Award

3D Xray CT scanner and 3D laser sorter

FORESTRY COMMISSION

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

20 Aug 2025 at 13:10

Award

14 Aug 2025 at 15:13

Summary of the contracting process

The Forestry Commission, a sub-central government public authority based in Bristol, UK, has concluded a procurement process for the acquisition of a 3D Xray CT scanner and a 3D laser sorting machine aimed at evaluating and grading seed quality. The contract was awarded to PhenoKey B.V., a specialist SME from the Netherlands, under a direct award process due to the unique capabilities and lack of viable alternatives. The procurement, classified under the "Agricultural machinery" and "Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products" categories, was completed in August 2025 with a contract period commencing on 2 September 2025 and ending on 1 September 2030. The equipment will be used across various regions in the United Kingdom.

This procurement represents a substantial opportunity for businesses in the advanced agricultural machinery sector, particularly those involved in developing high-tech solutions for forestry and farming. The contract underscores the demand for integrated and innovative technologies that combine phenotyping and sorting capabilities, highlighting opportunities for entities specialising in imaging, algorithm development, and equipment manufacturing. Businesses capable of meeting these criteria have the potential to find growth through advancing their product offerings within the UK and similar markets requiring highly tailor-made technological solutions.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

3D Xray CT scanner and 3D laser sorter

Notice Description

Purchase of a 3D Xray scanner which can be used to analyse seed quality and 3D laser seed sorting machine, which can be used to optically grade and sort seeds

Procurement Information

Absence of viable alternatives due to highly specialized, integrated nature of this requirement. No other supplier offers a ready-to-deploy ecosystem combining 3D phenotyping and direct trait-based sorting. No other supplier offers the necessary algorithms to operate such technologies, especially for forestry seeds. Off-the-shelf components or manual integration approaches do not meet performance, calibration, or regulatory requirements. Functional interoperability between imaging and sorting modules is unique to this system and cannot be externally replicated.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05883a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050207-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

03 - Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products

16 - Agricultural machinery


CPV Codes

03000000 - Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products

16000000 - Agricultural machinery

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,247,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Aug 20256 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
14 Aug 20256 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2025 - 1 Sep 2030 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
FORESTRY COMMISSION
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
commercial.services@forestryengland.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS16 1EJ
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

PHENOKEY

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05883a-2025-08-20T14:10:03+01:00",
    "date": "2025-08-20T14:10:03+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05883a",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PLRM-7846-HGLG",
            "name": "Forestry Commission",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PLRM-7846-HGLG"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "620 Bristol Business Park",
                "locality": "Bristol",
                "postalCode": "BS16 1EJ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKK12"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "commercial.services@forestryengland.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PGTQ-4635-TGMN",
            "name": "PhenoKey B.V.",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PGTQ-4635-TGMN"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Vreeburghlaan 2",
                "locality": "'s-Gravenzande",
                "postalCode": "2691AC",
                "country": "NL",
                "countryName": "Netherlands",
                "region": "NL"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "b.vaneerdt@phenokey.com"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.phenokey.com",
                "scale": "sme",
                "vcse": false,
                "publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
                "shelteredWorkshop": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PLRM-7846-HGLG",
        "name": "Forestry Commission"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05883a",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "3D Xray CT scanner and 3D laser sorter",
        "description": "Purchase of a 3D Xray scanner which can be used to analyse seed quality and 3D laser seed sorting machine, which can be used to optically grade and sort seeds",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "Absence of viable alternatives due to highly specialized, integrated nature of this requirement. No other supplier offers a ready-to-deploy ecosystem combining 3D phenotyping and direct trait-based sorting. No other supplier offers the necessary algorithms to operate such technologies, especially for forestry seeds. Off-the-shelf components or manual integration approaches do not meet performance, calibration, or regulatory requirements. Functional interoperability between imaging and sorting modules is unique to this system and cannot be externally replicated.",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "singleSuppliersIntellectualPropertyExclusiveRights"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "status": "pending",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 1496400,
                "amount": 1247000,
                "currency": "EUR"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-PPON-PGTQ-4635-TGMN",
                    "name": "PhenoKey B.V."
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "03000000",
                            "description": "Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products"
                        },
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "16000000",
                            "description": "Agricultural machinery"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "UKC",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKD",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKE",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKF",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKG",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKH",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKI",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKJ",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKC",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKD",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKE",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKF",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKG",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKH",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKI",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKJ",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2025-09-02T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2030-09-01T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "048881-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK5",
                    "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/048881-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-08-14T16:13:11+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                },
                {
                    "id": "050207-2025",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK6",
                    "description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/050207-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-08-20T14:10:03+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2025-09-02T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ],
            "date": "2025-08-20T00:00:00+01:00",
            "standstillPeriod": {
                "endDate": "2025-09-01T23:59:59+01:00"
            }
        }
    ],
    "language": "en"
}