Nuclear physics detectors

The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel (Belgium) has published a public procurement to award up to six framework contracts for the supply and maintenance of nuclear physics detectors, organised in separate lots covering HPGe, Li-6, PIPS, LaBr3 and liquid scintillator detector families. The tender is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with electronic submission required and a stated submission deadline of 27 August 2026. The total estimated value across all lots is approximately €1,140,000 and bidders must follow the published tender specifications, templates and draft framework contract available on the portal.

What it funds

Summary

The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel invites tenders to award up to six framework contracts for the supply and maintenance of specialised nuclear physics detectors and related services. Frameworks cover multiple detector types and include maintenance and order placement under model order forms.

Estimated total value:Approximately €1,140,000 across all lots. Individual lot estimates range from about €20,000 to €450,000 ¹.

Who can apply

Commercial suppliers and manufacturers of radiation detectors and related maintenance services eligible to participate in EU public procurements. Participation and supporting documents must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key dates

Tender submission deadline:27 August 2026, 16:00:59 (Brussels time). An earlier metadata date (1 January 2026) appears in the record but the official closing date is 27 August 2026.

Procurement structure

1. 1Six separate lots to be awarded as framework contracts (initial 12-month period, renewable up to three times).
2. 2Awarding criterion: price (consult procurement documents for full criteria and requirements).
3. 3Electronic submission required via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Lot highlights and estimated amounts

Lead contracting authority:European Commission, DG JRC (Joint Research Centre), JRC-Geel. Submission method: eSubmission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Open tender event and Q&A deadlines are published in the procurement documents.

Full procurement documents, technical specifications and draft contract are available on the opportunity page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender details ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents (tender specifications, technical specs, draft contract and financial forms) published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for call identifier EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/2821.

Opportunity summary

The European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel (Belgium) publishes an open tender to conclude up to six framework contracts for the supply and maintenance of nuclear physics detectors. The procurement covers multiple lots targeting different detector types and associated maintenance services. Estimated total procedure value: €1,140,000. Submission method: electronic (eSubmission) via the Funding and Tenders Portal. Main CPV codes include 38430000 (detectors) and related classifications. Deadlines: two published closing dates appear in the metadata: 2026-01-01T14:00:59.000Z (early entry) and the main closing date 27 August 2026 at 16:00:59 Brussels time. The public procurement documents (tender specifications, technical specifications, draft contract and annexes, financial offer form, declaration on honour and supporting templates) were published 21 July 2026 and are available via the Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal - Tender Details. ¹

Lead contracting authority:European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre (JRC) — JRC Geel (Belgium).

Call identifier and procedure:Call identifier: EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/2821. Procedure type: public procurement, framework contract(s). Contracting system: framework agreement with orders (FA-WO-RC). Submission method required: eSubmission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Open tender event scheduled: 31 August 2026 at 10:00 (Brussels time) for the opening.

Lots, scope and estimated values

The tender is organised in six separate lots. Each lot corresponds to a detector family or class and includes supply and maintenance. Each lot is tendered independently and has an estimated overall contract amount requested in the procurement metadata. The framework contract initial duration is 12 months, renewable up to three times (see draft contract annexes in the procurement documents).

Total estimated value:Total estimated overall contract amount across all lots: €1,140,000 (€1.14 million).

Eligibility and applicant requirements

This is an open public procurement addressed to economic operators able to supply and maintain the specified detector types. The procurement documents define detailed selection and exclusion criteria and the required supporting evidence. The administrative specification annexes include templates such as declaration on honour (tender), power of attorney, lists of documents and subcontractors, and commercial letters where capacity is relied upon. The procurement metadata indicates SME suitability flags set to false for the lots, meaning the specifications or scale are not specifically tailored to SMEs; however SMEs may still participate if they meet selection criteria and legal/financial/technical requirements in the tender documentation.

Eligible applicant types (illustrative based on procurement context):suppliers/manufacturers of detectors, specialised scientific instrument companies, large enterprises, SMEs (subject to meeting tender requirements), authorised distributors, technical integrators, possibly research service providers acting as suppliers. Public bodies or research institutes could tender only where procurement rules and competition allow (consult tender documents). Subcontracting is explicitly foreseen and templates for subcontractor identification are provided. The tender requires individual tender submissions per lot; consortia or joint bids may be possible where permitted by the administrative specifications, but bidders must follow the specific rules in the procurement documents (power of attorney, capacity letters for relied entities, subcontractor declarations).

Geographic eligibility:The contracting authority is the European Commission, JRC (EU institution). The call is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and follows EU procurement rules. Bidders must be legal/economic operators able to contract with the European Commission; typically this includes entities established in EU Member States and other countries eligible under EU procurement rules as specified in the tender documentation. Applicants must consult the tender documents for precise nationality and establishment conditions and any additional restrictions.

Consortium requirement:The procurement is organised by individual lots. Each lot can be tendered independently by a single economic operator. The procurement documents include annexes to declare subcontractors and commercial letters when capacity of another economic operator is relied upon, indicating that consortia or reliance on third parties may be acceptable subject to detailed selection rules. Bidders should consult the administrative specifications Annex 4 (list subcontractors), Annex 5.1/5.2 (commercial letters) and power of attorney templates to structure joint bids or capacity reliance.

Funding and financial modalities

Funding type:procurement (framework contract) — this is a purchase contract for supplies and services (maintenance). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument. The contracting authority will purchase goods and services under the framework contracts and issue specific contracts/orders under the framework using the model order form (Annex III).

Estimated funding amounts per lot:Amounts shown in the procurement metadata (indicative): LOT-€0001 450,000; LOT-€0002 350,000; LOT-€0003 130,000; LOT-€0004 20,000; LOT-€0005 40,000; LOT-€0006 150,000. Total estimated overall contract amount across all lots: €1,140,000.

Co-funding / financial contribution:No co-funding by the bidder is required because this is a procurement: the contracting authority pays for supplies and maintenance per contract terms. Bidders must price their offers using the provided Financial offer form (Annex 1.1.6 Financial offer form lots_options_V1.xlsx) and comply with invoicing/payment terms in the draft contract.

Application and evaluation process

Submission method:required electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Key dates: submission deadline 27 August 2026 16:00:59 (Brussels time). Additional information request period closes 19 August 2026 (check portal for precise time). An open tender event (tender opening) is scheduled for 31 August 2026 at 10:00 (Brussels time).

Application stages:At minimum the tender follows these stages: 1) Preparation and submission of tender (administrative, technical and financial offers) via eSubmission; 2) Tender opening and administrative checks; 3) Selection and evaluation of offers against award criteria; 4) Award of framework contract(s) and publication of contract award. The procurement metadata indicates awarding criterion is price (100% weight) but instructs bidders to consult procurement documents for full awarding methodology. Thus the process effectively comprises 3 to 4 administrative/evaluation stages—document checks, technical compliance, financial evaluation, and award.

Awarding criteria and success rates:Awarding criterion indicated in the metadata: price (weight 100, see procurement documents). The tender documents state Please consult the procurement documents for full details. Success rates are not published in the tender documentation; typical public procurement success rates depend on the number of bidders and are not provided here.

Required documents and templates (application structure)

The procurement release includes a set of administrative, technical and contractual templates that bidders must use or follow. Key documents published on 21 July 2026 include:

1. 1Invitation to tender (0. Invitation_to_tender_V1.pdf) — describes procurement, timeline and submission instructions.
2. 2Tender specifications (1.1 TENDER_SPECIFICATIONS_V1.pdf) — administrative requirements and tender rules.
3. 3Admin specs — Annex 1: List of documents (1.1.1 Admin Specs - Annex 1 - List of documents_V1.pdf) — checklist of required attachments.
4. 4Declaration on honour for tenders (1.1.2 declaration-of-honour-tenders_V1.docx) — mandatory self-declaration.
5. 5Power of attorney template (1.1.3 Admin Specs - Annex 3 - Power of attorney_V1.docx) — for signatory authority and consortium representatives.
6. 6Annex 4 — List subcontractors template (1.1.4 Admin Specs - Annex 4 - List subcontractors_V1.docx) — identify planned subcontractors.
7. 7Annex 5.* — Commercial letters templates (1.1.5.1 and 1.1.5.2) — letters of intent or capacity when relying on other entities.
8. 8Financial offer form (1.1.6 Financial offer form lots_options_V1.xlsx) — mandatory pricing spreadsheet per lot and options.
9. 9Technical specifications (1.2 Tender Specifications - Part 2 - Technical specifications_V1.doc) — detailed technical requirements per lot and product class.
10. 10Draft framework contract and annexes (1. fwc-supply-maintenance_V1.pdf and Annexes III–VII) — contract conditions, model order form, conformity certificate, maintenance report, radiation protection addendum, staff instructions, public holidays annex.
11. 11Appendix 2 and other supporting PDFs as published (1. Appendix 2_V1.pdf).

Application structure (recommended based on documents):1) Administrative envelope: completed Annex 1 list of documents, declaration on honour, legal and financial statements, power of attorney, list of subcontractors, commercial letters if applicable. 2) Technical envelope: detailed technical offer aligned with technical specifications per lot demonstrating compliance with required detector performance, materials (e.g., LaBr3:Ce composition, Li-6 enrichment), radiation protection measures, warranty and maintenance commitments. 3) Financial envelope: completed Financial offer form (XLSX) with unit prices, options, maintenance pricing, delivery, installation and service costs. All templates must be used where provided and uploaded via eSubmission.

Technical and science requirements (high level)

Technical specifications are provided in the Tender Specifications Part 2. They describe detailed detector performance and material requirements per lot. Excerpts and explicit technical points included in the procurement metadata include:

• LOT-0001 HPGe detectors: multiple types (coaxial, broad-energy-range, ultra-low-energy) intended for radionuclide metrology and replacement of aging gamma-ray spectrometers. High energy resolution and spectrometric performance are expected; consult technical specification document for exact energy resolution, cryostat and electronics requirements, calibration and certification obligations.
• LOT-0002 Radiation damage resistant HPGe: detectors designed for high neutron flux environments (GAINS setup at GELINA) with specifications to limit radiation-induced degradation and ensure long-term performance under in-beam conditions.
• LOT-0003 Liquid scintillation detectors (EJ301/EJ315 equivalents and deuterated variants): detectors for neutron/gamma discrimination in ELISA spectrometer; construction and compatibility with current detector models referenced (Scionix models 51A51/2MQOE1-EJ301 NX and 51A51/2MQOE1-EJ315-NX).
• LOT-0004 Li-6 glass scintillator detectors: GS20 type, Li-6 enrichment ~96%, Li-6 content by weight ~7.4%; offered in cylindrical and square geometries.
• LOT-0005 PIPS detectors: PIPS-type partially depleted, round geometry; detectors for low-energy conversion electron spectroscopy.
• LOT-0006 LaBr3:Ce scintillator detectors: LaBr3:Ce with 5% Ce doping specified; radiopurity, hygroscopic protection, and energy resolution requirements will be in technical specs.
• Maintenance obligations: each lot includes maintenance services and delivery of maintenance reports (Annex V). Contractors must comply with radiation protection addendum (Annex VII Addendum 2) and staff instructions for external companies (Annex VII).

Bidders must refer to the full Technical specifications document (1.2 Tender Specifications - Part 2 - Technical specifications_V1.doc) for numerical parameters (energy resolution, efficiency, mechanical dimensions, environmental tolerances, calibration protocols, test procedures, deliverables, delivery deadlines, warranty and spare parts provisions). The draft contract and model order form set the contractual conditions, delivery and acceptance processes and maintenance reporting obligations.

Practical notes for bidders

1. 1Use the official templates supplied in the procurement documents and complete the Financial offer form (XLSX) exactly as required.
2. 2Upload all administrative, technical and financial documents through the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission tool before the deadline (27 August 2026 16:00:59 Brussels time).
3. 3If relying on the capacities of other entities (subcontractors or third parties), include signed commercial letters and the subcontractor list (Annex 4 and Annex 5 templates).
4. 4Check and comply with radiation protection, staff instructions and contractual annexes (Annex VII series) where applicable.
5. 5Consult the draft framework contract and model order form (Annex III) to understand ordering procedures, payment terms and maintenance reporting obligations.
6. 6For clarifications or requests for additional information use the Funding & Tenders Portal messaging/clarification tool within the additional information request period (ends 19 August 2026).

Categorisation answers (detailed)

Eligible Applicant Types:Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and service providers of nuclear-radiation detectors and associated maintenance services. This typically covers large enterprises, SMEs (subject to meeting procurement criteria), specialised scientific instrument companies and technical integrators. Research institutes or public bodies may participate only if permitted by procurement rules and as allowed in the tender documents. Subcontracting and capacity reliance are foreseen via templates.

Funding Type:Procurement — framework contract for supplies and maintenance (purchase contract). This is a tender, not a grant or loan.

Consortium Requirement:Single economic operator per bid is the standard. The procurement allows subcontracting and capacity reliance; joint bids or consortium arrangements may be possible if consistent with the tender rules and documented using the power of attorney and commercial letters templates. Consult the administrative specifications for permitted forms of joint participation.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Published by an EU institution (JRC). The tender is on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and follows EU procurement rules. Entities established in EU Member States and other parties eligible under EU procurement rules can participate; bidders must check tender documents for exact nationality/establishment eligibility rules.

Target Sector:Nuclear instrumentation / scientific instrumentation — detectors for nuclear physics, radiometry, neutron and gamma spectroscopy, scintillation detectors, solid-state detectors (HPGe, PIPS), Li-6 detectors, LaBr3 scintillators, liquid scintillators.

Mentioned Countries:Belgium (JRC Geel location). The contracting authority is the European Commission (EU). No other specific countries were named in the provided metadata; participation is via the EU portal.

Project Stage:Commercial supply and support (production, supply, delivery, installation and maintenance). The work is procurement of mature products and services rather than early-stage research.

Funding Amount:Total estimated contract value €1,140,000. Individual lot estimates: €450K, €350K, €130K, €20K, €40Kand €150Krespectively.

Application Type:Open call / public tender published on the Funding & Tenders Portal with eSubmission. Not invitation-only.

Nature of Support:Monetary payment by contracting authority for supplied goods and services under framework contract; not grant. Bidders will receive contract payments for delivered items and maintenance services.

Application Stages:At least 3 main stages: submission, evaluation (administrative/technical/financial checks), and award (contracting). Additional ordering steps follow after framework award (specific orders using model order form).

Success Rates:Not specified in the tender documents. Success depends on meeting selection criteria and competitiveness of price and compliance with technical specifications.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding required from applicants; this is a buyer-funded procurement. Bidders must fund their proposal preparation and delivery costs until contract payments are made under the awarded framework contract.

How to access the procurement documents

All procurement documents were published on 21 July 2026 on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Documents include the invitation to tender, tender specifications (administrative and technical parts), financial offer form, draft framework contract and all contract annexes. Access and submit via the portal eSubmission tool: ec.europa.eu Funding & Tenders Portal - Tender Details. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender documentation and templates are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page. Bidders must consult the published tender specifications and annexes for binding requirements, deadlines and submission instructions: ec.europa.eu

This is a public procurement tender, and the opportunity metadata says the European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre in Geel plans to sign six framework contracts for the supply and maintenance of detectors. A sourced tender summary shows a bid deadline of 27 Aug 2026.[2]

A third-party summary reports an estimated contract value of €1,140,000 and places the tender in Belgium.[2] The estimated value and deadline reported below come from that summary because the full portal notice was not visible in the provided search results¹.

What the opportunity is about

The notice concerns detector equipment for nuclear physics applications and related maintenance services. Because it is a framework contract procurement, the winning tenderers would normally be contracted suppliers rather than grant beneficiaries, and the actual orders would be placed under the framework agreements.

Who can apply

• Manufacturers of nuclear physics detector systems and related components.
• Instrumentation suppliers and distributors able to meet the technical specifications.
• System integrators, installation teams, and maintenance providers with EU procurement compliance capacity.

Financial and contractual points

No grant funding rate applies because this is procurement, not an EU action grant. The main financial information available from the provided results is the reported estimated value of €1,140,000, but applicants should treat that figure as indicative until confirmed in the official notice and tender documents.[2]

Deadlines and timing

The opportunity metadata contains two deadline timestamps, 1 Jan 2026 14:00:59 UTC and 27 Aug 2026 16:00:59 UTC, while the sourced tender summary only corroborates the 27 Aug 2026 submission date.[2]

• The sourced tender summary confirms 27 Aug 2026 as the last date for bid submission.[2]
• The relevant deadline to monitor is therefore 27 Aug 2026, but bidders should verify the official portal notice before submitting.
• The provided search results do not show the contract duration, award criteria, or lot structure.

What bidders should verify in the official documents

• Exact detector specifications and whether maintenance is included in each framework contract.
• Whether the procurement is split into lots or awarded as a single package.
• Selection and award criteria, including any technical thresholds and price weighting.
• Submission language, electronic format, and any mandatory forms or declarations.
• Required evidence of technical capacity, financial standing, and exclusion grounds.

Footnotes

1. 1The provided search results expose only a third-party summary of the tender details, not the full portal notice text. The summary is in result [2].