---
title: "APHA CapEx: Supply of MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometer & Servicing Plan"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Animal and Plant Health Agency"
published: "2026-09-14"
---

# APHA CapEx: Supply of MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometer & Servicing Plan

Buyer: Animal and Plant Health Agency  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2

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## Summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) procured one MALDI-ToF Biotyper mass spectrometer, including delivery, installation, user training, a 12-month warranty and a servicing plan covering preventive and corrective maintenance. The equipment supports APHA’s diagnostic and research capability and must remain compatible with its existing MALDI Biotyper platform, accredited procedures and validated laboratory workflows. The requirement combines laboratory, optical and precision equipment with associated repair and maintenance services. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) group Commercial managed the procurement activity for APHA. The equipment is intended to maintain continuity of service and avoid the disruption, revalidation work and operational risks associated with replacing the existing platform with an alternative system.

This procurement has been awarded and the contract is active. It used a direct award under the Procurement Act 2023 because the authority concluded that only Bruker UK Limited could supply a technically compatible system and that no reasonable alternative or substitute was available. The award was made to Bruker UK Limited on 1 September 2026 for £750,000 excluding VAT (£900,000 including VAT). The contract was signed on 11 September 2026 and runs from 14 September 2026 to 30 November 2030. It is valued at £244,949 excluding VAT (£293,938.80 including VAT). APHA may extend the agreement by up to six years, from 1 December 2030 to 30 November 2036, subject to business need, budget and governance approval. An option allows an existing unit to be added for continued servicing and maintenance.

This requirement indicates demand from APHA for specialist mass-spectrometry equipment that integrates with an established MALDI Biotyper environment rather than a standalone replacement. A credible future competitor would need to supply, install and support the specified platform while preserving compatibility with APHA’s accredited procedures and validated laboratory workflows. Relevant capability includes laboratory instrumentation, technical integration, commissioning, user training, warranty administration and preventive and corrective maintenance. Service delivery would need to protect diagnostic and research continuity, with reliable equipment performance and prompt customer support. The contract’s performance expectations include early warning of delivery risks, responses to customer queries within one working day, resolution or an agreed resolution timescale within two working days, delivery to the agreed date and equipment performance to the manufacturer’s specifications. Suppliers with an established UK technical support and servicing operation would be well placed.

## Notice

This requirement is for the procurement of one (1) MALDI-ToF Biotyper(r) to include delivery, installation, training, a twelve (12) month warranty period and a three (3) year servicing plan for Preventive & Corrective Maintenance (the "Equipment").

### Procurement Information

The direct award is justified under Section 41 and Schedule 5, paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023, on the basis that, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only Bruker UK Limited can supply the goods required and no reasonable alternative or substitute has been identified. This is because the requirement must remain compatible with APHA's existing MALDI Biotyper(r) platform, accredited procedures and validated laboratory workflows. The direct award is necessary to maintain continuity of diagnostic and research capability and to avoid the significant validation, implementation costs and operational risks associated with introducing an alternative system.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086776-2026 |
| 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Sep 2026 |
| Contract period | 14 Sep 2026 - 30 Nov 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £750,000 |
| Contracts value | £244,949 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 4DF |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Bruker UK Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services

### Codes

- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

## Release History

- 14 Sep 2026 at 11:20 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086776-2026
- 1 Sep 2026 at 16:27 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082830-2026
- 1 Sep 2026 at 16:18 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082816-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086776-2026
  14th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082830-2026
  1st September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082816-2026
  1st September 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.bruker.com/en.html
- 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-06efe2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06efe2.json.