---
title: "Dual-growth chamber Molecular Beam Epitaxy System (2 Lots)"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-5f59674f-11b5-4126-833b-082d750c4af8"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-5f59674f-11b5-4126-833b-082d750c4af8"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5f59674f-11b5-4126-833b-082d750c4af8.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-5f59674f-11b5-4126-833b-082d750c4af8.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD"
published: "2025-10-20"
---

# Dual-growth chamber Molecular Beam Epitaxy System (2 Lots)

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-5f59674f-11b5-4126-833b-082d750c4af8

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## Summary

The University of Sheffield, a prominent educational institution located in England, initiated a procurement process to acquire a Dual-growth chamber Molecular Beam Epitaxy System, divided into two lots. This procurement, valued at £4,750,000, falls under the microelectronic machinery and apparatus industry category. Aimed at enhancing the University’s semiconductor capabilities, this tender process followed an open procedure and was completed with DCA Instruments Oy being awarded Lot 1. The contract, pertinent from 1st May 2025 to 1st September 2026, highlights a significant investment poised to deliver advanced equipment capable of reliable, automated 24/7 operations, in line with the cutting-edge standards upheld by the EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility.

This tender presents substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialized in microelectronics and laboratory equipment, particularly those that can offer state-of-the-art, reliable systems for semiconductor manufacturing. SMEs and VCSEs are encouraged to participate, with flexibility to bid for one or both lots. The procurement's focus on high-quality automated solutions for the semiconductor industry indicates a demand for innovation and efficiency, making it ideal for companies with expertise in integrated technology platforms and precision equipment. The successful supplier, poised to expand their market reach, will benefit from contributing to cutting-edge research and technology provision within the UK semiconductor landscape.

## Notice

The EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility (NEF) based at the University of Sheffield has been providing bespoke semiconductor wafers to academia and industry for 45 years. It is a unique world-class centre combining technical excellence and expertise with state-of-the-art epitaxy and material characterization equipment. We are looking to further enhance our capability provision to the UK semiconductor community, by investing in a new linked dual-chamber Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) System for arsenides/phosphides and arsenides/antimonides growth that is fully automated, capable of 24/7 operation, reliable, and resource-efficient allowing further expansion in the future. The system is replacing two existing VG reactors capable of 4" wafer growth of high-quality arsenides/phosphides and arsenides/antimonides, and should offer higher throughput thanks to automation of growth recipes for 24/7 operation, and integrated solutions allowing maintenance of critical components (such as ion gauges, cells) without breaking chamber vacuum. This tender is divided into 2 Lots: (Suppliers may bid for one or both Lots) Lot 1 - MBE System Lot 2 - In-situ monitoring equipment Additional information: All tender documents, technical enquiries & tender returns, must be conducted via the In-tend portal, via the link shown above

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8f83ca07-3195-4dda-825e-be1447b0acae |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 14 Mar 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 3 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 30 Apr 2025 - 1 Sep 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £4,750,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £4,878,210 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD |
| Locality | SHEFFIELD |
| Post town | Sheffield |
| Postcode | S10 2TN |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE3 South Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE32 Sheffield |
| Local authority | Sheffield |
| Electoral ward | Broomhill and Sharrow Vale |
| Westminster constituency | Sheffield Central |
| Delivery location | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DCA INSTRUMENTS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 31712000 - Microelectronic machinery and apparatus and microsystems
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

## Release History

- 20 Oct 2025 at 13:40 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8f83ca07-3195-4dda-825e-be1447b0acae
- 7 Feb 2025 at 19:05 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e5c144ca-f6e6-4fba-ae2a-0db25dc8b782

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8f83ca07-3195-4dda-825e-be1447b0acae
  20th October 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e5c144ca-f6e6-4fba-ae2a-0db25dc8b782
  7th February 2025 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder
- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sheffield/aspx/Home
  In-tend e.tendering portal

## Provenance

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