The primary mirror assembly (M1), the telescope structure (TS) and the adaptive secondary mirror (M2) were the systems included in the first call for tenders for the preliminary design.
Main EST subsystems making up lots 1, 2 and 3 in the call for tenders issued in 2020.
The EST Project Office is currently working on the update of the telescope design, starting from the conceptual design developed in 2011 and taking into account the science requirements set by the EST Science Advisory Group in December 2019. The goal is to achieve the preliminary design of the telescope, which implies comparing different options, manufacturing prototypes to test some critical requirements and writing the specifications for the detailed design and construction. For this preliminary design, the EST project will contract external companies with expertise on specific technologies to help us make progress at a faster pace and in a reliable way.
In 2020, a first call for tenders was published for the preliminary design of the primary mirror, the secondary mirror and the set composed by the telescope structure, the pier and the enclosure. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the call was stopped for more than three months and later reactivated to receive bids from the companies. The closing date for the submission of bids was 7 August 2020. On the 10th of August, the bids were initially reviewed.
The EST project is pleased to have received proposals from a large number of important companies from several European countries. These companies invested valuable time to prepare their bids and the contracting authority has evaluated them in detail to make sure the process complies with the tender conditions.
The evaluation has already been completed and the results are in process of publication. On 16 October 2020, the evaluation board proposed to award LOT 2 to IDOM CONSULTING, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, SAU. The next steps in the process are the award of LOTS 1 and 3 to the selected companies, which is expected to happen in the coming weeks, the period of time for claim, and finally the signing of the contracts.
The next call for tenders will be issued soon for the preliminary design of the EST heat rejecter.
Companies that presented bids for the different lots
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Lot 1. M1 preliminary design
Advanced Mechanical & Optical Systems SA
SENER AEROESPACIAL, S.A.
Lot 2. Preliminary design of the telescope structure, pier and enclosure
EIE GROUP Srl
Empresarios Agrupados Internacional S.A.
ESTEYCO SA
IDOM CONSULTING, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, SAU
MT Mechatronics GmbH
Lot 3. M2 preliminary design
A.D.S. INTERNATIONAL
TNO