---
title: "Liquid Handling Robots for C-19 Testing"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH"
published: "2021-07-28"
---

# Liquid Handling Robots for C-19 Testing

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56

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## Summary

The University of Edinburgh is conducting a limited tender for the procurement of three liquid handling robots, aimed at enhancing COVID-19 testing through the TestEd programme. This procurement falls under the goods category with a focus on industrial robots (CPV code: 42997300). The award procedure, initiated on July 16, 2021, has been completed, with a total contract value of £313,110. The robots are to be delivered to the Institute of Genetics and Cancer located at Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. This tender has been classified under Regulation Reg 33 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 due to the absence of competition for technical reasons. 

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in the supply of specialised laboratory equipment and technology. Suppliers with experience in manufacturing or distributing robotics, particularly those familiar with Tecan platforms, would be well-positioned to compete in future tenders or similar contracts in the healthcare and education sectors. The contract’s emphasis on compatibility and technical advantages highlights the value of innovation and reliability in this field, making it an attractive proposition for businesses looking to expand their footprint in public sector procurement.

## Notice

These 3 liquid handling robots will be used for testing for COVID-19 in saliva samples as part of the University of Edinburgh's TestEd programme. The robots are required for testing all staff and students at the beginning of the September 2021 term.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Under Regulation Reg 33(1)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, a contracting authority may use the negotiated procedure without the prior publication in the case of a public contract, based on the following justification: Competition is absent for technical reasons (only if it is not caused by artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists); and 33(4)(b) For the purchase of additional goods, where the University would have compatibility issues or disproportionate technical difficulties in purchasing from a party other than original supplier.

Options: This purchase includes application training.

### Procurement Information

The TestEd programme was established developed and optimised using a Tecan robot platform. It is therefore not feasible in the timeframe required for the project to re-develop the pipelines using an alternate robot manufacturer. This is particularly relevant as the robots require significant consumables and these are not readily compatible between manufacturers. In addition the Tecan platform has unique technical advantages making it suited to the required application.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017896-2021 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Jul 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 15 Jul 2021 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £313,110 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH1 1HT |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | City Centre |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh East and Musselburgh |
| Delivery location | TLM75 City of Edinburgh |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | TECAN |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38500000 - Checking and testing apparatus
- 42997300 - Industrial robots

## Release History

- 28 Jul 2021 at 07:55 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017896-2021

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/procurement/supplying
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00107

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02cd56.json.