---
title: "Frequency Offset Generators"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04489b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04489b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04489b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04489b.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY"
published: "2024-03-14"
---

# Frequency Offset Generators

Buyer: NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04489b

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## Summary

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has awarded a contract for the provision of up to 12 Frequency Offset Generators for the National Timing Centre programme. The tender, titled "Frequency Offset Generators", falls under the goods category with a focus on laboratory, optical, and precision equipment. The procurement method used was a limited procedure without prior publication of a call for competition. The contract was signed on 13th March 2023, with SpectraDynamics as the active supplier for the project.

This tender presents opportunities for businesses specializing in laboratory, optical, and precision equipment to engage with NPL. Companies offering high-performance frequency offset generators matching the specified requirements, such as the model EOG-2020 by SKK Electronics, would be well-suited to compete. The contract aims to support the National Timing Centre programme by providing essential equipment for managing time-related activities at designated sites, offering businesses a chance to contribute to cutting-edge research and development initiatives led by NPL in the United Kingdom.

## Notice

Provision of up to 12 Frequency Offset Generators to be used in RETSI at Sites 3 & 4, and for the provision of spares to support all sites.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Provision of up to 12 Frequency Offset Generators to be used in RETSI at Sites 3 & 4, and for the provision of spares to support all sites.

### Procurement Information

NPL requires a number of high-performance frequency offset generators under the National Timing Centre programme, one for use with each active hydrogen maser that will be purchased through the programme. The frequency offset generator required should accept a reference sine wave signal at 10 MHz or 100 MHz, and generate similar output signals with a programmable fractional frequency offset from the input signal at 10 MHz and 100 MHz. A TTL output signal at 1 PPS is also highly desirable. A minimum of two outputs should be available for each signal type, and five would be preferred. The primary performance requirement is that the output signals from the frequency offset generator should (as far as possible) not add any noise to the input signal. In other words, the phase noise of the output signals between 1 Hz and 10 kHz should match that of the signals produced by an active hydrogen maser with high-quality local oscillator (low phase noise option). Similarly, the instability of the output signals at averaging times from 1 s to 1 day should be no greater than the instability of the signals generated at that frequency by an active hydrogen maser. The only commercially-available frequency offset generator identified by NPL that meets the requirements specified above is the model EOG-2020 produced by SKK Electronics. A number of the units are already in use within the current NTC R&D programme, the same model should be used for continuity and seamless system integration - selection of a different unit type would create significant work to update baselined design documents and written software.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008194-2024 |
| 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 | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Mar 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 13 Mar 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £600,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY |
| Locality | TEDDINGTON |
| Post town | Twickenham |
| Postcode | TW11 0LW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI7 Outer London - West and North West |
| ITL 3 | TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames |
| Local authority | Richmond upon Thames |
| Electoral ward | Teddington |
| Westminster constituency | Twickenham |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

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

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

## Release History

- 14 Mar 2024 at 13:57 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008194-2024

## Notice URLs

- http://www.npl.co.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-04489b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04489b.json.