Progress on Gen 4#3

Gemini Observatory received four very good Gen 4#3 instrument proposals before the Request for Proposals (RfP) deadline at the end of August. An expert evaluation committee reviewed them and provided valuable feedback to Gemini for the selection process after a meeting in Tucson, Arizona on September 23rd.

In addition, a Board subcommittee charged with reviewing the selection components outside the purview of the evaluation committee, made their assessments as well. The Board subcommittee responded promptly, helping maintain our schedule in the early stages of the project.

This month Gemini has been making a number of physical and virtual site visits to proposers to seek clarifications about their proposals before making a final recommendation to the Gemini Board by the end of the month. We expect a selection decision shortly after the Board meeting in November. We hope to be able to start the Gen 4#3 first design stage in the first quarter of 2017, although there is some risk in this date, pending the nature of the contract negotiations and approval processes.