---
title: "Award of contract for spatial sequencing platform - University of Aberdeen"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN"
published: "2023-09-18"
---

# Award of contract for spatial sequencing platform - University of Aberdeen

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022.json)

## Summary

The University of Aberdeen has awarded a contract for a spatial sequencing platform. The University, located in Aberdeen, UK, carried out the procurement using a limited procurement method without prior competition. The contract was signed on September 18, 2023, with NanoString Technologies for a value of £610,839. This opportunity falls under the education industry category and was published on the University's procurement website.

This specific tender process could be of interest to businesses specializing in goods related to spatial sequencing platforms, especially SMEs with technical expertise in spatially resolving protein and RNA targets in tissue samples. The award criteria were based on price, and only one bid was received, indicating a niche market for this specialized equipment. Prospective bidders should keep an eye on similar future opportunities in the technology-driven research equipment sector.

## Notice

Award of contract for Spatial Sequencing Platform without prior call for competition.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Award of contract for spatial sequencing equipment without seeking offers through a formal procurement procedure as competition is absent for technical reasons. Under clause 33 (1)(b)(ii) of the legislation, a contracting authority may award a contract without competition (only where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists, and the absence of competition is not the result of artificial narrowing down of parameters of the procurement). In this case, the grounds for not exposing to competition are as follows: The equipment provided by the supplier is the only one which can meet the research requirements and is the only instrument on the market capable of: Spatially resolving both protein and RNA targets, in FFPE and Fresh Frozen tissues, and using the same chemistry and workflow (in-situ, oligo-barcodes which are photocleaved from the target transcript). Capacity to perform the above in a manner non-destructive to the tissue, enabling the use of precious samples for follow-on experiments. Capacity work with Tissue Microarray (TMA) Format which is required for a pilot study to spatially profile distinct tissue regions (GFAP, NeuN, Iba1) from 96 patient brain tissues on just one slide.

### Procurement Information

Award of contract without seeking offers through a formal procurement procedure as competition is absent for technical reasons. Under clause 33 (1)(b)(ii) of the legislation, a contracting authority may award a contract without competition (only where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists, and the absence of competition is not the result of artificial narrowing down of parameters of the procurement).In this case, the grounds for not exposing to competition are as follows: The equipment provided by the supplier is the only one which can meet the research requirements and is the only instrument on the market capable of: Spatially resolving both protein and RNA targets, in FFPE and Fresh Frozen tissues, and using the same chemistry and workflow (in-situ, oligo-barcodes which are photocleaved from the target transcript). Capacity to perform the above in a manner non-destructive to the tissue, enabling the use of precious samples for follow-on experiments. Capacity work with Tissue Microarray (TMA) Format which is required for a pilot study to spatially profile distinct tissue regions (GFAP, NeuN, Iba1) from 96 patient brain tissues on just one slide.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP488505 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F3 - Contract 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 | 18 Sep 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 18 Sep 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £610,839 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN |
| Locality | ABERDEEN |
| Post town | Aberdeen |
| Postcode | AB24 3FX |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM5 North Eastern Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire |
| Local authority | Aberdeen City |
| Electoral ward | Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen |
| Westminster constituency | Aberdeen North |
| Delivery location | TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | NANOSTRING TECHNOLOGIES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38540000 - Machines and apparatus for testing and measuring

## Release History

- 18 Sep 2023 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP488505

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP488505
  Award of contract for spatial sequencing platform - University of Aberdeen - Award of contract for Spatial Sequencing Platform without prior call for competition.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.abdn.ac.uk/procurement
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022
- https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/aberdeen-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court

## 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-r6ebe6-0000745022. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000745022.json.