---
title: "Award of contract for specialised high pressure freezer - University of Aberdeen"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "University of Aberdeen"
published: "2026-10-08"
---

# Award of contract for specialised high pressure freezer - University of Aberdeen

Buyer: University of Aberdeen  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240

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## Summary

The University of Aberdeen bought a specialised high-pressure freezer for preparing biological specimens for electron microscopy. The system vitrifies specimens under extreme pressure to preserve their ultrastructure for later analysis. The equipment is for the university’s laboratory in Aberdeen and must fit its existing electron microscopy workflow and sample-preparation equipment. This is a specialist laboratory equipment purchase, classified under CPV 39711120.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Leica Microsystems (UK) Ltd. The contract value is £550,000, and it was signed on 8 October 2026. The purchase was handled as a limited procedure without a prior competition: the university stated that technical and compatibility requirements meant only Leica’s system could integrate with its existing equipment and workflows without substantial changes. There was one lot and one bid. Price was the stated award criterion. The contract is active.

This award shows demand for high-pressure freezing equipment that supports biological specimen preparation for electron microscopy. To be credible for a similar requirement from the University of Aberdeen, a supplier would need to demonstrate that its system can vitrify specimens under extreme pressure and preserve ultrastructure, while integrating with the university’s existing microscopy workflow and sample-preparation equipment. Compatibility is central: the buyer’s stated rationale was that alternative systems would require significant changes to equipment, procedures or laboratory infrastructure. Suppliers with evidence of fit to an established laboratory setup would therefore be better placed to compete when this specific requirement returns to market. The award also shows that the buyer used a procedure without prior competition on technical grounds. No particular accreditation or additional capacity requirement is identified.

## Notice

Award of contract for a high-pressure freezer capable of vitrifying biological specimens under extreme pressure conditions to preserve ultrastructure for subsequent electron microscopy analysis.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Award of contract for a high-pressure freezer capable of vitrifying biological specimens under extreme pressure conditions to preserve ultrastructure for subsequent electron microscopy analysis.

### Procurement Information

The contract is being awarded without competition on the grounds that the required technical characteristics and compatibility requirements can only be met by Leica Microsystems. Alternative systems would necessitate significant changes to existing equipment configurations, operating procedures and laboratory infrastructure. The Leica EM ICE high-pressure freezing system has been identified as the only solution capable of integrating with the University's existing electron microscopy workflow and associated sample preparation equipment without requiring substantial modification to laboratory facilities, workflows, or existing instrumentation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566285 |
| 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £550,000 |

## 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 |
| Postcode area | 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 | Leica Microsystems (UK) Ltd |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products

### Codes

- 39711120 - Freezers

## Release History

- 8 Oct 2026 at 01:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566285

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566285
  Award of contract for specialised high pressure freezer - University of Aberdeen - Award of contract for a high-pressure freezer capable of vitrifying biological specimens under extreme pressure conditions to preserve ultrastructure for subsequent electron microscopy analysis.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.abdn.ac.uk/procurement
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240

## 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-r6ebe6-0000845240. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000845240.json.