UCC/2018/19 - Pre-Qualification Questionnaire: Multi-Party Framework for provision of Integrated Circuit Design Tools

University College Cork (UCC) wishes to appoint a minimum of 2 economic operators to a Multi-Party Framework Agreement for the provision of Integrated Circuit Design Tools.

Microelectronic Circuits Centre Ireland (MCCI) provides central IC design infrastructure (CAD tools, Design Kits and compute resources) for use by MCCI Academic Researchers and collaborating MCCI Industry members for the sole purpose of executing MCCI research projects. Such project participants access this design environment via VPN. The design environment currently comprises Cadence front-to-back analog IC design and digital implementation tools along with Mentor simulation and back-end tools and fully supports design activity across a range of advanced semiconductor process nodes including TSMC 28nm. While MCCI is a not-for-profit organisation, it does seek to license its research output.

MCCI requires IC Design tools that are fully capable of catering for analog mixed signal design and digital design at 28nm, and backend tools qualified by the TSMC 28nm.

Due to the lumpy and unpredictable nature of academic research funding, MCCI needs the ability to increase &/or decrease the tool license mix to match project ramps and funding grants.

The following indicative timeline is envisaged for this procurement:

The dates provided above are estimates at the time of publication of the Qualification Questionnaire.   The Contracting Authority will endeavour to run the process to this timetable, but this cannot be guaranteed.