Planning

Pre Market Engagement 250293 AMIC Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE) Tool

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

26 Nov 2025 at 08:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

25 Nov 2025 at 09:13

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Queen's University Belfast, operating under Northern Irish devolved regulations as a sub-central government public authority, is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process. They are conducting a pre-market engagement to procure a Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE) Tool for the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC). This initiative is scheduled under the framework of expanding AMIC's capabilities in various advanced technological sectors. The procurement process invites expressions of interest from suppliers, offering opportunities for engagement until the deadline of 5 January 2026. The procurement exercise, although still in the planning phase, promises a significant contract period potentially extending to 2040.

This procurement presents substantial growth opportunities for suppliers of laboratory, optical, and precision equipment, specifically those experienced with CAIBE technology. Businesses that can offer innovative and advanced solutions will find this tender particularly fitting, as it seeks expertise in both the provision and ongoing maintenance of sophisticated equipment. Engaging in this process provides a foothold in future collaborations with Queen's University Belfast and positions suppliers to influence the tender's design through early engagement feedback. By participating in the pre-market activities, businesses can showcase their products' unique capabilities and secure a competitive advantage in the forthcoming tender process.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre Market Engagement 250293 AMIC Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE) Tool

Notice Description

The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), led by Queen's University Belfast, is key to an exciting future for manufacturing in Northern Ireland, as an industry-led, open-access centre for manufacturing and engineering innovation with state-of-the-art facilities and an expert engineering team, underpinned by academic excellence. Queen's University Belfast (hereafter referred to as "Queen's") is seeking to undertake a pre-market engagement exercise in order to identify suitably qualified and experienced suppliers to supply, install and provide ongoing maintenance for a Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching tool within the Factory of the Future. In order to understand market offerings for this equipment, Queen's would like to invite Suppliers to provide information on their equipment, including relevant knowledge and experience and how this could benefit the applications Queen's may have for the equipment. Interested suppliers are required to complete and return the PME survey published on In-Tend tendering platform.

Planning Information

AMIC is expanding its core capabilities in Digital Factory, Smart Design, Sustainable Polymers and Composites, Nanotechnology and Photonics. As part of this project, Queen's University Belfast is seeking expressions of interest from suppliers as we wish to procure a CAIBE Tool. Queen's staff wish to engage with suppliers prior to procuring this equipment to: 1 - gain a better understanding of what the market can offer and if the market can respond to a tender meeting our requirements. 2 - identify potential suppliers able to provide the requirement. 3 - understand potential lead times. 4 - gain an understanding of the commercial profile for the requirement. A pre-market engagement questionnaire has been published here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/queensuniversitybelfast/aspx/Home Interested parties are asked to complete and return this questionnaire via the In-Tend platform. Queen's may then contact suppliers for further discussion of the information received in the questionnaire. Queen's do not guarantee that they will speak to every supplier who submits a return. Participation in the pre-market engagement exercise is not a pre-requisite to participation in any future tender exercise, however, the information provided may be used to inform decisions around the tender exercise. Queen's welcome all participation in this Pre Market engagement exercise. This Pre Market Engagement exercise is not a call for competition and does not commit Queen's to proceed with a formal procurement. Queen's is not obligated to adopt supplier feedback into the process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e7ee
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077063-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Nov 20252 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
23 Feb 20263 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
28 May 2026 - 29 May 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
procurement@qub.ac.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT7 1NN
Post Town
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Belfast South and Mid Down

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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