AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
UK Research and Innovation has published contract details for the direct purchase of a second-hand/ex cryo-microtome from KING'S COLLEGE LONDON. The record states that the contract was signed on 15 October 2026 and is active.
Published outcomeOne active award and contract are recorded for KING'S COLLEGE LONDON under lot 1, valued at £15,000 gross.
Market significanceThis is a low-value, below-threshold direct award for specialist laboratory equipment, justified in the notice by technical reasons and the stated absence of competition.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
KING'S COLLEGE LONDON
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · 15000 GBP · Verified supplier; active award and contract
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Award 1 names KING'S COLLEGE LONDON as supplier. The supplier record is verified by GB-COH company number RC000297. Contract 1, linked to award 1, has a gross value of GBP 15,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Notice type
99% confidenceContract details notice on Find a Tender
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Process notice_type and contract document description state “Contract details notice on Find a Tender”.
Publication date
99% confidence19 October 2026
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Process published_at and contract document datePublished are 2026-10-19T08:01:57+01:00.
Award status
98% confidenceActive
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Award 1 has status “active”.
Contract status
98% confidenceActive
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Contract 1 has status “active”.
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned on 15 October 2026
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Contract 1 dateSigned is 2026-10-15T00:00:00+01:00.
VALUES
Published values explained
Contract value
99% confidence£15,000 gross
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Contract 1 value records amountGross 15000 and currency GBP; amount is also 15000.
Threshold status
99% confidenceBelow threshold
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Contract 1 aboveThreshold is false; the procurement method detail says “Below threshold - without competition”.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Contract start date
99% confidence15 October 2026
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Contract 1 period startDate is 2026-10-15T00:00:00+01:00.
Contract end date
99% confidence20 October 2026
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Contract 1 period endDate is 2026-10-20T23:59:59+01:00.
Published contract duration
95% confidence6 calendar days inclusive
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The published contract period runs from 15 October 2026 to 20 October 2026.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
99% confidenceSecond-hand / ex cryo-microtome
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The process title and description identify “Ex cryo-microtome” and “second hand / ex cryo-microtome”.
Procurement category
99% confidenceGoods
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Award 1 mainProcurementCategory is “goods”.
Classification
99% confidenceCPV 38000000 — Laboratory, optical and precision equipment (excluding glasses)
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Award item 1 lists CPV 38000000 with this description.
Delivery geography
95% confidenceUnited Kingdom
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Award item 1 delivery address specifies region UK and country GB.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procurement method
99% confidenceDirect procurement
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Tender procurementMethod is “direct”.
Procedure detail
99% confidenceBelow threshold - without competition
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Tender procurementMethodDetails states “Below threshold - without competition”.
Published rationale
98% confidenceAbsence of competition for technical reasons; the notice states that only a particular supplier could supply the requirement.
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Process description states the procurement is concluded without competition because of an absence of competition for technical reasons and that only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required.
Call for competition
99% confidenceNot a call for competition
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The published description explicitly states “THIS IS A CONTRACT DETAILS NOTICE, NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION”.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Contract period
99% confidence15 October 2026 to 20 October 2026
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Contract 1 period gives the start and end dates.
Contract value basis
99% confidence£15,000 recorded as both amount and gross amount
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Contract 1 value contains amount 15000 and amountGross 15000, in GBP.
Extensions or options
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Market route
98% confidenceThe purchase was made outside a competitive process under a stated technical-reasons rationale.
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The notice states direct, below-threshold procurement without competition and gives the technical-reasons/only-supplier rationale.
Commercial scale
98% confidence£15,000 gross for specialist laboratory equipment.
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Contract value is £15,000 gross and the classification covers laboratory, optical and precision equipment.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Value allocation
98% confidenceThe £15,000 contract value is attributable to the single recorded award and supplier.
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There is one award, one supplier, and one contract linked by awardID 1.
Lot detail
99% confidenceLot 1 is identified but has no published title, description, or separate value.
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Tender and award reference lot 1; the lot record contains no title, description, or value.
Evaluation and competition data
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid count, evaluation scores, pricing breakdown, or comparative supplier information is provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- Lot 1 has no published title, description, or individual lot value.
- Information not supplied in the published notice: bid count, evaluation methodology, scores, comparative pricing, detailed technical specification, extension terms, and renewal terms.
- The notice provides a stated technical-reasons rationale for direct procurement but does not publish supporting technical assessment detail.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
UK Research and InnovationKING'S COLLEGE LONDONcryo-microtomelaboratory equipmentdirect awardbelow threshold procurementFind a Tender
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who received the UKRI cryo-microtome contract?
KING'S COLLEGE LONDON received the single recorded award and contract.
What is the value of the contract?
The published contract value is £15,000 gross.
Was this competitively tendered?
No. The notice describes a below-threshold direct procurement without competition, citing technical reasons and the stated absence of competition.
When does the published contract run?
The published period is 15 October 2026 to 20 October 2026.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.