--- title: "Cryo-EM Talos Arctica Service Contract" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077847" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077847" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077847.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077847.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "NPL Management Limited" published: "2026-09-24" --- # Cryo-EM Talos Arctica Service Contract Buyer: NPL Management Limited Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077847 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077847) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077847.json) ## Summary NPL Management Limited is buying a manufacturer-backed service agreement for its Thermo Fisher Scientific Talos Arctica cryogenic electron microscope and associated cryogenic electron microscopy equipment at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington. The service covers remote diagnostics and technical support, on-site inspection and repair, corrective and emergency maintenance, scheduled preventive maintenance, and performance verification. It also includes software licences, maintenance and updates, and replacement parts and components, excluding consumables. Support is delivered through the manufacturer’s UK organisation and authorised UK service infrastructure. The equipment is a specialised research asset, and the service is intended to maintain its reliability, performance, software compatibility and operational availability. The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to FEI UK Limited, the microscope’s original equipment manufacturer. The award date was 23 September 2026. The contract period runs from 7 October 2026 to 7 October 2029. Its value is £567,203 excluding VAT (£680,643 including VAT). NPL used a direct award, citing technical reasons: the OEM alone has access to the proprietary tools, software, firmware, documentation, certified parts and trained engineers needed for the full service package. The procurement was not divided into substantive lots; the single lot is complete. The service targets a response within 48 hours during normal business hours, with remote assessment followed by on-site intervention when required. This award demonstrates demand at NPL for specialist maintenance of high-value cryogenic electron microscopy equipment, including manufacturer-authorised repairs, preventive servicing, software support and performance checks. The selected supplier was the original equipment manufacturer, and NPL’s stated rationale was that only it could provide the proprietary software, firmware, service documentation, diagnostic and calibration tools, certified replacement parts, licences and manufacturer-trained engineers needed to maintain the instrument to specification. A credible competitor for comparable work would therefore need demonstrable access to the relevant proprietary systems and parts, appropriately certified engineers, and the ability to provide UK-based remote support, prompt on-site response, emergency repairs and scheduled maintenance. NPL’s stated technical requirements made competition absent for this particular procurement. ## Notice Provision of a 3-year original equipment manufacturer (OEM) service agreement for the Thermo Fisher Scientific (FEI UK Ltd.) Talos Arctica Cryogenic Electron Microscope (Serial Number 09950877, commissioned Sept/2020) and associated cryogenic electron microscopy equipment. The agreement provides comprehensive manufacturer-backed support, including remote diagnostics and technical support as the first stage of fault assessment (same day within hours), followed where required by escalation to on-site physical inspection (48-hour response), troubleshooting, emergency repair support and corrective maintenance by manufacturer-certified service engineers. The contract includes a targeted response time of 48 hours during normal business hours, emergency breakdown assistance, remote service capability, scheduled preventive maintenance, performance verification, software licences, software maintenance and updates, replacement parts and components (excluding consumables), and access to proprietary service tools, firmware, calibration procedures and technical documentation. Service delivery is provided through the manufacturer's UK organisation and authorised UK-based service infrastructure, ensuring timely support and compliance with applicable UK operational requirements. The equipment and supporting systems comply with applicable UKCA and CE marking requirements. The agreement ensures continued reliability, performance, software compatibility and operational availability of a nationally significant research infrastructure asset. Thermo Fisher Scientific (FEI UK Ltd.) is the original equipment manufacturer of the Talos Arctica Cryogenic Electron Microscope (Serial Number 09950877, commissioned 09/2020) and associated integrated cryogenic electron microscopy equipment. The manufacturer is the only supplier with access to proprietary software, firmware, service documentation, diagnostic tools, calibration procedures, certified replacement parts, software licences and manufacturer-trained service engineers required to maintain the system to the original manufacturer's specification. Support is delivered through a combination of remote diagnostics and technical assessment, followed when necessary by on-site intervention by certified field service engineers. No alternative supplier can provide the complete package of OEM-supported maintenance, software updates, performance verification, spare parts provision and manufacturer-backed service coverage. Competition is therefore absent for technical reasons, and the contract must be awarded directly to the OEM to ensure continued operation, reliability and performance of this nationally important research infrastructure asset. ### Procurement Information FEI UK Ltd. (Thermo Fisher Scientific) is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the Talos Arctica Cryogenic Electron Microscope (Serial Number 09950877) and associated cryogenic electron microscopy equipment installed at NPL (09/2020). The OEM is the only supplier with access to the proprietary software, firmware, service documentation, calibration procedures, diagnostic tools, certified replacement parts, software licences and manufacturer-certified service engineers required to maintain the system in accordance with the original manufacturer's specifications. (See CSF-02) No alternative supplier can provide the full scope of OEM-authorised maintenance, software support, firmware updates, certified spare parts, performance verification and manufacturer-backed service coverage required for this highly specialised instrument. Competition is therefore absent for technical reasons. (See CSF-02 and EMEA Preferred service contract) Direct award is necessary to ensure continued reliability, operational availability, business continuity and compliance of this nationally significant research infrastructure asset. The service agreement provides manufacturer-supported remote diagnostics, escalation support, targeted 48-hour response, on-site intervention by certified field service engineers, preventative maintenance and emergency repair services through the manufacturer's UK service organisation. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090759-2026 | | Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Direct | | Procurement method details | Direct award | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Large | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 24 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 23 Sep 2026 | | Contract period | 7 Oct 2026 - 7 Oct 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | £567,203 | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NPL Management Limited | | Locality | TEDDINGTON | | Postcode area | Twickenham | | Postcode | TW11 0LW | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI7 Outer London - West and North West | | ITL 3 | TLI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames | | Local authority | Richmond upon Thames | | Electoral ward | Teddington | | Westminster constituency | Twickenham | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | FEI UK Ltd | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 50 - Repair and maintenance services ### Codes - 50324200 - Preventive maintenance services - 50421000 - Repair and maintenance services of medical equipment ## Release History - 24 Sep 2026 at 17:26 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090759-2026 - 23 Sep 2026 at 10:18 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089971-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090759-2026 24th September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089971-2026 23rd September 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.npl.co.uk - http://www.thermofisher.com - 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-077847. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077847.json.