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UKRI-6292 High-resolution mass spectrometer system

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

11 Sep 2026 at 15:31

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

11 Sep 2026 at 15:24

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research & Innovation, through the Medical Research Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, procured a high-resolution mass spectrometer system with associated accessories for multi-omics research. The equipment is intended to support proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics, including analysis of low-abundance analytes, large intact proteins and singly charged species. The procurement is for goods, specifically a mass spectrometer system, with delivery in the United Kingdom. The selected system is the SCIEX ZenoTOF 8600, supplied by AB SCIEX UK Limited. The requirement centres on an integrated high-resolution instrument and its supporting accessories, rather than a general laboratory equipment supply. Suppliers serving research laboratories, analytical science facilities and advanced mass spectrometry programmes would find the technical scope most relevant.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded on 11 September 2026 to AB SCIEX UK Limited through a direct award. The award value is £463,764.80 excluding VAT, or £556,517.76 including VAT. The contract period runs from 28 September 2026 to 31 March 2027, with signature scheduled for 23 September 2026. UKRI justified the direct award on exclusive intellectual property rights and technical reasons, stating that no other commercially available system met the required specification. The specified technologies include SCIEX’s patented DJET Ion Guide, Electron Activated Dissociation cell and ZenoTRAP technology. The procurement comprised one lot and the award covers the complete mass spectrometer system and associated accessories.

This award indicates demand for highly specialised mass spectrometry capable of supporting advanced proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics research. A credible future competitor would need to demonstrate a high-resolution system with strong sensitivity for low-abundance analytes, high mass transmission for large intact proteins, tunable electron-based fragmentation and rapid reaction times without compromising data quality. The requirement also favours suppliers able to provide integrated accessories, technical support and a system that works across different molecular research applications, including structural elucidation and analysis of singly charged species. Relevant businesses are specialist scientific instrument manufacturers, authorised laboratory technology suppliers and firms with established capability in research-grade mass spectrometry, rather than general laboratory equipment distributors.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

UKRI-6292 High-resolution mass spectrometer system

Notice Description

UKRI MRC has selected a supplier to provide a high-resolution mass spectrometer system and associated accessories.

Procurement Information

To meet the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology's (LMB) multi-omics research objectives across proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics, the SCIEX ZenoTOF 8600 system incorporates several crucial, patented technologies: Patented DJET Ion Guide (US Patent 10475633): Delivers a >10x gain in sensitivity for low-abundance analytes and high mass transmission, allowing efficient transfer of large intact proteins (>100 kDa) to expand proteomics capabilities. Electron Activated Dissociation (EAD) Cell (US Patent 10014166): Offers tunable fragmentation using variable electron energies (up to 50 eV) and currents, achieving reaction times under 5 ms without compromising data quality--even for singly charged species. ZenoTRAP Technology (US Patent 7456388): Pairs with EAD to generate exceptionally intense MS/MS spectra for deeper structural elucidation. No other commercially available system meets the required technical specification to allow MRC LMB to meet their research objectives.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f865
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086556-2026
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
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
£463,764 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Sep 20265 days ago
Contract Period
28 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

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

AB SCIEX

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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