Supply of hardware as part of The OU spaceflight instrument and planetary science research

Concepts

• milton keynes
• detection and analysis apparatus
• specialist hardware
• the ou spaceflight instrument and planetary science research
• research (castor) mission
• hardware
• research
• spaceflight
• instrument
• science

Location

MILTON KEYNES

Description

The Open University is procuring specialist hardware from a third party provider.

Total Quantity or Scope

A contract to procure CIS303 CMOS detectors for testing and inclusion in the wider Canadian Space Agency Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and ultraviolet Research (CASTOR) mission.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 38430000 - Detection and analysis apparatus

Indicators

Legal Justification

The Open University (The OU) have recently been awarded funding via the UK Space Agency's International bilateral funding call to carry out the specific task of procuring and testing detectors for a proposed Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and ultraviolet Research (CASTOR) mission. The detectors specified by the CSA must have high quantum efficiency for the 150nm - 400nm UV wavelengths. This range requires careful optimisation of the back surface passivation of the detector, and the application of appropriate antireflection technologies. As part of this procurement, a number of devices will be coated using three different techniques before being supplied to The OU to undergo rigorous testing to identify the coating most suitable to meet the requirements of the project. One of the coating processes is owned by Teledyne UK Limited. The other two have been developed by third parties under non-disclosure agreements for this specific project, are at an early technology readiness level and are not commercially available other than via Teledyne UK Limited for this specific project. It should be noted that these devices are not commercially available products but are under development by Teledyne UK Limited. Previous development phases for these devices have been factored into the schedule and re-commencing a product development programme elsewhere would not align with the schedule for this activity nor the CSA's overall mission schedule. Additionally, any coating techniques not already in development within the parameters of the project will not be suitable. It is therefore the OU's intention to place a contract for CIS303 CMOS detectors with Teledyne UK Limited on 30 April 2024 using the negotiated procedure without prior publication under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) (competition is absent for technical reasons) and / or regulation 32(2)(b)(iii) (the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights). A contract award notice will follow in due course.

Other Information

The Open University (The OU) have recently been awarded funding via the UK Space Agency's International bilateral funding call to carry out the specific task of procuring and testing detectors for a proposed Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and ultraviolet Research (CASTOR) mission. The detectors specified by the CSA must have high quantum efficiency for the 150nm - 400nm UV wavelengths. This range requires careful optimisation of the back surface passivation of the detector, and the application of appropriate antireflection technologies. As part of this procurement, a number of devices will be coated using three different techniques before being supplied to The OU to undergo rigorous testing to identify the coating most suitable to meet the requirements of the project. One of the coating processes is owned by Teledyne UK Limited. The other two have been developed by third parties under non-disclosure agreements for this specific project, are at an early technology readiness level and are not commercially available other than via Teledyne UK Limited for this specific project. It should be noted that these devices are not commercially available products but are under development by Teledyne UK Limited. Previous development phases for these devices have been factored into the schedule and re-commencing a product development programme elsewhere would not align with the schedule for this activity nor the CSA's overall mission schedule. Additionally, any coating techniques not already in development within the parameters of the project will not be suitable. It is therefore the OU's intention to place a contract for CIS303 CMOS detectors with Teledyne UK Limited on 30 April 2024 using the negotiated procedure without prior publication under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) (competition is absent for technical reasons) and / or regulation 32(2)(b)(iii) (the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights). A contract award notice will follow in due course.