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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract details notice
Published 24 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST

Official UK procurement notice

LUV01414 Purchase of C Trap Dymo 400 by direct award

Official notice

Authority: University of Leicester (Education)

Direct award
Sectors: Medical Devices & Pharma (33) Delivery: East Midlands (UKF21)
Awarded value£988,570published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 14 Nov 2025no call for competition
Awarded to Lunicks B.V

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The University of Leicester, School of Chemistry, is expanding its capabilities for studying the dynamics of single biomolecules. To support this work, funding has been secured from BBSRC to procure a highly specialised instrument: the C-Trap Dymo 400 Optical Tweezers-Fluorescence Microscope, manufactured by Lumicks B.V.. This instrument integrates cutting-edge optical trapping, confocal fluorescence microscopy, and laminar flow microfluidics into a single, coherent system.

The C-Trap® Dymo 400 will be installed at the University to support high-precision, realtime studies of molecular interactions, particularly in areas involving DNA-protein complexes, RNA structures, ubiquitin structures and cytoskeletal filament dynamics. It includes multi-colour confocal fluorescence (488, 561, 638 nm), dual force detection (x,y), short tether capabilities, microfluidics, and full system integration with proprietary Bluelake software, all required to maintain the scientific edge of our ongoing biophysical and molecular biology research.

To view this notice, please click here:

universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html ↗

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: East Midlands
33100000 Medical equipments

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
24 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST
Last source update
23 Feb 2026, 12:05 GMT
Authority reference
LUV01414
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-016018
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
East Midlands (UKF21)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d34f Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

This procurement is being undertaken via a single-source route due to the unique technical capabilities of the C-Trap® Dymo 400 and the exclusive rights held by its manufacturer, LUMICKS B.V..

The unique elements of this are:

  • Optical tweezers encompassing multiple trapping sites (4),
  • Multi-colour confocal fluorescence microscopy, and
  • Multi-channel laminar flow microfluidics.

These technologies are protected by several granted patents, including: US9952421,

EP3256254B1 (optical traps), US9766180, EP3004848B1 (fluorescence imaging),

S11156513B2 (optical force measurement) and EP3737756B1 (DNA supercoiling).

No other commercially available instrument can provide simultaneous, correlated force-distance-fluorescence measurements with the required resolution and sensitivity.

Key performance features exclusive to the C-Trap include:

  • Force resolution 0.1 pN and drift stability 0.3 pN over 2 minutes
  • Confocal localisation precision 15 nm
  • Real-time imaging of single molecules under physiological flow conditions
  • Escape force 1000 pN, allowing for broad biological applicability
  • Integrated hardware/software for fast setup and automated experimental workflows.

Additionally, the system includes a complete service and application support package, exclusive training kits, and proprietary components that are not available from any other provider.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

25 Nov 2025 → 23 Feb 2026 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends337 days ago
    25 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
  2. Notice published247 days ago
    23 Feb 2026, 12:05 GMT

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 24 Oct 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    24 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    14 Nov 2025, 12:28 GMT
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    28 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  4. Contract details notice published
    23 Feb 2026, 12:05 GMT
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £988,5701 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 8 Dec 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Lunicks B.V1 Dec 2025 – 31 Jul 2026£988,57014 Nov 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Lunicks B.V

    Signed
    8 Dec 2025
    Value
    £988,570
    Period
    9 Dec 2025 – 31 Jul 2026
    Status
    active

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of Leicester

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PPNM-4297-VLCH University Road, Leicester, East Midlands, LE1 7RHContact name, email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Lumicks B.V.Awarded supplierGB-PPON: PMQC-7912-PDQN Paalbergweg 3, Amsterdam, NL, 1105AG, NLContact email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender