Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2021-06-11
Buyer: Aarhus Universitet
Country: DK
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 33000000 | 38000000
Estimated value: 495000 EUR
Award criteria: Lowest price

Technical requirements: Aarhus University intends to buy a STOE Single Crystal X-Ray Diffractometer (SCXRD) for advanced research purposes. The SCXRD instrument will be employed to measure extremely accurate single crystal X-ray diffraction data, up to the highest attainable resolutions. It is of particular importance that the instrument can accommodate various special sample environments while still delivering the highest quality data currently attainable.
The Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University is an internationally recognized leader in advanced high-resolution X-ray diffraction data collection and analysis. Much of the research has relied on work performed at large synchrotron facilities in order to obtain the best possible data. At these facilities we have focused on both high resolution crystallography for electron densities, development of special sample environments for in-situ or operando characterization, and development of new data collection and data treatment strategies. As part of an ongoing effort to extend this work to also include lab based instrumentation, we intend to purchase a single crystal diffractometer specifically optimized to accommodate and develop special sample environments and perform measurements in high temperature gas flows. The diffractometer will be used for collecting data on both single crystals, polycrystalline materials, and mixtures of different chemicals under various experimental conditions.
The instrument must include a high-intensity X-ray source, high quality X-ray optics, a range of sample environments and holder, and an extremely high quality detector. The X-ray source must be able to deliver high flux for both long wavelength (Cu Kα) and short wavelength (Mo Kα) to accommodate samples with various unit cell sizes and various elemental composition, i.e. both light and heavy elements. Even with a bright and tunable source, the diffracted signals may be weak or contain a mixture of weak and strong signals. To obtain high quality data, we thus require a detector capable of reliably measuring even very weak signals. To also reduce errors from scaling frames and reduce measurement time for time-resolved experiments, we require a detector with high dynamic range to accurately measure both weak and strong signals in a single image. Lastly, to benchmark and further develop our own data treatment strategies, we require the detector to be noise free to minimize the background signal and to accurately follow normal counting statistics to enable accurate and trustworthy treatment of errors in our own data treatment routines. These requirements are only fulfilled by direct photon counting pixel detectors that do not use a phosphor to convert X-rays to visible light.
The required sample environments are normal single crystal goniometer heads, high temperature inert gas stream up to 800
After an exhaustive market analysis we conclude that only one manufacturer can deliver the combination of the essential high-intensity sources, direct photon counting pixel detectors, hot and cold gas streams, and an XYZ stage capable of supporting heavy sample environments. The only system capable of this can be obtained from STOE.
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: Stoe & Cie GmbH
Award value: 495000