Provision of an upgrade on existing XRD (Diffractometer) and maintenance services at the JRC-Petten 2025

This is a pre-information announcement concerning a planned procurement contract for upgrading and maintaining an X-ray diffractometer at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Petten, Netherlands, under the identifier EC-JRC/PTT/2025/MVP/1612-EXA. The contract focuses on enhancing the functionality of the existing Panalytical Empyrean XRD system, which includes upgrades to its workstation and components such as the Mo-tube, optics, and detector, alongside preventive and corrective maintenance services for the system.

The eligible applicants for this contract are likely to be legal entities with expertise in scientific equipment maintenance, including companies, research institutions, and possibly SMEs, although the specific targeting of SMEs is not indicated. The procurement falls under the nature of services and is classified under CPV code 50000000 for repair and maintenance services.

The geographic eligibility extends to EU member states and countries associated with Horizon Europe. While the exact funding amount is not specified, it is indicated as a middle or low-value contract. Interested parties can express their interest electronically until June 5, 2025, while the official call for tenders is expected to be launched shortly thereafter, on June 6, 2025.

There are no consortium requirements stated, and the tender appears to follow a single-stage application process. Co-funding is not anticipated, as it is typical for procurement contracts. The overall maximum duration of the contract is set for 48 months, ensuring long-term support for the functionality and reliability of the XRD system.

This announcement serves to inform potential applicants of the forthcoming opportunity, encouraging them to monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for the official call's publication.

This is a pre-information notice for a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract, not a call for tenders. The contracting authority intends to publish a future negotiated procedure.

The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/PTT/2025/MVP/1612-EXA.

The title of the planned call for tenders is "Provision of an upgrade on existing XRD (Diffractometer) and maintenance services at the JRC-Petten 2025".

The description is as follows: The scope of the current call is the upgrade of the workstation to operate the existing Panalytical Empyrean X-ray diffractometer (Mo-tube, optics, and detector etc.) and further preventive and corrective maintenance of the overall XRD system.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract.

The estimated total value is not specified.

The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC Joint Research Centre.

The main classification (CPV) code is 50000000 Repair and maintenance services.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 48 months.

There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest was 2024-07-16 Europe/Brussels.

The deadline for expression of interest is 05/06/2025 04:59 Europe/Amsterdam.

The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-06-06 Europe/Amsterdam.

The method of expression of interest is electronic.

To express interest, use the "Express interest" link.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given.

A question and answer section is available. To create a question, one must log in. A public Q&A section, FAQs, and a "My Q&A" section are available. Q&As can be downloaded as an xls file.

One Q&A is listed: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer is: References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure. This was published on 03/10/2024 16:32.

In summary, this is a pre-information notice from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) regarding a future negotiated procedure for a middle or low-value contract. The project involves upgrading the workstation that operates an existing Panalytical Empyrean X-ray diffractometer located at JRC-Petten, including its Mo-tube, optics, and detector. The contract also includes preventive and corrective maintenance of the entire XRD system. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/PTT/2025/MVP/1612-EXA. Companies interested in this opportunity should express their interest electronically by June 5, 2025. The actual call for tenders is expected to be launched around June 6, 2025. This notice is not a call for tenders itself, but rather an announcement of the JRC's intention to launch a negotiated procedure in the future.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the contract (upgrade and maintenance services for a diffractometer), it is likely that eligible applicants would include companies, research institutions, or service providers with expertise in X-ray diffraction equipment, workstation upgrades, and maintenance services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, universities, or research institutes.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as indicated by the "Nature of the contract: services" and the description of the call focusing on upgrade and maintenance services. This is a procurement action.

Consortium Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether a consortium or a single applicant is required. However, given the scope of the contract, it is possible that either a single applicant with all the necessary expertise or a consortium of applicants with complementary expertise could be eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. However, since the contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC, it is highly likely that the eligibility is at least for EU and EEA countries. Further details would need to be checked in the full call documentation when it is published.

Target Sector: The target sector is scientific instrumentation and maintenance services, specifically related to X-ray diffraction (XRD) equipment. This falls under the broader category of research infrastructure and scientific equipment.

Mentioned Countries: The call is for the JRC-Petten, which is located in the Netherlands.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the upgrade and maintenance of existing equipment, indicating a focus on the operational phase rather than early-stage research or development.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified, but the procedure type is described as a "Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract," suggesting that the funding amount is likely to be in the low to middle value range.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. This means that after the expression of interest, the contracting authority will likely invite a select number of candidates to submit a full proposal.

Nature of Support: The nature of support is non-monetary services, specifically the provision of upgrade and maintenance services for the XRD system.

Application Stages: The application process appears to involve at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text, as this is only a pre-announcement of a future call.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not mention any co-funding requirements.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement from the European Commission, DG JRC, regarding a planned call for tenders for the upgrade and maintenance of an existing Panalytical Empyrean X-ray diffractometer (XRD) located at the JRC-Petten in the Netherlands. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/PTT/2025/MVP/1612-EXA. The scope includes upgrading the workstation to operate the diffractometer, including the Mo-tube, optics, and detector, as well as providing preventive and corrective maintenance for the overall XRD system. This is not a call for tenders yet, but rather a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The start date for expression of interest was 2024-07-16, and the deadline for expression of interest is 2025-06-05. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-06-06. Submissions for the expression of interest must be sent electronically. The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. Companies or research institutions with expertise in X-ray diffraction equipment and maintenance services should monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for the official call publication in order to participate.