Notice Information
Notice Title
UKRI-5642 Service Contract for Polara Transmission Electron Microscopes
Notice Description
The Medical Research Council (MRC) have appointed a supplier to provide a service contract for two Polara transmission electron microscopes, a Tecnai Spirit and a Tecnai F20 transmission electron microscope for a period of 3 years.
Procurement Information
The original manufacturer for the Polara's has stopped providing service contracts for this equipment. ISS Group are now the only supplier with the technical capability and access to parts required to provide a service contract for this equipment.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-060e94
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014208-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK7 - Contract Details Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Direct
- Procurement Method Details
- Direct award
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- SME
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
50 - Repair and maintenance services
-
- CPV Codes
38511200 - Transmission electron microscope
50000000 - Repair and maintenance services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £215,245 £100K-£500K
- Contracts Value
- £215,245 £100K-£500K
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 17 Feb 20265 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 22 Jan 20261 months ago
- Contract Period
- 7 Feb 2026 - 31 Dec 2028 2-3 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Complete
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI)
- Contact Name
- MRC Procurement
- Contact Email
- mrcprocurement@ukri.org
- Contact Phone
- +441793442000
Buyer Location
- Locality
- SWINDON, WILTSHIRE
- Postcode
- SN2 1FL
- Post Town
- Swindon
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLK South West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLK71 Swindon
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Swindon
- Electoral Ward
- Rodbourne Cheney
- Westminster Constituency
- Swindon North
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014208-2026
17th February 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006764-2026
26th January 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006670-2026
26th January 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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-060e94-2026-02-17T11:27:41Z",
"date": "2026-02-17T11:27:41Z",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-060e94",
"initiationType": "tender",
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PDQJ-7126-JDHG",
"name": "UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PDQJ-7126-JDHG"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Polaris House",
"locality": "Swindon, Wiltshire",
"postalCode": "SN2 1FL",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKK14"
},
"contactPoint": {
"name": "MRC Procurement",
"email": "mrcprocurement@ukri.org",
"telephone": "+441793442000"
},
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"details": {
"url": "https://www.ukri.org/",
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public authority - central government"
}
]
}
},
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PBQM-5421-TVXW",
"name": "ISS Group Services Ltd",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PBQM-5421-TVXW"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Unit B2, Greenside Way, Greengate Ind. Estate, Middleton",
"locality": "Manchester",
"postalCode": "M24 1SW",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKD37"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "services@iss-group.co.uk"
},
"roles": [
"supplier"
],
"details": {
"scale": "sme",
"vcse": false,
"publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
"shelteredWorkshop": false
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-PPON-PDQJ-7126-JDHG",
"name": "UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)"
},
"tender": {
"id": "UKRI-5642",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "UKRI-5642 Service Contract for Polara Transmission Electron Microscopes",
"description": "The Medical Research Council (MRC) have appointed a supplier to provide a service contract for two Polara transmission electron microscopes, a Tecnai Spirit and a Tecnai F20 transmission electron microscope for a period of 3 years.",
"status": "complete",
"procurementMethod": "direct",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
"procurementMethodRationale": "The original manufacturer for the Polara's has stopped providing service contracts for this equipment. ISS Group are now the only supplier with the technical capability and access to parts required to provide a service contract for this equipment.",
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"status": "complete"
}
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "conflictOfInterest",
"documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
"description": "Not published"
}
],
"procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
{
"id": "singleSuppliersTechnicalReasons"
}
],
"coveredBy": [
"GPA"
]
},
"awards": [
{
"id": "1",
"title": "UKRI-5642 Service Contract for Polara Transmission Electron Microscopes",
"status": "active",
"value": {
"amountGross": 258294,
"amount": 215245,
"currency": "GBP"
},
"mainProcurementCategory": "services",
"aboveThreshold": true,
"suppliers": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PBQM-5421-TVXW",
"name": "ISS Group Services Ltd"
}
],
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "50000000",
"description": "Repair and maintenance services"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "38511200",
"description": "Transmission electron microscope"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKH12",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKH12",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKH12",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2026-02-07T00:00:00Z",
"endDate": "2028-12-31T23:59:59Z"
},
"relatedLots": [
"1"
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "006670-2026",
"documentType": "awardNotice",
"noticeType": "UK5",
"description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006670-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-01-26T13:34:42Z",
"format": "text/html"
},
{
"id": "006764-2026",
"documentType": "awardNotice",
"noticeType": "UK6",
"description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006764-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-01-26T15:31:00Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
],
"milestones": [
{
"id": "1",
"type": "futureSignatureDate",
"dueDate": "2026-02-06T23:59:59Z",
"status": "scheduled"
}
],
"date": "2026-01-22T00:00:00Z",
"standstillPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-02-04T23:59:59+00:00"
}
}
],
"language": "en",
"contracts": [
{
"id": "1",
"awardID": "1",
"title": "UKRI-5642 Service Contract for Polara Transmission Electron Microscopes",
"status": "active",
"period": {
"startDate": "2026-02-07T00:00:00Z",
"endDate": "2028-12-31T23:59:59Z"
},
"value": {
"amountGross": 258294,
"amount": 215245,
"currency": "GBP"
},
"aboveThreshold": true,
"dateSigned": "2026-02-06T00:00:00Z",
"noAgreedMetricsRationale": "Not applicable",
"documents": [
{
"id": "014208-2026",
"documentType": "contractNotice",
"noticeType": "UK7",
"description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014208-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-17T11:27:41Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
]
}
]
}