OrbiSIMS – simultaneous high-mass resolving power and high-spatial resolution mass spectrometry imaging for biological and advanced materials characterisation

Official notice

Authority: National Physical Laboratory

GoodsAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38) Delivery: UK

Budget not disclosedValue not published

Awarded 23 Jan 2023no call for competition

Awarded to IONTOF GmbH

What is being bought

Published requirement description

NPL pioneered the next generation OrbiSIMS technology introduced in detail in Nature Methods (2017, PMID: 29131162). The instrument is equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ToF) for high-speed imaging of large areas or in 3D. It is also equipped with a high-field Orbitrap mass spectrometer with a mass resolving power of >240,000 at m/z 200 and a mass accuracy of approximately 1 ppm. Both ToF and Orbitrap analysers can be used simultaneously or separately. The OrbiSIMS shall be able to carry out cryogenic analysis under ultra-high vacuum with sample holder temperatures below –150 oC.

CPV: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1The OrbiSIMS instrument shall be equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer…

The OrbiSIMS instrument shall be equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ToF) for high-speed imaging of large areas or in 3D. It shall also be equipped with a high-field Orbitrap mass spectrometer with a mass resolving power of >240,000 at m/z 200 and a mass accuracy of ~ 1 ppm. The instrument shall be equipped with 3 primary ion beams which are optimal for different materials systems. (1) A 20 kV gas cluster ion source with a spatial resolution < 2 µm used for biological imaging and depth-profiling of organic materials, (2) a low energy (250 eV to 2000 eV) dual source (Cs and O2) sputter beam with high-current (>50 nA at 500 eV with a spatial resolution < 40 µm) for depth profiling of semiconductor samples and (3) a 30 kV high-resolution Bi nanoprobe with a spatial resolution < 50 nm. The instrument shall be able to operate with either the ToF analyser or the Orbitrap analyser or a combination of the two as described in the Nat. Methods paper. (4) a Ga focused ion beam with accelerating voltages of up to 30 kV, minimum bema diameter of 60nm and beam current > 25 nA. The OrbiSIMS shall be equipped for cryogenic analysis (sample holder temperature < -150 oC) and be compatible with and including Leica sample holders and allow the docking of a Leica VCT-500 cryo transfer vessel. It shall have two high-resolution TV cameras for direct sample observation and rapid location of the area of interest, as well as a photo box for high-resolution sample navigation. In addition to mass analysers, the instrument shall have a pulsed high-quality Everhart-Thornley secondary electron detector, located at grazing incidence to the sample, for primary ion induced secondary electron imaging and a self-adjusting charge compensation system using a pulsed, low energy electron flood gun. Samples shall be mounted using a rapid sample introduction system, with one sample holder for rear mounting of up to 18 samples with maximum dimensions of 10 mm x 10 mm x 8 mm, including mounting accessories, one sample holder for top mounting of multiple samples on an area of 100 mm x 80 mm with a maximum thickness of up to 20 mm, and one sample holder for mounting samples for cryogenic analysis.

Delivery: UK

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Goods
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 23 Jan 2023, 16:45 GMT
Last source update: 23 Jan 2023, 16:45 GMT
FTS notice number: 2023/S 000-002057
Classification (CPV): Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Delivery area: UK
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0399e3 Find a Tender

Why no open competition

The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive

Published justification

The OrbiSIMS concept was created at NPL and the first prototype instrument was built in a collaborative project with IONTOF and ThermoFisher Scientific. The instrument was subsequently commercialised by IONTOF and sold as the Hybrid SIMS. IONTOF are the only manufacturer of this type of instrument. A number of features of the OrbiSIMS instrument are protected by international patents. Unique features of the OrbiSIMS instrument include:

Imaging of biomolecules from tissue using a gas cluster ion beam with a spatial resolution of < 2 µm simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
Depth resolution of < 10 nm of organic molecules in an organic multilayer reference sample simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
Depth resolution of < 2 nm of ions in an inorganic semiconductor delta-layer reference sample simultaneously with a mass resolving power of > 240,000 at m/z 200.
Cryogenic imaging (see requirement 1) with a sample holder temperature of < -150 oC. Samples shall be mounted on Leica sample mounts. The instrument shall accept docking of a Leica VCT-500 cryo transfer vessel and have provision to receive samples into the instrument.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Contracts signed 1latest 23 Jan 2023

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
IONTOF GmbHSubcontracting: declared	—	—	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 002057-2023-1 · IONTOF GmbH
Signed
23 Jan 2023
Value
—
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
—	—	—	€2,254,327 – €2,254,327

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

National Physical Laboratory

Contracting authorityBody governed by public lawResearch Hampton Road, Teddington, UK, TW11 0LWContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

NPL Management LtdReview body Teddington

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

IONTOF GmbHAwarded supplier Heisenbergstr 15, Munster, DE, 48149

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.