---
title: "Plasma Focused Ion Beam and Gallium Focused Ion Beam Microscopes"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-036add"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-036add"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-036add.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-036add.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL"
published: "2022-12-22"
---

# Plasma Focused Ion Beam and Gallium Focused Ion Beam Microscopes

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-036add

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## Summary

The University of Bristol has completed a procurement process for Plasma Focused Ion Beam and Gallium Focused Ion Beam Microscopes. The tender, which falls under the goods category, was initiated with the legal basis of CELEX. The University's Interface Analysis Centre (IAC) identified the need for the instruments to be used by researchers globally. The equipment must be user-friendly, robust, and secure against misuse. The award for the contract went to FEI UK Ltd, with a contract value of £1,790,000 signed on 22nd November 2022.

This tender presents an opportunity for suppliers in the microscopy and materials industry to provide Plasma and Gallium Focused Ion Beam microscopes to the University of Bristol. Businesses experienced in providing complex imaging equipment and with a track record of global clientele would be well-suited to compete. The tender, which has been awarded, offers a substantial contract value and the chance to collaborate with a prestigious educational institution known for cutting-edge research and innovation in the field of microscopy and materials analysis.

## Notice

This notice has been issued as a revision of notice 2022/S 000-035764 published on 16th December 2022. This notice contained incorrect weightings on the technical and cost criteria. The IAC at UoB has identified a need to procure a Plasma-Focused Ion Beam (PFIB) system, which allows for: * Dual-beam capability with field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) and plasma-based focused ion beam, * Micromachining with high milling rates, * Sample liftout (size reduction), * Tomography with analytical capability - integrating energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) bought separately from a third party supplier, * Gas injection using XeF2 enhanced etch, insulator, platinum and carbon, with options of other gas species. * Cryogenic stage and vacuum transfer capability, * Preparation of specimens for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while minimising FIB-induced damage, atom probe tomography (APT) and micromechanical testing. * Electrical feedthroughs for in-situ characterisation (minimum four channels for four-point resistance measurements). In addition to the procurement of the PFIB instrument, UoB would like to also as part of this call upgrade the gallium focused ion beam (Ga-FIB) capability of the IAC facility, by procurement of a new Ga-FIB instrument, with the capability for: * Dual-beam capability with FEGSEM and gallium focused ion beam * Micromachining and imaging, * Microcantilever manipulation of specimens for TEM, APT and micromechanical liftouts, * Gas injection using XeF2 enhanced etch, insulator and organo-metallics containing platinum, with options of other gas species. Both of these instruments will be utilized within the Interface Analysis Centre (IAC) microscopy and materials facility at UoB, which will be used by a large number of researchers from a large number of UK, European and worldwide Universities, Research Institutes and Industry, thus the equipment and associated software must be simple and straightforward to use, robust and also be sufficiently interlocked to protect the system against accidental misuse.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The IAC at UoB has identified a need to procure a Plasma-Focused Ion Beam (PFIB) system, which allows for: * Dual-beam capability with field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) and plasma-based focused ion beam, * Micromachining with high milling rates, * Sample liftout (size reduction), * Tomography with analytical capability - integrating energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) bought separately from a third party supplier, * Gas injection using XeF2 enhanced etch, insulator, platinum and carbon, with options of other gas species. * Cryogenic stage and vacuum transfer capability, * Preparation of specimens for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while minimising FIB-induced damage, atom probe tomography (APT) and micromechanical testing. * Electrical feedthroughs for in-situ characterisation (minimum four channels for four-point resistance measurements). In addition to the procurement of the PFIB instrument, UoB would like to also as part of this call upgrade the gallium focused ion beam (Ga-FIB) capability of the IAC facility, by procurement of a new Ga-FIB instrument, with the capability for: * Dual-beam capability with FEGSEM and gallium focused ion beam * Micromachining and imaging, * Microcantilever manipulation of specimens for TEM, APT and micromechanical liftouts, * Gas injection using XeF2 enhanced etch, insulator and organo-metallics containing platinum, with options of other gas species. Both of these instruments will be utilized within the Interface Analysis Centre (IAC) microscopy and materials facility at UoB, which will be used by a large number of researchers from a large number of UK, European and worldwide Universities, Research Institutes and Industry, thus the equipment and associated software must be simple and straightforward to use, robust and also be sufficiently interlocked to protect the system against accidental misuse.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036382-2022 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Dec 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 24 Oct 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Nov 2022 |
| Contract period | 28 Nov 2022 - 27 Nov 2024 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1,790,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS1 5DS |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England |
| ITL 3 | TLK51 Bristol, City of |
| Local authority | Bristol, City of |
| Electoral ward | Central |
| Westminster constituency | Bristol Central |
| Delivery location | TLK South West (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FEI |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 38512100 - Ion microscopes

## Release History

- 22 Dec 2022 at 13:03 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036382-2022
- 16 Dec 2022 at 18:32 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035764-2022
- 23 Sep 2022 at 09:50 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026656-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.bristol.ac.uk
- https://tenders.bris.ac.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-036add. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-036add.json.