These OPAs are MKS Newport Spectra-Physics supplied OPAs and thus are set up to only be compatible with the Spitfire ACE. For this reason, we are seeking a single source supplier for the like-for-like replacement (vide supra).
Spectra-Physics have done a lot of system work with the Spitfire and OPA together to be able to supply a system with stable output. The result of this work was ACE (Automated Compressor
Enhancement). No other manufacturer has this capability. Whilst the OPAs can be made to work with amplifiers from other manufacturers, drifts in OPA output are not compensated for. The OPAs that Prof. Stavros has have been operated with an amplifier with Automated Compressor Enhancement and for long timescale experiments such as his, this drift compensation is essential. Therefore, the only company that would be able to supply an instrument to meet the University's requirements, particularly the drift compensation (Automated Compressor Enhancement), is Spectra-Physics.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 28 Apr 2023, 14:23 BST
- Last source update
- 28 Apr 2023, 14:23 BST
- FTS notice number
2023/S 000-012315- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03c52aFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
- Published justification
The Spitfire ACE will dovetail three existing optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs, essentially smaller lasers with unrivalled wavelength tunability) that will be transferred from the University of Warwick to the University of Birmingham. These OPAs are MKS Newport Spectra-Physics supplied OPAs and thus are set up to only be compatible with the Spitfire ACE. For this reason, we are seeking a single source supplier for the like-for-like replacement (vide supra).
Spectra-Physics have done a lot of system work with the Spitfire and OPA together to be able to supply a system with stable output. The result of this work was ACE (Automated Compressor Enhancement). No other manufacturer has this capability. Whilst the OPAs can be made to work with amplifiers from other manufacturers, drifts in OPA output are not compensated for. The OPAs that Prof. Stavros has have been operated with an amplifier with Automated Compressor Enhancement and for long timescale experiments such as his, this drift compensation is essential.
Therefore, the only company that would be able to supply an instrument to meet the University's requirements, particularly the drift compensation (Automated Compressor Enhancement), is Spectra-Physics.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Spectra-Physics Ltd. | — | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Procurement of the Femtosecond Spitfire ACE laser system · Newport Spectra-Physics Ltd.
- Signed
- 28 Apr 2023
- Value
- —
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Spitfire ACE will dovetail three existing optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs,… | — | — | — | £1 – £535,846 |
| Whole notice | — | — | — | £1 – £535,846 |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- NEWPORT SPECTRA-PHYSICS LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.