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UKRI-6250 Service Contract for a Multiphoton Microscope

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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23 Jul 2026 at 15:17

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) procured a four-year service contract for a multiphoton microscope. The requirement covers services associated with the microscope, including repair and maintenance, rather than the purchase of a new instrument. The equipment and related service are to be delivered in the United Kingdom. This is a specialist scientific-equipment services requirement for organisations able to support multiphoton microscopy systems. UKRI is the buying organisation, with the requirement managed for its research operations. The procurement concerns one service requirement and one completed lot. It is relevant to microscope manufacturers, specialist scientific-instrument service providers and engineering businesses with direct experience maintaining multiphoton microscopes and supporting their continued operation.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded. UKRI used a direct award below the relevant threshold without competition, and evaluated the requirement through that procedure. Thorlabs Ltd was awarded the contract on 23 July 2026. The contract was signed on 23 July 2026 and runs from 24 July 2026 to 24 June 2030. Its value is £37,600 excluding VAT, or £45,120 including VAT. The contract is active and covers the single service lot. The awarded service is classified as repair and maintenance services for microscopes. The selected supplier is Thorlabs Ltd, based in Ely. This outcome identifies the incumbent supplier, the service scope and the buyer’s route for procuring the requirement.

For a supplier assessing future demand from UKRI, this procurement demonstrates a defined requirement for ongoing support of a multiphoton microscope over a multi-year service arrangement. A credible competitor would need specialist capability in multiphoton microscopy equipment, including planned servicing, fault diagnosis, repair and maintenance of microscope systems. The successful supplier would also need to support reliable operation of research equipment for a public-sector research organisation and provide service coverage across the United Kingdom. Thorlabs Ltd’s selection shows that a specialist scientific-instrument provider with established microscope expertise can satisfy this type of requirement through a direct, below-threshold route. Businesses with comparable technical capability and service capacity should monitor UKRI’s future needs for this specific equipment category.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

UKRI-6250 Service Contract for a Multiphoton Microscope

Notice Description

UKRI have selected a supplier to provide a service contract for a multiphoton microscope for a period of 4 years.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d23f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069845-2026
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
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

50 - Repair and maintenance services

CPV Codes

38510000 - Microscopes

50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£37,600 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
24 Jul 2026 - 24 Jun 2030 3-4 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
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON, WILTSHIRE
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Postcode Area
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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Thorlabs Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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