UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

This Procurement is divided into two distinct stages, with evaluations undertaken separately at the conclusion of each stage. Although Stage 2 will be evaluated at a later stage, bidders must review and consider the Stage 2 requirements when developing their Stage 1 submission. This is to ensure that Stage 1 responses provide a complete design proposal that demonstrates the bidder's ability to meet the full project requirements. Subject to the outcome of the Stage 1 evaluation, NPL reserves the right to award the design study to up to two suppliers. NPL intends to appoint and remunerate the two successful Stage 1 suppliers to undertake the design study. NPL are looking for the supply of a high precision motion control stage mounted to a structural beam with an operating envelope of greater than 2.3m with 2 integrated carriages. This will be used as part of a Dimensional Metrology Instrument. The system will be supplied to NPL to use and operate internally as an operational piece of equipment to be installed into a larger assembly. The supply will be required to support physical interfacing and design analysis and advise how the measurement beam will be mounted. The system is to come with its own control system to be supplied with the system able to support the requirements. The final system will be installed with the expectation of a minimum 20-year life, and the supplier shall provide all information to show design suitability. Within the main instrument there are other small motion control stages that are available from other suppliers, however an integrated solution from a control system perspective would be seen as advantageous. Refers to point 16 of Stage 2 Technical Specifications. The final instrument is intended to be UKCA marked and a technical file for the motion stage and control system must be shared with NPL along with showing compliance to the relevant standards and legislation. Refers to point 19 of Stage 2 Technical Specifications. The supplier will need to be able to support installation of the equipment and integration with the main instrument. The following is a high-level set of requirements for the system: • An integrated slide/Motion axis/Motion Stage on a structural beam with appropriate mounting arrangements. • A very stable slide or motion axis with in-position noise levels of 1 nanometre rms. • slide should have pitch and yaw errors of maximum 50+/- microradians. • There should be 2 carriages on the motion stage/slide, each having an operating envelope of 2300 mm or more. • The carriages should be controlled to an incremental motion of 1 micron or less, with an integrated linear encoder to detect position into the nanometer scale. • The carriages are expected to carry a payload of 10 kgs. • All cable management should be integrated into the solution with the ability to add up to 4 additional signal cables. • The carriages will move at low speeds in the range of 1 micron to 25mm per second and accelerations of at least 1 m/s2 • The slide to include an inbuilt linear encoder with a 1 nanometre resolution. • The controller for the system should be provided with an interface be controlled via LabVIEW software.

NPL is seeking engagement from suppliers of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for trace element analysis, including: • collision/reaction cell for resolving isobaric interferences • four-channel cell gas control for a range of collision and reaction cell gases • two mass filter quadrupoles, both of which allow for ± 1 amu ion selection control pre- and post-cell • single particle ICP-MS for nanoparticle characterization • high matrix introduction for up to 25% total dissolved solids This is not an evaluation exercise and nothing in this activity will limit the opportunity to engage in any follow on ITT.

NPL is seeking a solution for design, development and integration of a new underwater acoustics open tank test facility. This notice is split into lots; stakeholder and supplier management and collaboration will be the responsibility by NPL. All lots will be integrated into a wider system, and the integration activities will be managed by NPL including collaboration between suppliers as required. The facility will be comprised of an open water tank (Lot A), a water filtration system (Lot B) and a gantry-type positioning and control system (Lot C). Acoustic test panels and hydrophones will be deployed into the open water tank. The test panels and hydrophones are mounted on the control and positioning system to perform material characterisation and hydrophone calibration activities. These activities will take place by scanning test panels and translating the hydrophones in the water. The schematic block diagram of the facility includes overall room dimensions. Please engage with this notice and NPL Procurement to receive the attachments. The requirements specification provides all relevant details for the open water tank, water filtration system and positioning and control system. The high-level PBS indicates what NPL Engineering and suppliers will be responsible for; any requirements relevant to the operating room will be the responsibility of NPL Estates which will be managed by NPL internally but are given in this notice as they help to provide context to the wider system. Please engage with this notice and NPL Procurement to receive the attachments. This is not an evaluation exercise and nothing in this activity will limit the opportunity to engage in any follow on Invitation To Tender. The specifications in the Lots below is not an exhaustive list and further details will be provided in the tendering documents. This requirement is structured into three distinct lots. Suppliers are invited to submit their interest on a single lot, any combination of lots, or all lots.