Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2020-05-06
Buyer: Aarhus Universitet
Country: DK
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 33000000 | 38000000
Estimated value: 220000 USD

Technical requirements: Aarhus University wants to purchase a 2DQuick IR 128. It will be used for multidimensional spectroscopy, ultra-fast mid-IR pump-probe spectroscopy, and ultrafast UV pump/mid-IR probe experiments. The instrument will allow us to investigate biomolecular structure, coupling and ultrafast dynamics. The devise will be integrated into an existing laser setup to which provides high power ultrashort laser pulses in the mid IR spectral region. The 2DQuick IR 128 is the only commercially available 2D IR spectrometer on the market.
The customer is an associate professor at the Chemistry Department of Aarhus University and head of the surface spectroscopy facility SurfLab. We intend to purchase a 2D IR spectrometer system for a planned research project.
Chemical reactions, biomolecular action and motion take place on ultrafast timescales. Those reactions and motions determine the performance of a chemical system in a given application but also the chemistry of life processes. Typical examples include catalysis, nucleation, sensing, wetting, target binding, and biocompatibility but also protein pump and membrane-drug interactions. However, it is extremely challenging to obtain information at ultrafast timescales about molecular motion and energy transfer. Two-dimensional spectroscopy can provide this information and has proven to be a reliable tool to probe ultrafast processes. For a 2D experiment it is required to prepare trains of femtosecond laser pulses in the mid-IR region with exquisite control of temporal spacing, relative phase and spectral shape. The pulse must have average powers of several micro Joule, which means the pulse shaper must be optically pumped with 10-100 micro Joule of average power.
The customer has performed a systematic search for commercially available 2D IR spectrometers. PhaseTech Spectroscopy, Inc. is located in the United States and is the only company in the world to have commercialized 2D IR spectroscopy. The 2DQuick IR, is the only commercially available 2D IR spectrometers in existence. The system is fully integrated spectrometer that includes mid-IR pulse shaping technology and custom data collection software, which together enables easy operation. The system is designed for multidimensional spectroscopy and ultra-fast mid-IR pump-probe spectroscopy.
Aarhus University have performed a systematic search for commercially available 2D IR spectrometers. The PhaseTech 2DQuick IR is of our knowledge the only 2D IR spectrometer system available on the market that fulfills all of our requirements:
Following the notification, a standstill period of 10 calendar days will be held in accordance to paragraph 3 of Act No 593 of 2 June 2016 on the Danish Act on the Complaints Board for public Procurement. This implies that the contracting authority cannot sign the contract with the winning tenderer before the standstill period has expired.
In case of complaints about tenders or decisions, e.g. award of contracts covered by section II) or III) in the Danish Public Procurement Act must be submitted to the Complaints Board for Public Procurement (Klagenævnet for udbud) within 45 calendar days from the day after the contractor published a notice in the Official Journal on the conclusion of a contract. At the latest concurrently with submission of an appeal to the Complaints Board for Public Procurement, the complainant must inform the contracting authority of the alleged infringement and whether the appeal is to be referred to the board.


Winner: PhaseTech Spectroscopy, Inc
Award value: 220000