Supply of a portable LIBS analyser for characterisation of legacy wastes

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) is preparing to launch a planned negotiated procurement procedure for the supply of a portable Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analyzer aimed at characterizing legacy nuclear wastes. This opportunity is part of the CLOWN project, which involves the analysis of old irradiated fuels, specifically targeting the differentiation between carbide, nitride, and oxide fuels directly in hot cell environments.

Key details indicate that eligible applicants include commercial suppliers and manufacturers capable of providing the specified equipment. This procurement represents a service contract and does not involve grant funding. The opportunity is likely open to EU member states, EEA countries, and possibly others with relevant trade agreements.

The procurement retrieval process is structured for individual applicants, with no explicit requirement for consortium submissions. The contract aims to fulfill the needs of the nuclear energy sector, particularly in waste management and analysis.

The exact funding amount is not specified, and it will be determined based on submitted proposals. The planned procedure is an open call, with expressions of interest opening on September 8, 2025, and closing on September 23, 2025. The predicted launch date for the full tender is September 25, 2025, under a three-month contract duration. Submissions will be electronic, and interested parties must use the designated link to express their interest.

This procurement announcement serves to notify potential bidders about the upcoming opportunity and encourages them to prepare for participation in the expression of interest phase. Detailed technical specifications of the LIBS analyzer align with the operational requirements of the CLOWN project, emphasizing the need for a mature and commercially available technology solution effective for nuclear applications.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission, DG JRC Joint Research Centre's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/KRU/2025/LVP/4526-EXA. The subject of the planned call for tenders is the supply of a portable LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) analyser for characterisation of legacy wastes.

In the frame of the CLOWN project old irradiated fuels have to be characterized. An essential point is to make the difference between carbide, nitride and oxide fuels. A portable LIBS able to identify C, N, O is an ideal tool to sort the fuels directly in the hot cells.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified. The main classification (CPV) code is 38434000, which refers to analysers. The nature of the contract is supplies. The maximum contract duration is 3 months. No framework agreement is mentioned.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-09-08 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 23/09/2025 05:59 Europe/Berlin. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-09-25 Europe/Berlin.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The method of expression of interest is electronic. To express interest, one must use the "Express interest" link.

A question and answer section is available, where one can log in to create questions, view public Q&As, FAQs, and download Q&As in xls format. Currently, there are no items found in the public Q&A.

A frequently asked question is: 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 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future tender regarding the supply of a portable LIBS analyser. The analyser will be used within the CLOWN project to characterize old irradiated fuels by differentiating between carbide, nitride, and oxide fuels directly in hot cells. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the lead contracting authority. The actual call for tenders is expected to be launched around September 25, 2025, with expressions of interest due by September 23, 2025. Interested parties should monitor the provided link for the official call and related documents when they become available. This pre-announcement serves to inform potential bidders about the upcoming opportunity and allows them to prepare for the expression of interest phase.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract, suggesting that eligible applicants would likely be suppliers or companies that can provide the specified equipment. The exact types of eligible applicants will be defined when the call for tenders is formally launched. Based on the nature of the contract, eligible applicants are likely to be businesses, including SMEs and potentially larger enterprises, that specialize in the supply of analysers.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The funding type is therefore a service contract, where the selected applicant will be contracted to supply a portable LIBS analyser.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, given the nature of the procurement for a specific piece of equipment (a portable LIBS analyser), it is more likely that a single applicant is expected to fulfill the contract.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is published by the European Commission, DG JRC (Joint Research Centre), which suggests that the geographic eligibility is likely within the EU, and potentially also open to EEA countries or other countries with agreements with the EU. The specific eligibility criteria will be detailed in the official call for tenders when it is released.

Target Sector: The target sector is scientific instrumentation and analysis, specifically related to nuclear materials and waste characterization. This falls under the broader categories of research, nuclear energy, and potentially environmental monitoring.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC, so the relevant region is the EU. The start and deadline for expression of interest are given in "Europe/Brussels" and "Europe/Berlin" time, further indicating a European focus.

Project Stage: The project stage relates to the operational phase of the CLOWN project, where equipment is needed for the characterization of legacy wastes. The opportunity is for the supply of equipment, so it is not directly related to a research, development, or demonstration project stage, but rather to the implementation of an existing project.

Funding Amount: The opportunity is described as a "planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract." This suggests that the funding amount is likely to be in the range of under €50k to €200k, or possibly up to €1M, but this is speculative. The exact estimated total value is not provided in the available text.

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 applicants to submit a full proposal. The initial stage is an "expression of interest."

Nature of Support: The nature of support is monetary, in the form of a service contract. The selected applicant will receive payment for the supply of the portable LIBS analyser.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: an initial "expression of interest" followed by a negotiated procedure, which likely involves submitting a full proposal if selected after the expression of interest. Therefore, there are at least 2 stages.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned. As this is a negotiated procedure, the success rate after the expression of interest stage will likely depend on the number of applicants invited to submit a full proposal.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned, and it is unlikely to be required for a procurement contract of this nature.

Summary:

This opportunity is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procurement procedure by the European Commission, DG JRC (Joint Research Centre). The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/KRU/2025/LVP/4526-EXA. The aim is to procure a portable Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analyser. This analyser will be used within the CLOWN project to characterize old irradiated fuels, specifically to differentiate between carbide, nitride, and oxide fuels directly in hot cells. The procedure is described as a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The main classification (CPV) code is 38434000, which relates to analysers. The nature of the contract is for supplies, and the maximum contract duration is 3 months. There is no framework agreement mentioned. The start date for expression of interest is planned for 2025-09-08, with a deadline of 2025-09-23. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-09-25. The method of expression of interest is electronic. Interested parties must submit their expression of interest electronically via the provided link. This announcement is not a call for tenders itself, but rather a notification of the contracting authority's intention to launch a negotiated procedure in the future. The opportunity targets companies that can supply the specified portable LIBS analyser. The geographic eligibility is likely within the EU, but the specific criteria will be detailed in the official call for tenders.