Official UK procurement notice
Upgrade of Brasstrax, Data Concentrator and Q3D VCM
Authority: Scottish Police Authority (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe 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 The procurement includes upgrading the outdated BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing a failing 10-year-old Data Concentrator server, and purchasing a Quantum 3D (Q3D) digital microscope for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.
CPV: Microscopes
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The Scottish Police Authority has awarded a contract to upgrade end-of-life Integrated…Awarded
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 The procurement includes upgrading the outdated BRASSTRAX H4 cartridge imaging system, replacing a failing 10-year-old Data Concentrator server, and purchasing a Quantum 3D (Q3D) digital microscope for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.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 30 Jul 2026, 15:59 BST
- Last source update
- 30 Jul 2026, 15:59 BST
- Authority reference
PROC-25-3261- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-072343- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d801Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
- Published justification
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.
Publisher note: (SC Ref:838890)
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forensic Technology (Europe) Ltd.SME | £229,500 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 072343-2026-PROC-25-3261-1 · Forensic Technology (Europe) Ltd.SME
- Signed
- 9 Mar 2026
- Value
- £229,500
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids · 1 electronic · 1 from abroad | 1 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Glasgow Sheriff CourtReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Forensic Technology (Europe) Ltd.Awarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.