Official UK procurement notice
Cell Sorter for Biological Sciences
Authority: University of Southampton (Charity / VCSE)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionBiological Sciences have a requirement for a cell sorter, an instrument with the capability to separate and sort a mixed population of biological cells into different fractions for analysis or ongoing growth in separate cultures.
Once sorted, cells must be kept sterile and uncontaminated, the cell sorter will have the capability of sorting populations into a multi-well plate format inside an integral biological safety cabinet.
This requirement includes training for University staff and ongoing technical and experimental support.
CPV: Analysis apparatus · Checking and testing apparatus · Detection apparatus · Medical computer equipment
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1This procurement builds on a pressing need for a system capable of spectral…AwardedPublished value£745,000
This procurement builds on a pressing need for a system capable of spectral high-performance, multi-parameter fluorescence-activated cell/nucleus sorting that will serve a cross-disciplinary consortium of research groups in life sciences at the University of Southampton and external academic and industrial collaborators within the South of England, investigating the mechanisms underpinning human health and aging, and food and environmental sustainability. The system will integrate significant
advancements in cell and nuclear sorting, allowing the highest power, performance, and flexibility, enabling researchers across diverse disciplines in biological and computational sciences and bioengineering, with the highest relevance to those interested in temporal and spatial changes in cell states within tissues and microbial and environmental systems and how this defines
their heterogeneities, functional relationships, and interaction with their environment. The advanced multi-parameter sorter will act as a hub that catalyses new cross-disciplinary collaborations between its diverse user base, from basic biology to ioengineering and biotechnology. This will be facilitated through
established regional partnerships with the BBSRC National Biofilm and Innovation Centre (NBIC) and South Coast Biosciences Doctoral Partnership (SoCoBio DTP).
The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 39 months with the successful tenderer(s).
This will comprise of an initial contract period of 39 months for the provision of the cell sorter including a 12 month warranty with a 36 month support and maintenance (to run concurrently) subject to the satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University.
The contract will be effective on signing. The initial term of the warranty of 12 months will run from the date of acceptance of the equipment.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (12)
- Hardware Requirement: 2%
- Software Requirement: 4%
- Automation: 11%
- Detection and discrimination of specimens for ongoing sorting into multiple fractions: 8%
- Experimental Flexibility: 4%
- Output: 8%
- Input: 6%
- Acceptance: 2%
- Warranty and Servicing Provision: 5%
- Training and Delivery: 5%
- price: 40%
- Sustainability: 5%
Published award criteria (12)
- Hardware Requirement: 2
- Software Requirement: 4
- Automation: 11
- Detection and discrimination of specimens for ongoing sorting into multiple fractions: 8
- Experimental Flexibility: 4
- Output: 8
- Input: 6
- Acceptance: 2
- Warranty and Servicing Provision: 5
- Training and Delivery: 5
- Sustainability: 5
- Price: 40
- Suitability
To support the financial assessment, the University will obtain a Business Risk Report for all Tenderers and every organisation that is being relied on to meet this procurement, using an independent company called Creditsafe.
The University reserves the right to exclude a Tenderer or request provision of further assurances such as parent company/bank guarantee or performance bonds where a Tenderer's Business Risk Score is: "Moderate Risk"; "High Risk"; "Very High Risk"; or "Not Rated", based on the rating provided by Creditsafe
- Economic & financial standing
To support the financial assessment, the University will obtain a Business Risk Report for all Tenderers and every organisation that is being relied on to meet this procurement, using an independent company called Creditsafe.
The University reserves the right to exclude a Tenderer or request provision of further assurances such as parent company/bank guarantee or performance bonds where a Tenderer's Business Risk Score is: "Moderate Risk"; "High Risk"; "Very High Risk"; or "Not Rated", based on the rating provided by Creditsafe
Where a Business Risk Score from our external system is not available, then an alternative method of assessing financial standing will be used. This method is detailed within the Invitation to Tender document set.
Minimum: Tenderers are advised that a requirement of this procurement is to have in place, or commit to obtain prior to the commencement of the contract, the following minimum insurance levels: Employers (Compulsory) Liability: £5 million GBP per occurrence. Public Liability: £10 million … - Technical & professional ability
Tenderers attention is drawn to the MANDATORY requirements of the award criteria:
Grounds for mandatory exclusion
- Mandatory technical requirements M1 to M7
- Failure to meet the minimum requested score for Highly Desirable requirements H1 to H6
Grounds for discretionary exclusion
- Economic & Financial Standing
- Insurance
- Compliance with equality legislation
- Health & Safety
- Legal requirements
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 12 Nov 2024, 15:15 GMT
- Last source update
- 4 Apr 2025, 15:51 BST
- Award evaluation window
- 7 Dec 2024 – …
- Authority reference
2024UoS-1337- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-013192- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04b5dfFind a Tender
- Electronic trading
- electronic ordering · electronic payment
Publisher note: E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend (https://intendhost.co.uk/ universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate). All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend. Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer. If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation. Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend. Further instructions for the submission of responses are below: To submit your return: 1. Log in 2. Click 'Tenders' 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender') 6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button. Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend. Publication of Award Details: The University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the right to do so. By submitting a response, potential suppliers/tenderers are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University. Costs and Expenses: Potential suppliers/tenderers are solely responsible for their costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of responses and participation in this and all future stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the University be liable for any costs or expenses borne by potential suppliers/tenderers or any of their supply chain, partners or advisers in this procurement process. The University is not liable for any costs in the event of the cancellation of this procurement process.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 17 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 120 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 7 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
Timeline
7 Dec 2024 → 4 Apr 2025 · 3 dates- Bids opened7 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline17 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Notice published4 Apr 2025, 15:51 BST
Notice history
2 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Nov 2024- Deadline moved to 17 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT12 Nov 2024, 16:31 GMT+11 days · was 6 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Status changed to complete4 Apr 2025, 15:51 BST
Published amendments (1 · 1 deadline change)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | DeadlineTime limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate · IV.2.2 | 6 Dec 2024 | 17 Dec 2024 | +11 d |
1 amendment published without a description.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Technologies Ltd | £532,017 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 013192-2025-1 · Life Technologies Ltd
- Signed
- 6 Mar 2025
- Value
- £532,017
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Life Technologies LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.