✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 16 Oct 2026, 15:57.
Opportunity overview
LJMU is conducting a pre-market engagement exercise to gauge the capabilities of the market for our requirement. This is not a call for competition/ ITT. This process enables LJMU to fully understand the market to assist us in drafting our tender documentation / determining next steps.
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), through its Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI), is undertaking a pre-market engagement exercise relating to the planned upgrade of the Liverpool Telescope (LT), a fully robotic 2-metre astronomical observatory located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain.
The Liverpool Telescope has operated successfully for over twenty years and is a key scientific facility supporting UK-led astronomical research. LJMU is exploring options to modernise the telescope's control systems and associated infrastructure to extend operational life, improve reliability, reduce maintenance burden and enhance scientific performance.
The current scope under consideration includes:
• Replacement and modernisation of the Telescope Control System;
• Replacement of azimuth, altitude and Cassegrain axis drive systems;
• Modernisation of enclosure control systems (PLCs software and control cards);
• Replacement or redesign of selected optical and mechanism control systems;
• Associated control system networking, timing and safety interfaces;
• Design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and post-upgrade support service;
• Knowledge transfer, documentation and training.
Classification
CPV38635000 — Telescopes
CPV71320000 — Engineering design services
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
Published notice details
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
This will be available on our procurement platform (In-Tend), and all communication regarding the project should go through this once registered on the system. If this is of interest, then please register using the link below.
https://supplier.in-tend.co.uk/ljmu/home
Due
13 Nov 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
098018-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Buyer location · Liverpool · UKD72 · L3 5AH · United Kingdom
Delivery location · ES707 · Spain
Delivery location · UKD72 · United Kingdom
Notice and amendment history
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
098018-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage market engagement for a planned upgrade of Liverpool John Moores University’s robotic 2-metre Liverpool Telescope in La Palma, Spain. LJMU is exploring market capability; this is explicitly not a call for competition or ITT.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for organisations with telescope-control, motion-drive, observatory enclosure-control, engineering and related upgrade capabilities. Final supplier requirements are unknown at this planning stage.
Key points identified
Scope statusCurrent scope is under consideration and may change.Evidence: "The current scope under consideration includes"
Telescope control systemPotential replacement and modernisation of the Telescope Control System.Evidence: "Replacement and modernisation of the Telescope Control System"
Axis drive systemsPotential replacement of azimuth, altitude and Cassegrain axis drive systems.Evidence: "Replacement of azimuth, altitude and Cassegrain axis drive systems"
94% approved-analysis confidence7 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage market engagement for a planned upgrade of Liverpool John Moores University’s robotic 2-metre Liverpool Telescope in La Palma, Spain. LJMU is exploring market capability; this is explicitly not a call for competition or ITT.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for organisations with telescope-control, motion-drive, observatory enclosure-control, engineering and related upgrade capabilities. Final supplier requirements are unknown at this planning stage.
Key deliverables
Potential modernisation of telescope control, drive and enclosure control systems
Potential design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and post-upgrade support
Potential knowledge transfer, documentation and training
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
7 criteria identified
Scope status
99% confidence
Current scope is under consideration and may change.
View supporting evidence
"The current scope under consideration includes"
Telescope control system
98% confidence
Potential replacement and modernisation of the Telescope Control System.
View supporting evidence
"Replacement and modernisation of the Telescope Control System"
Axis drive systems
98% confidence
Potential replacement of azimuth, altitude and Cassegrain axis drive systems.
View supporting evidence
"Replacement of azimuth, altitude and Cassegrain axis drive systems"
Enclosure controls
98% confidence
Potential modernisation of enclosure control systems, including PLC software and control cards.
View supporting evidence
"Modernisation of enclosure control systems (PLCs software and control cards)"
Lifecycle activities
98% confidence
Potential design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and post-upgrade support service.
View supporting evidence
"Design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and post-upgrade support service"
Knowledge transfer
98% confidence
Potential knowledge transfer, documentation and training.
View supporting evidence
"Knowledge transfer, documentation and training"
Supplier eligibility requirements
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No eligibility, financial, insurance, company-size or certification criteria are stated in the supplied notice.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Value
99% confidence
Maximum value stated as GBP 500,000; minimum value is not stated.
View supporting evidence
Source field: value_max "500000"; currency "GBP"; value_min is null.
Commercial terms
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No pricing structure, contract term or payment terms are stated.
Delivery
Delivery locations
95% confidence
Spain and the United Kingdom are listed as delivery locations.
View supporting evidence
Locations list delivery location country "Spain" (region ES707) and delivery location country "United Kingdom" (region UKD72).
Observatory location
99% confidence
The telescope is located at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain.
View supporting evidence
"a fully robotic 2-metre astronomical observatory located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain"
Delivery timetable
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
Contract start, contract end and submission deadline are null.
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Opportunity status
99% confidence
Upcoming planning-stage preliminary market engagement; not an open competition.
View supporting evidence
display_status "upcoming"; stage "planning"; notice type "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender"; "This is not a call for competition/ ITT."
Procurement route
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
procurement_method and procurement_method_details are null.
Submission requirements
99% confidence
Unknown; no tender submission is requested in the supplied notice.
View supporting evidence
"This is not a call for competition/ ITT." Submission deadline is null.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Early-stage scope risk
99% confidence
The scope is exploratory and may change before any future competition.
View supporting evidence
"LJMU is conducting a pre-market engagement exercise to gauge the capabilities of the market" and "The current scope under consideration includes"
No live tender
99% confidence
This notice is not a call for competition or ITT; tender route, timetable and submission requirements are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"This is not a call for competition/ ITT." procurement method, deadlines and contract dates are not stated.
Delivery complexity
93% confidence
The observatory is in La Palma, Spain, while both Spain and the United Kingdom are listed as delivery locations; detailed site, logistics and access arrangements are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain"; listed delivery locations Spain and United Kingdom.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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