---
title: "Upgrade of Brasstrax, Data Concentrator and Q3D VCM"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY"
published: "2026-07-30"
---

# Upgrade of Brasstrax, Data Concentrator and Q3D VCM

Buyer: SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890

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## Summary

The Scottish Police Authority has recently completed a procurement process to upgrade its Integrated Ballistics Intelligence System (IBIS) equipment at the Scottish Crime Campus in Glasgow. The contract, awarded on 9th March 2026, involves updating the BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing an outdated Data Concentrator server, and acquiring a Quantum 3D digital microscope. As the procuring authority, the Scottish Police Authority opted for a limited procurement method without prior publication of a call for competition, due to the specialised nature of the equipment and the requirement for national interoperability within the UK National Ballistic Intelligence Service (NABIS). The awarded contract, valued at £229,500, reflects the need to maintain the integrity and consistency of ballistic evidence across UK NABIS hubs, ensuring compliance with existing agreements and standards.

This procurement offers significant business growth opportunities, particularly for enterprises specialising in forensic technologies and ballistics systems. Given that the supplier, Forensic Technology (Europe) Ltd., is designated as the sole provider due to technical requirements, the tender emphasises niche opportunities for businesses that can deliver highly specified and interoperable forensic equipment. SMEs that are capable of meeting such stringent requirements may stand to benefit by positioning themselves within this specialised supply chain, offering equipment compatible with existing national systems. Furthermore, businesses with expertise in cutting-edge forensic technology may find opportunities for collaboration and development within this framework.

## Notice

The Scottish Police Authority was required to Award a contract to upgrade end-of-life Integrated Ballistics Intelligence System (IBIS) equipment at the Scottish Crime Campus. The procurement includes upgrading the outdated BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing a failing 10-year-old Data Concentrator server, and purchasing a Quantum 3D (Q3D) digital microscope for virtual bullet comparisons.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Scottish Police Authority has awarded a contract to upgrade end-of-life Integrated Ballistics Intelligence System (IBIS) equipment at the Scottish Crime Campus. The procurement includes upgrading the outdated BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing a failing 10-year-old Data Concentrator server, and purchasing a Quantum 3D (Q3D) digital microscope for virtual bullet comparisons.This investment standardises technology across all UK National Ballistic Intelligence Service (NABIS) hubs, eliminates critical system downtime, and ensures operational compliance with NABIS MoU timeframes and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

### Procurement Information

The Firearms Unit within the Forensic Services relies on specialist IBIS equipment that forms an integral part the NABIS Network, which enables ballistic evidence from firearm discharges to be compared consistently across all UK NABIS hubs. To maintain the integrity, accuracy, and evidential robustness of national ballistic comparisons, all hubs are required to use the same IBIS technology so that the underlying algorithms, reference data, and outputs remain directly comparable. This requirement is set out in national operating arrangements and restated in the existing MoU governing SPA's participation in NABIS. While other virtual 3D comparison microscopes are available on the market, none are compatible with the existing BRASSTRAX hardware currently deployed within the NABIS network. Alternative solutions would require the purchase of entirely new hardware and software. Crucially, these alternative systems do not use the BRASSTRAX platform and do not have the same published datasets or validated algorithms, meaning that any results generated would not be compatible or directly comparable with those produced by other UK NABIS laboratories. NABIS has designated Forensic Technology Europe (FTE) Ltd as the sole supplier of the equipment to be used for the IBIS system used across the UK network. The proprietary nature of the technology, combined with the requirement for national interoperability, means that no reasonable alternative or substitute exists without undermining the effectiveness of the NABIS network, and introducing unacceptable operational, evidential, and reputational risk. On this basis, a non-competitive procurement from FTE is justified, proportionate, and necessary to ensure continuity of service, compliance with national requirements to ensure interoperability across the UK NABIS network.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561287 |
| 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 | 30 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 9 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £229,500 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY |
| Locality | GLASGOW |
| Post town | Glasgow |
| Postcode | G40 4EH |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM3 West Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM32 Glasgow City |
| Local authority | Glasgow City |
| Electoral ward | Calton |
| Westminster constituency | Glasgow East |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY (EUROPE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 38510000 - Microscopes

## Release History

- 30 Jul 2026 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561287

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561287
  Upgrade of Brasstrax, Data Concentrator and Q3D VCM - The Scottish Police Authority was required to Award a contract to upgrade end-of-life Integrated Ballistics Intelligence System (IBIS) equipment at the Scottish Crime Campus. The procurement includes upgrading the outdated BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing a failing 10-year-old Data Concentrator server, and purchasing a Quantum 3D (Q3D) digital microscope for virtual bullet comparisons.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.spa.police.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890

## 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-r6ebe6-0000838890. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000838890.json.