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Spectrophotometer System

UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

26 Aug 2026 at 16:55

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

26 Aug 2026 at 16:44

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Essex procured a laboratory spectrophotometer system, including supply, installation, commissioning and user training. The equipment is an Edinburgh Instruments LP980 Laser Flash Photolysis Spectrophotometer for advanced nanosecond time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. It is intended to support research into photochemical, photophysical and protein-based light-driven processes, including work on rhodopsins, haem proteins, engineered photoreceptors, fluorescent proteins and photochemical probes. Required capabilities include broadband excitation across visible and near-infrared wavelengths, full-spectrum transient data acquisition, temperature-controlled luminescence detection and nanosecond time-resolved measurements. The equipment will be used by the University of Essex at its Colchester site. The procurement is categorised as laboratory, optical and precision equipment, excluding glasses, under CPV 38000000.

The procurement has reached the award stage and is recorded as complete. The University of Essex made a direct award to Edinburgh Instruments Limited on 20 August 2026. The awarded value is £243,050.21 excluding VAT, or £291,660.25 including VAT. The contract period is from 9 September 2026 to 8 September 2027, with signature scheduled for 9 September 2026 and the standstill period ending on 8 September 2026. There was one completed lot. The direct award was justified on single-supplier technical grounds: the LP980 was identified as the only instrument meeting the University's requirements and offering a direct replacement and capability enhancement for its obsolete Applied Photophysics LKS80 system. The requirement was evaluated on technical fit rather than a competitive price process.

This procurement indicates demand for high-specification research instrumentation that combines laser flash photolysis with time-resolved absorption, fluorescence and lifetime measurement. A credible future supplier would need proven capability in advanced optical and precision laboratory equipment, particularly systems supporting nanosecond measurements, broadband excitation from 410 to 2600 nm, transient spectral capture from 200 to 870 nm, and temperature-controlled laser-induced fluorescence. The buyer also values integrated functionality, single-shot full-spectrum acquisition, reduced sample consumption and reduced photodamage, with applications in photosensitive biological systems and fluorescent proteins. Suppliers competing when this requirement returns would need to demonstrate that their platform can replace ageing equipment while materially extending research capability, and provide end-to-end delivery, installation, commissioning and specialist user training.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Spectrophotometer System

Notice Description

Supply, installation, commissioning and training for an Edinburgh Instruments LP980 Laser Flash Photolysis Spectrophotometer. The system will provide nanosecond transient absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy capabilities for the investigation of photochemical, photophysical and protein-based light-driven processes. The instrument will support research requiring nanosecond time-resolved measurements, broadband excitation across the visible and near-infrared regions, full-spectrum transient data acquisition, and temperature-controlled luminescence detection.

Procurement Information

The Edinburgh Instruments LP980 is the only identified instrument that meets the University's technical requirements for advanced time-resolved spectroscopy while providing a direct replacement and significant capability enhancement over the obsolete Applied Photophysics LKS80 system. The LP980 combines a high-energy optical parametric oscillator delivering 3-5 ns excitation pulses across a broad tuning range (410-2600 nm) with gated intensified CCD detection capable of capturing complete transient spectra (200-870 nm) following a single laser pulse. These capabilities are essential for the proposed research programme, enabling studies of photosensitive biological systems, including rhodopsins, haem proteins and engineered photoreceptors, while minimising sample consumption and photodamage. In addition, the inclusion of temperature-controlled laser-induced fluorescence detection expands the University's ability to investigate fluorescent proteins and photochemical probes that cannot be studied using the existing equipment. No alternative solution has been identified that provides the required combination of excitation flexibility, single-shot full-spectrum transient acquisition, and integrated lifetime measurement functionality within a single platform.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ecfe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081506-2026
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

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

CPV Codes

38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£243,050 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Aug 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
9 Sep 2026 - 8 Sep 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
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
COLCHESTER
Postcode
CO4 3SQ
Postcode Area
Colchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH34 Essex Haven Gateway
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Colchester
Electoral Ward
Wivenhoe
Westminster Constituency
Harwich and North Essex

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

EDINBURGH INSTRUMENTS LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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