Notice Information
Notice Title
CAN - Optical Frequency Comb
Notice Description
Comparison of optical frequency standards is essential for verifying that the clocks both locally and remotely at other national metrological institutes all agree to within their quoted uncertainties. These quoted uncertainties can be as low as ~1e-18, and so agreement between multiple clocks all operating at this level is required to verify that uncertainty. Remote clock comparisons at NPL, or between NPL and other European NMIs, are only possible at this uncertainty using optical frequency combs and telecoms optical fibre links to compare and transmit frequencies over long distances. By using an optical frequency comb with the full flexibility to cover the 500 nm to 2000 nm wavelength range, the infrastructure will be in place to enable any of the likely candidates for an optical representation of the SI second to be compared over a short cross-site fibre link. The optical frequency comb will also require dedicated branches to link with the optical clocks and oscillators already available at NPL, these include the Sr+ at 674 nm, the Sr lattice at 698 nm, the Yb+ clocks at both 871 nm and 934 nm, and an ultrastable laser at 1064 nm.
Lot Information
Lot 1
An optical frequency comb for comparison of optical clocks over a short fibre link Qty: 1
Options: 12. OPTIONAL ITEM: The supplier should quote separately for any frequency counters used to achieve the mandatory requirements. Any frequency counters required to monitor the stability of the comb itself should be labelled as such and offered separately to those which are used for monitoring other signals, e.g. beat notes with external CW lasers. 13. OPTIONAL ITEM: In relation to the mandatory requirement 19 above, an optional extension to shift the ultrastable microwave output to the Cs primary standard frequency near to 9.2 GHz should be quoted for separately.
Procurement Information
Proposed procurement was very similar to the competitive tender purchase of Frequency Combs previously conducted by T&F/OFM earlier in 2021 and again in 2023, which were purchased to equip state-of-the-art test and evaluation laboratories both in Teddington and in Glasgow. Because of this, OFM have now installed and commissioned several of these systems and invested a substantial amount of time in developing a full understanding of the system. At the time of the previous procurements, the Menlo system was evaluated to provide the most appropriate solution to the T&F needs by far. By purchasing a similar system from the same supplier, the embedded expertise in this system can be exploited, and subsequently interoperability of systems can be developed. Based on the specification from the previous tender processes, the systems from other two bidders were found to be the only ones capable of demonstrably meeting the repetition rate tunability and the required flexibility in a turn-key system. None of the alternative suppliers could guarantee or demonstrate the specification at the required level. Menlo systems scored high on demonstrated performance systems integration and service. Since we have tested the market twice in the past few years with the same outcome, we are confident that Menlo Systems is the only provider that can meet the expected requirements for our purposes.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-042e73
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004372-2024
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- Award Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Goods
- Procurement Method
- Limited
- Procurement Method Details
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Large
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
-
- CPV Codes
38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- £1,098,258 £1M-£10M
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 9 Feb 20242 years ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 15 Dec 20232 years ago
- Contract Period
- Not specified - Not specified
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Cancelled
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY
- Contact Name
- Nina Heath
- Contact Email
- nina.heath@npl.co.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- TEDDINGTON
- Postcode
- TW11 0LW
- Post Town
- Twickenham
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLI London
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLI7 Outer London - West and North West
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Richmond upon Thames
- Electoral Ward
- Teddington
- Westminster Constituency
- Twickenham
Further Information
Notice URLs
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.
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