Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome

Electron Microscopy Unit (EMBI) is acquiring an automated serial block face scanning electron microscope (SBF-SEM) suitable especially for large volumes and broad variety of specimen types. The new system will replace the aged system, which has been the most used instrument of the unit, used in numerous high-profile projects and …

CPV: 38511100 Microscopios electrónicos de barrido
Lugar de ejecución:
Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome
Organismo adjudicador:
University of Helsinki
Número de premio:
529956

1. Buyer

1.1 Buyer

Official name : University of Helsinki
Legal type of the buyer : Body governed by public law
Activity of the contracting authority : Education

2. Procedure

2.1 Procedure

Title : Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome
Description : Electron Microscopy Unit (EMBI) is acquiring an automated serial block face scanning electron microscope (SBF-SEM) suitable especially for large volumes and broad variety of specimen types. The new system will replace the aged system, which has been the most used instrument of the unit, used in numerous high-profile projects and attracted several international projects. Moreover, due to fast developments in the field, new instruments have higher sensitivity and provide better resolution than earlier systems, allowing imaging of new types of samples. EMBI is a multi-user environment and, thus, the two main criteria for selection of the instrument are (1) image quality and (2) suitability for wide range of different tissue and cell types with different size and imaging requirements.
Procedure identifier : 2ea330bf-3cea-43d0-b789-2d26b4f88c3b
Previous notice : f426f9b9-a25f-4218-b2fe-5eee083243c6-01
Internal identifier : 529956
Type of procedure : Negotiated without prior call for competition
Justification for the accelerated procedure :
Main features of the procedure :

2.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Supplies
Main classification ( cpv ): 38511100 Scanning electron microscopes

2.1.2 Place of performance

Country : Finland
Anywhere in the given country

2.1.4 General information

Legal basis :
Directive 2014/24/EU

5. Lot

5.1 Lot technical ID : LOT-0000

Title : Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome
Description : Electron Microscopy Unit (EMBI) is acquiring an automated serial block face scanning electron microscope (SBF-SEM) suitable especially for large volumes and broad variety of specimen types. The new system will replace the aged system, which has been the most used instrument of the unit, used in numerous high-profile projects and attracted several international projects. Moreover, due to fast developments in the field, new instruments have higher sensitivity and provide better resolution than earlier systems, allowing imaging of new types of samples. EMBI is a multi-user environment and, thus, the two main criteria for selection of the instrument are (1) image quality and (2) suitability for wide range of different tissue and cell types with different size and imaging requirements.
Internal identifier : 529956

5.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Supplies
Main classification ( cpv ): 38511100 Scanning electron microscopes

5.1.2 Place of performance

Country : Finland
Anywhere in the given country
Additional information :

5.1.6 General information

Procurement Project not financed with EU Funds.
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) : yes

5.1.7 Strategic procurement

Social objective promoted : Human rights due diligence in global supply chains

5.1.10 Award criteria

Criterion :
Type : Quality
Name :
Description : Minimum quality requirements
Category of award threshold criterion : Order of importance
Award criterion number : 1
Description of the method to be used if weighting cannot be expressed by criteria :
Justification for not indicating the weighting of the award criteria : Direct procurement

5.1.15 Techniques

Framework agreement :
No framework agreement
Information about the dynamic purchasing system :
No dynamic purchase system

5.1.16 Further information, mediation and review

Review organisation : Markkinaoikeus -

6. Results

Value of all contracts awarded in this notice : 772 900 Euro
Direct award :
Justification for direct award : The contract can be provided only by a particular economic operator because of an absence of competition for technical reasons
Other justification : (1) After thorough testing of the available systems using similarly prepared tissue and cell monolayer samples and systematic comparison of the results, Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome was found to provide superior imaging quality on both test samples in terms of signal-to-noise in both low and high vacuum modes and higher sharpness especially on long runs of the tissue sample. Charging (electron beam interacts with the nonconductive resin in which the sample is embedded) is one of the main limiting factors in SBF-SEM imaging, and the superior image quality in the test runs is due to focal charge compensation system (FCC), which is a patented solution of Zeiss. FCC proved to be superior in reducing charging artefacts while still providing better signal-to-noise ratio in our samples in comparison to low vacuum mode imaging, which is the only solution provided by other vendors to reduce charging. Zeiss Volutome is also the only system that has a dedicated automated retractable detector for SBF-SEM imaging operating both at high and low vacuum modes, which enables uninterrupted imaging during runs requiring switching between high and low vacuum modes on non-uniform samples. (2) Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome has unique features to address various sample-specific needs that are often encountered in EMBI: - 32k x 24 k image size with 16-bit mode, which provides flexibility over 8-bit mode to correct image contrast during post-processing in situations when imaging conditions are changing. At the same time, contrast and brightness adjustments do not have to be very precise during the run providing more flexibility for the experiment design. This factor is important especially in larger samples that may have staining intensity gradient. - oscillating knife, which improves sectioning of challenging samples, such as soft (as a consequence of poor polymerization due to high humidity in summer) or non-homogeneous blocks (comprising of dense and loose tissue with lots of empty resin in-between). - sample hight of 1 mm (in extreme situations up to 1.2 mm), which allows imaging of large or long tissue samples such as plant roots and brain pieces. There’s no other supplier in the market that can deliver a SBF-SEM system with the required image quality due to focal charge compensation system (FCC) and 32k x 24 k image size with 16-bit mode which are features that can be only found in Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 with Volutome.

6.1 Result lot ldentifier : LOT-0000

At least one winner was chosen.

6.1.2 Information about winners

Winner :
Official name : Carl Zeiss Oy
Tender :
Tender identifier : Tender Carl Zeiss Oy
Identifier of lot or group of lots : LOT-0000
Value of the tender : 772 900 Euro
Subcontracting : No
Contract information :
Identifier of the contract : Agreement with Carl Zeiss Oy
Date of the conclusion of the contract : 26/02/2025

6.1.4 Statistical information

Received tenders or requests to participate :
Type of received submissions : Tenders
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 1

8. Organisations

8.1 ORG-0001

Official name : Markkinaoikeus
Registration number : 3006157-6
Postal address : Radanrakentajantie 5
Town : Helsinki
Postcode : 00520
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Telephone : +358 295643300
Roles of this organisation :
Review organisation

8.1 ORG-0002

Official name : Carl Zeiss Oy
Size of the economic operator : Micro, small, or medium
Registration number : 2154026-8
Town : Vantaa
Postcode : 01510
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Telephone : +358406670747
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0000

8.1 ORG-0003

Official name : University of Helsinki
Registration number : 0313471-7
Postal address : Fabianinkatu 33
Town : Helsinki
Postcode : 00100
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Contact point : Hankinnat
Telephone : +358 294150719
Internet address : https://www.helsinki.fi/en
Roles of this organisation :
Buyer

8.1 ORG-0004

Official name : Hansel Oy (Hilma)
Registration number : FI09880841
Postal address : Mannerheiminaukio 1a
Town : Helsinki
Postcode : 00100
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Contact point : eSender
Telephone : 029 55 636 30
Roles of this organisation :
TED eSender

11. Notice information

11.1 Notice information

Notice identifier/version : f359fd7b-ae6c-4e60-9b60-fa7366b36a1c - 01
Form type : Result
Notice type : Contract or concession award notice – standard regime
Notice dispatch date : 25/03/2025 13:50 +00:00
Notice dispatch date (eSender) : 25/03/2025 13:50 +00:00
Languages in which this notice is officially available : English

11.2 Publication information

Notice publication number : 00196740-2025
OJ S issue number : 61/2025
Publication date : 27/03/2025