---
title: "Cell Sorter for Biological Sciences"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON"
published: "2025-04-04"
---

# Cell Sorter for Biological Sciences

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df

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## Summary

The University of Southampton is seeking to procure a cell sorter for its Biological Sciences department. This procurement falls under the "Checking and Testing Apparatus" industry category (CPV code 38500000) and is focused on acquiring goods. The tender is completed and the awarded contract, valued at £532,016.57, was signed on 6th March 2025. The cell sorter is intended to separate and sort biological cells into different fractions while maintaining sterility. The project, lasting for 39 months, includes a 12-month warranty and 36 months of support and maintenance. The cell sorter will be delivered to the University of Southampton's main campus in Southampton (postcode SO17 1BJ).

This contract presents excellent growth opportunities for businesses involved in high-performance, multi-parameter fluorescence-activated cell sorting, especially those serving the life sciences, computational sciences, and bioengineering sectors. The procurement requires the cell sorter to support a cross-disciplinary consortium of research groups and external collaborators investigating human health, aging, food, and environmental sustainability. Companies specialising in medical computer equipment, detection, and analysis apparatus, with the ability to provide training and ongoing technical support, are well-suited for this contract. Additionally, the collaboration with regional partnerships such as the BBSRC National Biofilm and Innovation Centre (NBIC) and the South Coast Biosciences Doctoral Partnership (SoCoBio DTP) will further facilitate new business opportunities.

## Notice

Biological Sciences have a requirement for a cell sorter, an instrument with the capability to separate and sort a mixed population of biological cells into different fractions for analysis or ongoing growth in separate cultures. Once sorted, cells must be kept sterile and uncontaminated, the cell sorter will have the capability of sorting populations into a multi-well plate format inside an integral biological safety cabinet. This requirement includes training for University staff and ongoing technical and experimental support.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

This procurement builds on a pressing need for a system capable of spectral high-performance, multi-parameter fluorescence-activated cell/nucleus sorting that will serve a cross-disciplinary consortium of research groups in life sciences at the University of Southampton and external academic and industrial collaborators within the South of England, investigating the mechanisms underpinning human health and aging, and food and environmental sustainability. The system will integrate significant advancements in cell and nuclear sorting, allowing the highest power, performance, and flexibility, enabling researchers across diverse disciplines in biological and computational sciences and bioengineering, with the highest relevance to those interested in temporal and spatial changes in cell states within tissues and microbial and environmental systems and how this defines their heterogeneities, functional relationships, and interaction with their environment. The advanced multi-parameter sorter will act as a hub that catalyses new cross-disciplinary collaborations between its diverse user base, from basic biology to ioengineering and biotechnology. This will be facilitated through established regional partnerships with the BBSRC National Biofilm and Innovation Centre (NBIC) and South Coast Biosciences Doctoral Partnership (SoCoBio DTP). The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 39 months with the successful tenderer(s). This will comprise of an initial contract period of 39 months for the provision of the cell sorter including a 12 month warranty with a 36 month support and maintenance (to run concurrently) subject to the satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University. The contract will be effective on signing. The initial term of the warranty of 12 months will run from the date of acceptance of the equipment.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013192-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 4 Apr 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 6 Dec 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 6 Mar 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £745,000 |
| Lots value | £745,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £532,016 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON |
| Locality | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Post town | Southampton |
| Postcode | SO17 1BJ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| ITL 3 | TLJ32 Southampton |
| Local authority | Southampton |
| Electoral ward | Portswood |
| Westminster constituency | Southampton Test |
| Delivery location | TLJ32 Southampton |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | LIFE TECHNOLOGIES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

### Codes

- 33197000 - Medical computer equipment
- 38431000 - Detection apparatus
- 38432000 - Analysis apparatus
- 38500000 - Checking and testing apparatus

## Release History

- 4 Apr 2025 at 14:51 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013192-2025
- 12 Nov 2024 at 16:31 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036633-2024
- 12 Nov 2024 at 15:15 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036605-2024

## Notice URLs

- http://www.southampton.ac.uk
- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton
- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/Home
- https://intendhost.co.uk/

## 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-04b5df. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b5df.json.