Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2021-10-15
Buyer: Aarhus Universitet
Country: DK
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 33000000 | 38000000
Estimated value: 266300 EUR
Award criteria: Lowest price

Technical requirements: Magnet-probe-cryostat package for X-band pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) NMR
Aarhus University wishes to buy a magnet-probe-cryostat package for X-band pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) NMR spectroscopy. The aim is to build a flexible frontline instrument for systematic design DNP experiments with high sensitivity and pulsed EPR experiments for accurate electron-electron distance measurements. The goal is to increase performance significantly relative to state-of-the-art methods. The methods developed will be applied in structural biology, materials science, and nanotechnology.
For development of optimal pulsed EPR and DNP experiments meeting theoretical expectations to sensitivity and information content, we need to build frontline X-band fast-waveform pulsed EPR and DNP instrumentation with a high degree of flexibility on microwave and rf components, while ensuring state-of-the-art operation in regard of magnet, probe, and cryostat. The magnet-cryostat system should allow for X- and Q-band operation. A well-integrated magnet-probe-cryostat system is crucial to ensure high-quality and efficient daily operation. The interplay between the elements should be safe, stable, flexible, and allow for easy and quick sample change, fast cool down and heat up of the system, adequate rf shielding, low operational costs, and stability under operation. The necessary technical requirements for the integrated magnet-probe-cryostat system:
- The magnet should allow for L-, S-, X-, and Q band operation with high field homogeneity and stability. For a volume of 10x22x10 mm (xyz) the homogeneity should be within 10 mG, and the stability be better that 10 mG/h. The magnet system should be equipped with a bipolar water-cooled power supply, heat exchanger, field controller, and software for stable field/temperature operation.
- The probe should allow for fast-pulsed ENDOR/DNP, have high filling-factor/sensitivity, short deadtime (less than 80 ns), optical transparency higher than 90% in the range from 200 nm to 5 m, Q-factor variation from 100 to 2000, high microwave and rf homogeneity for typical 4 mm sample tubes, rf operation within 1-200 MHz including 1H, 2H, 13C, and 14N at X- and Q-band frequencies, ENDOR capability with allowing for high-power (500 W) rf irradiation with -pulse lengths better than 15 s, and compatibility with a cryostat allowing samples to be studied over a temperature range of 4 - 320 K.
- The cryostat system should be flexible for L-, S-, X-, and Q-band probe heads, allow for stable operation with liquid He down to 3.8 K with a stability of 0.1 K, fast cool down (1 h), and allow for easy/quick sample change operation (in the order of 1 m) in combination with the pulsed EPR (ENDOR) probe. The system should include flow meter, He transfer lines, He pump, cryostat clamps and a vacuum pump for evacuating cryostat and transfer lines.
For the overall system, it is required that the components operate well together technically, including no rf/mw interference effects, easy sample handling, and easy and stable field and temperature regulation.
The magnet-cryostat-probe package may optionally be extended to include a 5W 100% dutycycle X-band pulse amplifier for pulsed-ENDOR, DNP, and relaxation measurements.
We have carefully analyzed the marked in terms of vendors that can provide the desired instrumentation. We have found no other companies that Bruker BioSpin that can provide the desired well-integrated magnet-probe-cryostat system. An undesired and more risky breakdown into individual components reveals that only Bruker BioSpin can deliver the desired high-specs ENDOR probe. The same applies to the magnet, where alternatives do not live up to the desired field homogeneity and stability. For the cryostat, it is crucially important that it is compatible with and functionally easy-operational with the Bruker pulse ENDOR probe, which we did not find with other vendors.
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: Bruker BioSpin
Award value: 266300