Award

Supply, Installation, Validation and Verification of Tandem Mass Spectrometer - Liquid Chromatography System

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

27 Feb 2026 at 12:20

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process was initiated by the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, located in Cambridge, UK. This tender focuses on the supply, installation, validation, and verification of a Tandem Mass Spectrometer – Liquid Chromatography System necessary for hormone analysis in biological fluids. It falls under the goods category within the public authority sector of central government and involves direct award procurement. The process is currently at the award stage, with AB Sciex UK Limited designated as the supplier. The contract period is scheduled from 1st May 2026 to 30th April 2027, with an expected signature date on 31st March 2026. The total contract value is £498,960, encompassing a technologically demanding replacement of existing systems to maintain precision in testing processes.

This procurement presents an opportunity for businesses experienced in supplying advanced scientific equipment, particularly those specialising in mass spectrometry or liquid chromatography systems, to explore similar opportunities within the healthcare sector. Suppliers like AB Sciex UK Limited, experienced in delivering high-quality scientific instrumentation, are well-suited to meet the intricate specifications required by the Trust. Businesses that can offer innovations in analytical chemistry or possess capabilities for custom equipment integration would find growth potential in fulfilling such complex tender requirements, thus enhancing their profile in healthcare diagnostics and research environments. The direct award process further indicates a preference for proven capabilities, suggesting that companies with a strong track record and highly specialised equipment could leverage their expertise in similar procurement opportunities.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Supply, Installation, Validation and Verification of Tandem Mass Spectrometer - Liquid Chromatography System

Notice Description

Supply of a high sensitivity Tandem Mass Spectrometer - High Performance Liquid Chromatography system to Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) for analysis of hormones biological fluids

Procurement Information

The CUH Blood Sciences Endocrine Laboratory is looking to replace a high sensitivity Triple Quadrupole Tandem Mass Spectrometer (TMS) coupled to an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. This system runs 10 methods that were developed in-house. The Blood Sciences labs currently have four Sciex triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometers (TMS) linked to Shimadzu or Sciex (Exion) liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems. This includes the system that we are replacing. The combined laboratories currently process around 120,000 samples a year through the four LC-Tandem Mass Spectrometer systems. Results generated from the systems are from technically/clinically validated methods and are used for diagnosis of endocrine and metabolic disorders, as well as for neonatal screening tests. The replacement system will be capable of quantitation of a range of hormones or metabolites in human serum, urine and saliva. Some of the analytes are at pmol/L concentrations in human serum e.g. aldosterone/metanephrines, so a high sensitivity system is essential. The TMS - HPLC system must have the following critical elements: TMS - The TMS will have multiple modes of operation including multiple reaction monitoring and scan modes. Scan modes must include precursor ion scan, product ion scan, neutral loss scan. - The TMS must be capable of Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation (APCI) and electrospray (ESI) ionisation modes with proven use of APCI for clinical hormone analyses. - The TMS must be capable of positive and negative modes. - The TMS must be capable of polarity switching within a sample acquisition run with a minimum settling time of 5msec between polarities. - The TMS must accept a fluid flow rate from 5uL/min to 3000uL/min, without flow splitting. - To allow for future development needs the TMS must have an option to be upgraded to a linear ion trap system that will provide additional scan modes such as MRM3, Enhanced Product Ion Scan. - The MS must have an integral infusion pump under full control of the system software to allow infusion rates up to 30uL/min to allow compound tuning and for ion suppression testing. - The MS control software must be compatible with multi-vendor HPLC systems e.g. Shimadzu, Agilent, Waters. - The system must be capable of the self-generation of all gases required for routine use (i.e. no requirement for a gas cylinder in the lab). - A suitable roughing pump must be supplied. This must be an oil-free pump. - Results must be able to be exported in .txt format to allow uploading to our current hospital information system. - Current methods in use in the Endocrine Lab must be directly transferrable without the need for re-development. HPLC - The HPLC system must have a dual binary pump arrangement allowing pressures up to 10,000PSI. This setup is to allow online solid phase extraction using 2-position valves. - There must be a minimum of 4 solvent lines per pump with inline degassers. If binary pumps are proposed, there must be 4 solvent lines for each side of the binary pump. The LC must have the ability to switch to different solvent input lines, analytical columns without operator intervention to allow running of multiple assays to be processed consecutively. - The HPLC autosampler must be capable of injecting from 1 to 50uL. - The HPLC autosampler must have at least six positions for plate/vials and must be able to inject from 96 shallow well plates, 96 deep well plates and vials. It must be capable of using these in combination without changing hardware configuration. - The column oven must have an operating temperature range of 5 to 85degC. - The column oven and must be able to accommodate six analytical columns of 25cm length. - The column oven must be able to accommodate and drive 2, 7-port 6-position valves to allow switching between columns and therefore multiplexing of analytical methods. - The system must be able to drive 3 2-position 6-port valves independently to allow sequential running of different methods using online solid phase extraction. The Trust believes that only Sciex 6500+ Tandem Mass Spectrometer, in conjunction with Shimadzu dual binary HPLC, can fulfil all of the essential criteria stated, and that only this equipment will allow rapid direct transfer of our current methods without the need to re-develop them.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065e31
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017861-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

CPV Codes

38433100 - Mass spectrometer

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£415,800 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
27 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
30 Apr 2026 - 30 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CAMBRIDGE
Postcode
CB2 0QQ
Post Town
Cambridge
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cambridge
Electoral Ward
Queen Edith's
Westminster Constituency
South Cambridgeshire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

AB SCIEX

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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. 

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