---
title: "Supply and Support of Automated Film Scanners"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06d035"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06d035"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d035.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d035.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND"
published: "2026-07-21"
---

# Supply and Support of Automated Film Scanners

Buyer: HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06d035

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## Summary

The public procurement process for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) involves the supply and support of automated film scanners, specifically targeting laboratory, optical, and precision equipment. The procurement falls under the category of goods and is set in the region of Edinburgh, UKM75. As of 21st July 2026, the procurement stage is completed with an active contract awarded. This process was carried out through a limited procurement method, particularly an award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, based on technical reasons. The total contract value amounts to £190,000. The contract explicitly aims at fulfilling the needs of HES's National Collection of Aerial Photography by providing five high-tech digitisation workstations.

This tender provides significant opportunities for businesses specialising in the development and supply of bespoke laboratory and precision equipment, specifically those capable of supporting specialised equipment for film digitisation. Given the unique technical requirements, companies with prior experience in automated digitisation solutions, especially those familiar with prototyping and bespoke workstations, would be well-suited to engage in similar future projects. Although the current procurement process favoured a supplier with pre-existing prototype solutions, businesses aiming to participate in the development of niche technology could benefit from aligning with the technological and technical demands set by organisations like HES. Hartech Automation Limited, a provider known for such capabilities, was the awarded supplier, indicating the importance of technical proficiency and prior project experience in securing such contracts.

## Notice

This Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency (VEAT) Notice relates to the intended procurement of five automated film scanners.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) intends to award this contract under the conditions of regulation 33.4.b(ii) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) regulations. The contract will be for the supply of five automated digitisation workstations, to be used by the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), following the successful development of a prototype for the automated digitisation of pre-1970s aerial film.

Options: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to request additional deliveries by the Successful Tenderer, either intended as partial replacement of supplies or installations or as extensions of existing supplies and installations. The Contracting Authority may at it's sole discretion exercise this option.

### Procurement Information

HES intends to award to the Supplier on the basis that competition is absent for technical reasons. On the basis no scanning workstations are available in the marketplace for the automated digitisation of pre-1970s aerial film, a procurement exercise was undertaken by Historic Environment Scotland in 2024 for the development of a prototype bespoke solution. This resulted in a contract being awarded to the Supplier. In January 2025 the prototype workstation successfully passed acceptance testing by the NCAP team. The supply of the workstations can therefore only be provided by the supplier.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068858-2026 |
| 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 | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 20 Jul 2026 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £190,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH9 1SH |
| 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 | Southside/Newington |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh South |
| Delivery location | TLM75 City of Edinburgh |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | HARTECH AUTOMATION |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

## Release History

- 21 Jul 2026 at 15:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068858-2026

## Notice URLs

- http://historicenvironment.scot
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000837811
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00164

## 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-06d035. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d035.json.