---
title: "BD FACSDiscover S8 Spectral Cell Sorter with CellView Imaging Technology"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "University Of Edinburgh"
published: "2026-09-09"
---

# BD FACSDiscover S8 Spectral Cell Sorter with CellView Imaging Technology

Buyer: University Of Edinburgh  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb

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## Summary

The University of Edinburgh procured a BD FACSDiscover S8 spectral cell sorter with CellView imaging technology for research at its Institute for Genetics and Cancer. This is specialist laboratory, optical and precision equipment for spectral flow cytometry, cell sorting and digitally rendered two-dimensional cell imaging. The CellView system uses laser waveforms rather than a conventional camera to produce images equivalent to 10–20 times magnification. Its image-based sorting adds cell morphology as a sorting parameter alongside fluorescence detection. The equipment supports genetic screens using protein localisation or cell morphology, purification of cells at different stages of mitosis, and measurement and purification of cells undergoing protein degradation in the nucleus or cytoplasm. Delivery is associated with the University of Edinburgh.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. It used a limited procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, following market engagement that concluded there was no reasonable technical alternative or substitute. The University awarded the single lot to Becton Dickinson UK Limited. The contract value is £535,000, and the contract was signed on 9 September 2026. The award rationale was the requirement for integrated image-based sorting using CellView, which the University identified as essential to its research applications and unavailable from alternative spectral cell sorters. The process was conducted as a goods procurement and is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement. The contract is active.

This requirement demonstrates demand for suppliers able to provide and support advanced spectral cell-sorting platforms that combine fluorescence detection, cell sorting and integrated image-based analysis. A credible competitor would need technology capable of digitally rendering individual-cell images and using cell morphology as an additional sorting parameter, rather than supplying a conventional spectral sorter alone. Relevant technical capability includes supporting genetic screens based on subcellular protein localisation or morphology, separating cells through mitosis, and distinguishing protein degradation in the nucleus from degradation in the cytoplasm. The buyer also valued image-based quality control for verifying sorted cells. Suppliers with a differentiated instrument offering, strong application support for genetics and cancer research, and the capacity to meet demanding specialist laboratory requirements would be best placed when this type of requirement returns.

## Notice

BD FACSDiscover S8 Spectral Cell Sorter with CellView Imaging Technology

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The BD FACSDiscover S8 is currently the only spectral cell sorter identified by the University that combines spectral flow cytometry and cell sorting with CellView imaging technology. This camera free technology utilises laser waveforms to digitally render a 2D image of individual cells equivalent to between 10-20x magnification. The cellview imaging technology offers additional sorting parameters, based on cell morphology, that complement the standard fluorescence detection offered by spectral cell sorters The imaging capability is a specific technical requirement for the proposed research applications within the Institute for Genetics and Cancer. It will expand the possible applications of the cell sorter and also providing a previously unavailable quality control tool for verifying sorted cells. The image-based flow sorting capability of the BD FACSDiscover S8 is required to support the following research applications: 1. The ability to perform genetic screens which use subcellular protein localisation and/or cell morphology as a phenotypic read-out. 2. The ability to purify cells at different stages of mitosis 3. The ability to quantify and purify cells undergoing protein degradation in the nucleus versus cytoplasm. The CellView(tm) functionality is therefore an essential technical requirement for the intended research applications. Alternative spectral cell sorters considered by the University do not provide the same integrated image-based sorting capability. As a result, they would not provide the functionality required to undertake the above research applications in the proposed manner. On this basis, the BD FACSDiscover S8 has been identified as the only instrument currently available to the University that meets the specific technical requirements of the proposed research.

### Procurement Information

After comprehensive market engagement competition is absent for technical reasons. No reasonable alternative or substitute exists and the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement. This notice is the final piece of due diligence prior to the award of the contract. Should a supplier detail their ability to meet the requirements, then the award will be halted.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085535-2026 |
| 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £535,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | University Of Edinburgh |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Postcode area | 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 | Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 9 Sep 2026 at 16:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085535-2026

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ed.ac.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842623
- 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-06f5fb. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f5fb.json.