---
title: "Provision of Ultra-High Resolution Mass Spectrometer"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority"
published: "2026-10-15"
---

# Provision of Ultra-High Resolution Mass Spectrometer

Buyer: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed

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## Summary

The UK Atomic Energy Authority procured an Evolution 2 ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometer and inlet system, with three connections for samples, calibration and spare use. The supply also includes associated equipment such as pumps, software, installation with a site acceptance test procedure, and staff training. This is a specialist scientific instrument purchase, with related installation and training services. Delivery is to the United Kingdom; the buyer is the UK Atomic Energy Authority, based at Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire. The requirement was treated as a single lot and was considered suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The equipment is intended to meet the Authority’s technical requirements for high-resolution mass spectrometry.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to NU Instruments Limited. The award is recorded as pending, and the planned contract period runs from 2 November 2026 to 31 October 2027. The award date was 15 October 2026. The awarded value is £998,000 excluding VAT (£1,197,600 including VAT). The Authority used a direct award, relying on the stated absence of competition for technical reasons: it considered NU Instruments the only supplier able to meet the technical requirements, found no reasonable alternative or substitute following market engagement and options appraisal, and said the lack of competition did not result from artificially narrowing the requirement. The procurement comprised one lot; the recorded evaluation basis was the technical justification for the direct award.

For suppliers considering comparable future requirements from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, this award demonstrates demand for a complete, high-specification mass spectrometry installation rather than an instrument alone. A credible competitor would need to supply an ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometer with a suitable multi-connection inlet, pumps and associated equipment, and provide compatible software, installation, site acceptance testing and staff training. The stated rationale indicates that technical fit and the absence of a viable substitute were decisive: suppliers would need to demonstrate that their system meets the Authority’s detailed technical requirements and offers a genuine alternative to the selected instrument. The single-lot approach points to a requirement suited to a supplier able to deliver the integrated package. The Authority’s stated SME suitability suggests smaller specialist suppliers may be relevant if they can meet that full scope.

## Notice

This scope of work is for the provision of: * Ultra High resolution mass spectrometer and inlet system with three connections (sample /calibration / spare) * Associated equipment, including pumps * Software * Installation, including SAT procedure * Training of staff

### Procurement Information

The award is justified under Schedule 5, paragraph 5 of PA23 (absence of competition for technical reasons) because: (a) only Nu Instruments Ltd can supply the instrument in accordance to the technical requirements (b) there is no reasonable alternative or substitute, as per market engagement and optioneering exercises and (c) the absence of competition is not the result of any artificial narrowing of the requirement.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097661-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 2 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £998,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority |
| Locality | OXFORDSHIRE |
| Postcode area | Oxford |
| Postcode | OX14 3DB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC |
| Local authority | South Oxfordshire |
| Electoral ward | Sandford & the Wittenhams |
| Westminster constituency | Didcot and Wantage |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Nu Instruments Ltd |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38433100 - Mass spectrometer

## Release History

- 15 Oct 2026 at 17:03 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097661-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097661-2026
  15th October 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.nu-ins.com/

## 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-0788ed. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0788ed.json.