---
title: "Digital Microscope"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH"
published: "2024-08-16"
---

# Digital Microscope

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446

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## Summary

The University of Edinburgh, based in Charles Stewart House, Edinburgh, recently completed a procurement process for a digital microscope specifically designed to support research in the School of Biology, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences. The procurement, classified under the education category, was concluded using a limited procurement method without prior publication, with Keyence (UK) Ltd as the selected supplier. This contract, valued at £74,968, was awarded on 16 August 2024 and involves the delivery of the microscope to the Waddington Building in Edinburgh. Key activities included in the award are the supply of a 4K camera-equipped digital microscope with magnification capabilities ranging from 20x to 6000x, and a motorised XYZ stage for capturing 3D all-in-focus images.

This procurement offers significant business opportunities for companies involved in advanced scientific equipment, imaging technology, and educational tools. Suppliers with expertise in high-resolution imaging devices, particularly those capable of supporting cutting-edge research in biological sciences, would find such tenders particularly relevant. The specific requirements outlined for the digital microscope indicate a high demand for innovative and technically advanced solutions, presenting a lucrative market for firms specialising in similar high-tech equipment.

## Notice

A digital microscope with a combination of a 4K camera, magnification ranging from 20x to 6000x, a motorised XYZ stage and capacity to capture 3D all-in-focus images.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

A digital microscope with a combination of a 4K camera, magnification ranging from 20x to 6000x, a motorised XYZ stage and capacity to capture 3D all-in-focus images is required for School of Biological Sciences. It is required for a project to uncover the evolutionary history of Fibonacci spirals. The results of the project will provide a textbook case study for the drivers of biological form over geological time, while allowing an understanding of why Fibonacci spirals are so common in plants today. This project will be pioneering live imaging techniques on non-model species and quantifying 3D parameters of shoot apices. The VHX-7000 from Keyence is the only supplier who can deliver this specification of particular microscope that will revolutionise live imaging of non-model species due to its ability to capture quantitative 3D data of plant tissue non-invasively. This will allow live imaging of shoots of ferns and lycophytes without the need for staining or the development of transgenic reporter lines. More specifically it will be used to image apices with reflected bright-field light. The high magnification, automated stage and 4K camera of the Keyence VHX-7000 will transform our ability for live imaging of non-model species such as lycophytes as it will allow us to quickly and non-invasively capture quantitative 3D data of shoot apices.

### Procurement Information

This Contract Award is to purchase the VHX-7000 from Keyence Limited. This digital microscope is the only one available in the market that can meet the specification required for the experiments required on this project. This will be purchased to support a project currently underway in the School of Biology, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG512219 |
| Notice type | PCS Notice - Website 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Aug 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Aug 2024 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £74,968 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | 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 | KEYENCE (UK |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38510000 - Microscopes

## Release History

- 16 Aug 2024 at 00:00 - Award - PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG512219

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG512219
  Digital Microscope - A digital microscope with a combination of a 4K camera, magnification ranging from 20x to 6000x, a motorised XYZ stage and capacity to capture 3D all-in-focus images.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446
- https://www.ed.ac.uk

## 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-r6ebe6-0000775446. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000775446.json.