---
title: "RBGKEW1366 Ergonomic Microscopes"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-b17e4db4-5e6f-4ca8-ba6b-e745f7262898"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b17e4db4-5e6f-4ca8-ba6b-e745f7262898"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b17e4db4-5e6f-4ca8-ba6b-e745f7262898.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b17e4db4-5e6f-4ca8-ba6b-e745f7262898.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW"
published: "2025-04-01"
---

# RBGKEW1366 Ergonomic Microscopes

Buyer: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-b17e4db4-5e6f-4ca8-ba6b-e745f7262898

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## Summary

The procurement process conducted by The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew involves the purchase of ergonomic stereoscopes for the Millennium Seed Bank, one of the largest repositories of wild seeds globally. This tender, classified under the microscopes category (CPV: 38510000), is valued at £83,000 GBP. The procurement method utilised was a direct single tender action. The contract period commenced on 6th February 2025 and concluded on 5th March 2025. The award was issued to Vision Engineering Ltd on 5th February 2025, with the delivery location set at Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, England.

This tender offers significant prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially those specialising in precision instruments and ergonomic design. Businesses producing high-quality microscopes with advanced features like variable zoom, LED illumination, and user-friendly ergonomics will have a competitive edge. The procurement's focus on creating a comfortable and effective research environment presents an opportunity for suppliers to showcase their commitment to quality and innovation, thereby facilitating business growth through enhanced visibility and client trust in specialised scientific equipment.

## Notice

Trust Millennium Seed Bank is home to one of the largest ex situ repositories of wild seeds in the world, with collections of more than 40,000 species from across the globe. Kew requires replacement ergonomic stereoscopes to support the routine maintenance and research of these collections, including tasks such as germination scoring, seed counting, and morphological studies, which often require extended periods of stereoscope use. These stereoscopes are critical to both research and education. We require stereoscopes with a variable zoom range between 4x and 60x, providing sufficient working distance to allow the use of dissection tools on samples without obstruction. The stereoscopes should feature powerful LED illumination from above to ensure clear visibility of samples. They must be comfortable for users wearing glasses and designed for ease of operation to minimize discomfort during extended periods of use. Additionally, the stereoscopes should allow samples to be observable even when the user's eyes are not perfectly aligned with the viewing lens, providing freedom of head movement.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/88f38951-1618-4b72-bbdd-b0d8b4641d38 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Single tender action (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 1 Apr 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 5 Feb 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 5 Feb 2025 |
| Contract period | 6 Feb 2025 - 5 Mar 2025 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £83,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £83,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW |
| Locality | RICHMOND |
| Post town | Twickenham |
| Postcode | TW9 3AE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI7 Outer London - West and North West |
| ITL 3 | TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames |
| Local authority | Richmond upon Thames |
| Electoral ward | Kew |
| Westminster constituency | Richmond Park |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | VISION ENGINEERING |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38510000 - Microscopes

## Release History

- 1 Apr 2025 at 10:49 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/88f38951-1618-4b72-bbdd-b0d8b4641d38

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/88f38951-1618-4b72-bbdd-b0d8b4641d38
  1st April 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

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