---
title: "LUV01414 Purchase of C Trap Dymo 400 by direct award"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER"
published: "2026-02-23"
---

# LUV01414 Purchase of C Trap Dymo 400 by direct award

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f

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## Summary

The University of Leicester has successfully completed the procurement of a specialised instrument, the C-Trap Dymo 400 Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscope, through a direct award process. This instrument is crucial for the University's School of Chemistry to advance their research in biomolecular dynamics, specifically DNA-protein complexes and other molecular interactions. The contracting authority, situated in Leicester, UK, opted for this single-source procurement due to the unique capabilities and exclusive patents of the equipment, manufactured by Lumicks B.V. of the Netherlands. The contract was signed on 8th December 2025, with the procurement valued at £988,570, covering delivery and integration into the University's research infrastructure by the end of July 2026. The procurement represents a strategic enhancement to their existing research toolkit, enabled by funding from BBSRC.

This tender provides significant opportunities for businesses involved in sophisticated biochemical and optical technologies. Companies developing similar or complementary technologies, particularly SMEs with expertise in advanced microscopy or molecular biology tools, could leverage this process to position themselves for future collaborative or competitive tenders. The exclusive characteristics of the C-Trap Dymo 400 highlight a market niche where innovation and patented technologies can offer distinct advantages. Businesses with potential offerings in high-precision imaging and integrated microfluidics could find growth opportunities by engaging with research institutes or other entities requiring similar specialised instruments.

## Notice

The University of Leicester, School of Chemistry, is expanding its capabilities for studying the dynamics of single biomolecules. To support this work, funding has been secured from BBSRC to procure a highly specialised instrument: the C-Trap Dymo 400 Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscope, manufactured by Lumicks B.V.. This instrument integrates cutting-edge optical trapping, confocal fluorescence microscopy, and laminar flow microfluidics into a single, coherent system. The C-Trap(r) Dymo 400 will be installed at the University to support high-precision, realtime studies of molecular interactions, particularly in areas involving DNA-protein complexes, RNA structures, ubiquitin structures and cytoskeletal filament dynamics. It includes multi-colour confocal fluorescence (488, 561, 638 nm), dual force detection (x,y), short tether capabilities, microfluidics, and full system integration with proprietary Bluelake software, all required to maintain the scientific edge of our ongoing biophysical and molecular biology research. To view this notice, please click here: https://universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1000438720

### Procurement Information

This procurement is being undertaken via a single-source route due to the unique technical capabilities of the C-Trap(r) Dymo 400 and the exclusive rights held by its manufacturer, LUMICKS B.V.. The unique elements of this are: * Optical tweezers encompassing multiple trapping sites (4), * Multi-colour confocal fluorescence microscopy, and * Multi-channel laminar flow microfluidics. These technologies are protected by several granted patents, including: US9952421, EP3256254B1 (optical traps), US9766180, EP3004848B1 (fluorescence imaging), S11156513B2 (optical force measurement) and EP3737756B1 (DNA supercoiling). No other commercially available instrument can provide simultaneous, correlated force-distance-fluorescence measurements with the required resolution and sensitivity. Key performance features exclusive to the C-Trap include: * Force resolution 0.1 pN and drift stability 0.3 pN over 2 minutes * Confocal localisation precision 15 nm * Real-time imaging of single molecules under physiological flow conditions * Escape force 1000 pN, allowing for broad biological applicability * Integrated hardware/software for fast setup and automated experimental workflows. Additionally, the system includes a complete service and application support package, exclusive training kits, and proprietary components that are not available from any other provider.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016018-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 23 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 24 Oct 2025 |
| Contract period | 9 Dec 2025 - 31 Jul 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £988,570 |
| Contracts value | £988,570 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER |
| Locality | LEICESTER |
| Post town | Leicester |
| Postcode | LE1 7RH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF21 Leicester |
| Local authority | Leicester |
| Electoral ward | Castle |
| Westminster constituency | Leicester South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

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

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

### Codes

- 33100000 - Medical equipments

## Release History

- 23 Feb 2026 at 12:05 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016018-2026
- 14 Nov 2025 at 12:28 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073946-2025
- 24 Oct 2025 at 11:05 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068160-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016018-2026
  23rd February 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073946-2025
  14th November 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068160-2025
  24th October 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1000438720
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-05d34f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f.json.