Official UK procurement notice
The Supply Delivery Installation and Commissioning of a Power Distribution System
Authority: University of Strathclyde (Education)
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionIn accordance with Regulation 41 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, the University is issuing this notice to undertake Preliminary Market Consultation prior to commencing any live procurement process.
The University of Strathclyde (UoS) seeks expressions of interest from suppliers capable of providing a DC Power Distribution Cabinet (PDC) solution to support the expansion of testing capability within the ANZIC facility. The market engagement will explore supplier capability, technical solutions and delivery models for a requirement expected to include a PDC incorporating active and passive insulation monitoring functionality.
CPV: Distribution boxes · Distribution equipment · Distribution switchboards · Distribution system · Electric switchboards · Switchgear
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · no lot values publishedLot #1DC Power Distribution CabinetPlanned
This lot will include:
Design, manufacture, supply, testing, delivery and commissioning of a mobile, indoor DC Power Distribution Cabinet capable of distributing power between multiple DC sources and loads at operating voltages up to 1500 VDC. The cabinet shall incorporate common positive and negative DC busbars with a continuous withstand current rating of 2500 A, together with an IT-system reference and bonding bus. Internal creepage and clearance distances shall be appropriate for the nominal system voltage, and the cabinet shall be designed and constructed in accordance with applicable standards, including IEC 61439, IEC 60664 and IEC 62477.
The cabinet shall provide a minimum of 14 positive, 14 negative and 16 IT-system earth or bonding connections. DC connections should use PowerSafe/Powerlock-style panel connectors rated to 800 A, with red L1-keyed panel-drain connectors for positive terminals and black L2-keyed panel-drain connectors for negative terminals. The external IT-system earth bar shall support the connection of external equipment through bolted lugs using 16 equally spaced pre-drilled holes. Provision of PowerSafe earth panel connectors is also desirable.
The enclosure shall provide suitable mounting space, power supplies, cable-routing paths and interfaces for the active and passive insulation monitoring equipment described under Lots 2 and 3. It shall also provide accessible and clearly labelled busbars, facilities for measuring the potential between the positive and negative DC poles, and safe access for inspection, maintenance and the removal or replacement of major components.
The cabinet shall achieve a minimum ingress protection rating of IP32 and incorporate appropriate thermal management for all installed equipment. It shall be capable of movement within the facility using industrial castors with locking brakes, or a base frame suitable for transportation by pallet or forklift truck. The overall dimensions shall be less than 2.8 metres in height and less than 2 metres in both length and width. The scope shall include general arrangement drawings, equipment warranties, busbar and thermal calculations, test certificates, maintenance manuals and all other documentation required to demonstrate a safe, compliant and operational solution. Additional information: Please note that the proposed lot structure remains under review and may be subject to revision as the procurement approach is finalised.
Lot #2Active Insulation Monitoring SystemPlanned
This lot will include:
Design, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of an active insulation monitoring system for incorporation within the DC Power Distribution Cabinet and operation on an IT earthing system at voltages up to 1500 VDC. The system shall incorporate an Isometer or technically equivalent insulation monitoring device capable of detecting insulation resistance down to 1 kΩ and operating with a system capacitance of up to 1000 µF.
The scope shall include the insulation monitoring device, associated power supply, mounting arrangements, protection equipment, cable-routing paths and connections to the positive and negative DC busbars and IT-system bonding arrangements. The active monitoring system shall continuously monitor insulation resistance and support the detection, indication and investigation of insulation faults within connected DC sources, loads and associated equipment.
The active monitoring system shall be coordinated with the passive resistor bridge described under Lot 3. The design shall allow the resistor bridge to be isolated from the positive and negative DC busbars when active insulation-resistance testing is required, preventing the low impedance of the resistors from influencing operation of the Isometer. The interface should preferably permit external isolation through panel-mounted switches with a clear indication of isolation status, without requiring the removal or opening of cabinet access panels.
The scope shall include all necessary design and interface information, configuration, functional testing, calibration where applicable, commissioning support, test certification, warranties, operating instructions and maintenance documentation. The supplier shall also identify any technical dependencies or interface requirements necessary to integrate the active monitoring system with the cabinet, passive monitoring equipment and the Authority’s proposed IT earthing arrangement. Additional information: Please note that the proposed lot structure remains under review and may be subject to revision as the procurement approach is finalised
Lot #3Passive Insulation, Current and Voltage Monitoring SystemPlanned
This lot will include:
Design, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of the passive insulation monitoring and associated electrical measurement equipment for incorporation within the DC Power Distribution Cabinet. The passive monitoring system shall include a resistor bridge comprising one resistor connected between positive DC and the common earth electrode and one resistor connected between negative DC and the common earth electrode. The resistors shall have nominally equal resistance values of 600 Ω and each shall be capable of continuous operation at 600 VDC across its terminals and dissipation of 600 W. In normal operation, the nominal voltage across each resistor is expected to be approximately half the overall system voltage, with an anticipated current of approximately 0.5 A through the series arrangement.
The resistors shall establish a virtual midpoint between the positive and negative DC poles for IT-system integrity monitoring. They shall be mounted to permit safe inspection, removal and replacement, with appropriate spacing, ventilation and thermal management to dissipate the heat generated during operation. The resistor bridge shall be capable of isolation from both the positive and negative busbars, preferably through externally accessible, panel-mounted isolation switches providing a clear visual indication of isolation status.
The scope shall include a high-quality DC current transducer, using Hall-effect or equivalent technology, installed between the resistor midpoint and the common earth electrode or bonding bus. The transducer shall have a measurement range of 0 to 5 A and sufficient resolution to detect changes of 1 mA. A suitable power supply shall be provided for the active sensor, together with external connections through fused instrumentation-voltage terminals, such as banana sockets, to enable connection of external measurement equipment.
The system shall also include an internally mounted voltage transducer capable of monitoring the DC potential between the positive and negative busbars at voltages up to 1500 VDC and providing a ±10 V external output. This may comprise a Verivolt IsoBlock V-1c or an equivalent product, together with a suitable power supply, protection arrangements, monitoring points and external instrumentation connections.
The IT earthing arrangement shall include an internal earth or bonding bar connected to the midpoint of the resistor bridge. The resistor midpoint shall connect at one end of this bar, with all other bonded connections positioned on one side of that point, allowing the associated insulation-monitoring current transducer to be located between the resistor midpoint and all other bonded elements. The system shall also provide an external earth or bonding point suitable for the equipotential bonding of multiple connected power devices through bolted-lug connections. The scope shall include all necessary equipment, wiring, protection, isolation, thermal calculations, functional testing, calibration where applicable, test certification, warranties, operating instructions and maintenance documentation. Additional information: Please note that the proposed lot structure remains under review and may be subject to revision as the procurement approach is finalised.
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How University of Strathclyde buys Electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits (CPV 3121), and who usually turns up
University of Strathclyde’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits (CPV 3121) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners were registered outside the region where that award was delivered.
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How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards have an award date within 28 days of the bid deadline.
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How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
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How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid13% / 9%
2–338% / 55%
4–635% / 27%
7+15% / 9%
How did awards compare with estimates?
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Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate41% / 70%
Within ±2%55% / 20%
Above estimate5% / 10%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1DC Power Distribution CabinetCPV 3121Estimate not published
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How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 11 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid9%
2–355%
4–627%
7+9%
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Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
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Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disco Hi-Tech UK LtdEarlier contract | Supply, Delivery, Installation & Commissioning of a Wafer Thinning Turnkey ITTnotice published Aug 2025 | — | £1.0m | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
Lot #2Active Insulation Monitoring SystemCPV 3121Estimate not published
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 11 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid9%
2–355%
4–627%
7+9%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disco Hi-Tech UK LtdEarlier contract | Supply, Delivery, Installation & Commissioning of a Wafer Thinning Turnkey ITTnotice published Aug 2025 | — | £1.0m | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
Lot #3Passive Insulation, Current and Voltage Monitoring SystemCPV 3121Estimate not published
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 11 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid9%
2–355%
4–627%
7+9%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disco Hi-Tech UK LtdEarlier contract | Supply, Delivery, Installation & Commissioning of a Wafer Thinning Turnkey ITTnotice published Aug 2025 | — | £1.0m | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
53% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
53% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (53% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Supply, Delivery, Installation & Commissioning of a Wafer Thinning Turnkey ITT — held by Disco Hi-Tech UK Ltd; no contract end date published.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 21 Sept 2026, 16:50 BST
- Last source update
- 21 Sept 2026, 16:50 BST
- Authority reference
UOS-45589-2026- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-089339- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0776d8Find a Tender
Publisher note: Please note, the lot structure is still to be confirmed, and is therefore subject to change. The University of Strathclyde may conduct further market engagement with interested parties. As such, all interested parties must register their interest no later than the 5 October 2026. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=842109. (SC Ref:842109)
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
21 Sept 2026 → 22 Sept 2026 · 2 dates- Notice published37 days ago21 Sept 2026, 16:50 BST
- Tender notice expected36 days ago22 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.