Supply of a system to perform Particle Number Counting and Particle Number Size Distribution sub- micrometer measurements

The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution (ERLAP), has published a supplies tender to procure a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) to support Particle Number Counting (PNC) and Particle Number Size Distribution (PNSD) reference measurements under the Air Quality Directive 2024/2881. The contract is estimated at €120,000 with a planned duration of 28 months and includes delivery, installation, calibration traceability, and service obligations. The procedure is an open tender published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with electronic submission via eSubmission and an indicated registration/submission deadline of 3 August 2026. Eligible economic operators supplying scientific laboratory instrumentation should consult the full tender documents on the Portal for technical specifications and submission requirements.

Summary

What is procured

Procurement of a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and an additional Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) to perform aerosol Particle Number Counting (PNC) and Particle Number Size Distribution (PNSD) sub-micrometer measurements for the JRC European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution.

Estimated value and duration:Estimated overall contract amount €120,000; planned contract period 28 months.

1. 1Who can apply: Suppliers of scientific measurement instruments (equipment vendors able to deliver, install and support SMPS and CPC systems); procurement issued by European Commission DG JRC.
2. 2Procedure: Tender published on the Funding & Tenders Portal with eSubmission; registration/response by the deadline indicated on the portal.
3. 3Key dates: Publication mid-July 2026; EXA registration deadline 2026-08-03; planned tender/contract timeline on the portal.

Full tender notice and submission details are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender page.

Administrative and procurement overview

Tender reference EC-JRC/IPR/2026/MVP/3834-EXA published by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) — European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution. Procurement type: supplies. Main CPV codes: 38000000 (Laboratory, optical and precision equipment), 38344000 (Laboratory equipment), 38430000 (Scientific and laboratory equipment). Estimated overall contract value: €120 000. Planned contract duration: 28 months. Submission method: eSubmission via the Funding and Tenders Portal. Registration deadline / submission cut-off: 3 August 2026, 23:59:59 Europe/Rome. The call is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender details ¹.

Purpose of the procurement:To procure a measurement system composed of a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and an additional Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) for measuring aerosol particle number size distribution (PNSD) and particle number counting (PNC) in the sub-micrometer range. The equipment will support the JRC's reference activities under the Air Quality Directive 2024/2881 to implement quality assurance programmes for Member State air quality laboratories.

Technical description and scientific context

Background:The Air Quality Directive 2024/2881 introduces two new regulated pollutants: Particle Number Counting (PNC) and Particle Number Size Distribution (PNSD). The JRC's European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution needs to perform a prior assessment and implement reference-level measurement capability for these variables.

Required instruments and measurement capabilities:The procurement requests a combined system made up of at least two primary instruments: a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) to measure aerosol particle size number distribution across the sub-micrometer size range, and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) to measure total particle number concentration (PNC). The SMPS must provide mobility diameter-resolved number distributions (PNSD), with sizing and counting performance appropriate for regulatory and reference laboratory use. The CPC must provide reliable total number concentration measurement with low detection limit, high counting efficiency across the relevant size range, and interfaces compatible with the SMPS if appropriate (for integrated operation or cross-validation).

Performance expectations and use cases:The system will be used for quality assurance, reference implementation, inter-laboratory comparisons, calibration checks, and possibly round-robin testing with Member State air quality laboratories. Instruments must be suitable for rigorous laboratory reference work with traceable calibration, documented uncertainties, and service/support for the intended contract period.

Eligibility, submission and contractual conditions

Contracting authority:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre. Procedure type: open or competitive tender via the Funding and Tenders Portal (eSubmission). The procurement is published as a standard supplies contract. SME suitability indicator: false (the procurement is not restricted to SMEs). Government agreement constraint indicator: false.

Estimated contract value and duration:Estimated overall contract amount: €120 000. Planned duration: 28 months (likely including delivery, installation, validation, maintenance or service obligations within that period).

Detailed answers to the required categorization questions

Eligible Applicant Types:Suppliers of scientific instrumentation and laboratory measurement systems are expected. Eligible applicant types include: commercial suppliers (SMEs and large enterprises) of scientific and laboratory equipment, authorised distributors, manufacturers of SMPS and CPC instruments, research infrastructure providers capable of supplying and servicing the equipment, and consortiums or partnerships that can deliver the combined system and support services. Public bodies, research institutes and universities could bid if they act as suppliers or in partnership with commercial suppliers, but the tender is a supply contract addressed to suppliers. Individual natural persons are not suitable as primary bidders.

Funding Type:This is a procurement contract (tender) — a supplies contract awarded following a public procurement procedure. The financial mechanism is payment for delivered goods and associated services under a public contract, not a grant, loan or equity instrument.

Consortium Requirement:Not explicitly mandatory as a consortium; the procedure expects a single contracting party to supply the system. However, bidders may form a consortium or joint venture if necessary to cover technical, delivery and service requirements, including manufacturer and local service partner arrangements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The contracting authority is the European Commission JRC. The tender is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and is therefore open to economic operators established in accordance with the applicable rules for EU public procurement. This typically includes entities established in EU Member States and possibly EEA and other countries party to procurement agreements applicable to EU procedures. The tender text does not explicitly list eligible countries in the scraped content; bidders should consult the eTender documents on the Portal for formal nationality and eligibility rules ¹.

Target Sector:Environment and air quality monitoring; specifically atmospheric aerosol measurement, air pollution monitoring, environmental laboratory instrumentation, and associated metrology services. The tender is targeted at suppliers in the scientific instruments and laboratory equipment sector (aerosol science, environmental monitoring, particle metrology).

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are listed in the scraped text other than the contracting authority being the European Commission (Joint Research Centre). The region implied is the European Union. Refer to the procurement documents for explicit nationality/establishment requirements ¹.

Project Stage:Technology maturity expected: operational, market-ready measurement instruments for reference and laboratory use. The equipment must be fully developed, calibrated, and suitable for deployment in reference laboratory workflows (not prototype or R&D-only).

Funding Amount:Estimated total contract value is €120 000. This is the available budget the authority expects to spend for the supply and associated obligations under the contract.

Application Type:Open tender published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with a defined submission deadline. Method: eSubmission via the Portal (ESUBMISSION). Registration and submission must follow the portal’s eTendering processes. The specified EXA registration deadline and planned CFT dates should be observed: published 14 July 2026; registration and submission deadline 3 August 2026 ¹.

Nature of Support:Financial consideration through a public procurement contract (money in exchange for goods and potentially services such as installation, training, calibration, warranty and maintenance). The authority will not provide grant funding; instead, it will pay the contractor for delivered supplies and services under contractual terms.

Application Stages:Typical procurement stages for this type of open procedure are: 1) Registration/Expression of interest and retrieval of procurement documents on the Portal, 2) Preparation and submission of the tender (technical and financial offer) via eSubmission, 3) Administrative and technical evaluation by the contracting authority, 4) Award decision and contract signature, and 5) Contract implementation (delivery, installation, acceptance tests, service). From submission to award the bidder passes through at least three formal evaluation stages (administrative compliance, technical compliance/selection and award criteria evaluation).

Success Rates:Specific success rate statistics are not provided in the tender text. Success rate depends on the number and quality of bids received. For single-supplier niche scientific equipment tenders, typical competition may range from a few specialist bidders to a larger pool if distributors compete; historical procurement success rates cannot be derived from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding by the supplier is required as part of a supplies contract; the contracting authority will fund the contract from its budget. Bidders must price the supply and any requested services within the budget and tender requirements. If optional extended warranties or additional services are offered, their costs must be included or clearly separated as options in the financial offer.

Application / tender submission templates and expected documentation

Tender documentation will be available on the Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission workspace for the procedure. Typical documentation and templates for this procurement type include: a tender dossier with technical specification and bill of quantities, selection criteria and evidence templates (financial capacity, technical capacity, past performance), tender submission form (administrative compliance checklist), declarations of honour (exclusion and non-collusion), technical offer template (detailed technical description, compliance table referencing required specifications), commercial offer template (price breakdown, currency, VAT treatment, delivery terms), contract draft (special conditions and general conditions), and any fidelity to EU procurement standard forms. Bidders must complete standard eForms and upload supporting attachments via the Portal.

1. 1Prepare company registration and eligibility documentation according to the Portal requirements, including proof of legal status, VAT/registration numbers and authorized signatory evidence.
2. 2Complete exclusion and selection criteria declarations (declaration on honor, financial statements or equivalent evidence if requested).
3. 3Provide a detailed technical offer addressing each specification point: SMPS model and manufacturer, particle size range, sizing resolution, counting efficiency, CPC model and manufacturer, detection limit, counting efficiency across sizes, calibration traceability, data interfaces and software, maintenance and spare parts availability.
4. 4Provide a commercial offer with itemised pricing (equipment, calibration, installation, training, warranty, optional extended service), delivery schedule, Incoterms, and site acceptance testing plan.
5. 5Include references of similar deliveries to public laboratories or research institutions, with contact details and delivery dates.
6. 6Upload all documents via the Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission before the deadline and monitor the Portal for clarifications or tender updates.

Scoring, award criteria and evaluation:The scraped content does not provide the full award criteria or scoring model. Bidders should consult the full tender documents on the Funding and Tenders Portal to obtain the precise award criteria (likely a combination of technical compliance, quality, delivery lead time, after-sales service and price).

Key dates and actions:Publication date 14 July 2026. Registration and submission deadline 3 August 2026 (23:59:59 Europe/Rome). Planned CFT date 3 August 2026. Bidders must register and submit via the Funding and Tenders Portal in accordance with the eSubmission instructions and monitor clarifications or addenda.

Risk factors and recommendations for bidders

Potential risks:Specialized technical requirements for reference-grade SMPS and CPC equipment, limited budget envelope (€120 000) relative to high-end instrument costs, potential requirements for traceable calibration and documented uncertainty budgets, service and spare parts availability across the contract duration, and strict compliance with procurement administrative requirements.

Recommendations:Carefully review the full technical specification and contract conditions available on the Portal; provide clear evidence of technical compliance, calibration traceability and previous deliveries to public laboratories; propose realistic delivery and commissioning timelines; include warranty and maintenance proposals; and ensure the financial proposal fits the estimated contract value while preserving quality and required service levels.

Summary

This is a public procurement by the European Commission Joint Research Centre, European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution, to acquire a combined measurement system comprising a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The objective is to establish reference measurement capability for Particle Number Counting (PNC) and Particle Number Size Distribution (PNSD) as required by the Air Quality Directive 2024/2881. The tender is a supplies contract with an estimated budget of €120 000 and a planned duration of 28 months. Bidders must submit tenders electronically via the Funding and Tenders Portal by the stated deadline and demonstrate technical compliance, calibration traceability, delivery and service capacity. The procurement targets suppliers of laboratory and atmospheric aerosol measurement instrumentation and associated services. Interested suppliers should consult the full procurement documents on the Portal and follow eSubmission procedures to participate ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender source and publication details available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Overview

This is a **supply tender** issued by the **European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)** for the procurement of a **Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS)** and an additional **Condensation Particle Counter (CPC)** to enable Particle Number Counting (PNC) and Particle Number Size Distribution (PNSD) measurements at sub-micrometer levels [1][6].

Contracting Authority:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre, specifically the **European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution (ERLAP)** located in Ispra, Italy [6][11].

Legal Mandate:The procurement is mandated by the **Air Quality Directive 2024/2881**, which requires the JRC to conduct quality assurance programmes with Member States' air quality laboratories for newly introduced pollutants PNC and PNSD [1].

Technical Requirements

The tender requires instruments capable of measuring **aerosol particle size number distribution (PNSD)** via SMPS and **aerosol particle number counting (PNC)** via CPC, specifically for **sub-10 nm to sub-micrometer** ranges [2].

1. 1Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) for PNSD measurements
2. 2Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) for PNC measurements
3. 3Capability to resolve uncertainty sources including particle transport losses, charging efficiency, DMA sizing, and CPC cut-off [2]
4. 4Integration into the JRC's quality assurance framework for Member State laboratories [1]

Eligibility and Application

**Economic operators** (suppliers of scientific instrumentation) with the capacity to deliver state-of-the-art SMPS and CPC systems are eligible; the tender is an **open procedure** not divided into lots [6][7].

Submission Method:Tenders must be submitted **exclusively electronically** via the **EU Funding & Tenders Portal** using the eSubmission system [13].

Official Portal Link:Full tender details and documents are available at Tender Details ¹.

Key Contact Information

Strategic Context

This procurement supports the **ERLAP's proficiency testing and inter-laboratory comparison schemes**, ensuring harmonized air quality measurements across the EU, as demonstrated in previous protocols for gaseous pollutants and aerosol measurements [10][12][14].

Footnotes

1. 1The tender reference number is likely **EC-JRC/IPR/2025/OP/XXXX** (exact number to be confirmed in the official portal documents), following the JRC's standard call format for air pollution instrumentation [6][7].