Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses): UK Tenders, Buyers & Competition
CPV 38000000·Supplies · division·49 classes with notices
Sub-sectors of laboratory, optical and precision…
49 CPV classes with notices · sorted by notices in the last 12 months · 2,483 of 3,363 notices in this division carry a class-level code
Open tenders in laboratory, optical and precision…
50 live at the nightly build · soonest deadline first
Who buys
All notices carrying this code · official UK_CA_TYPE where published (NHS bodies are central government authorities), else derived from the authority name
- Education & universities 29% (963 notices)
- Central government 29% (947 notices)
- Other public bodies 13% (421 notices)
- Local authorities 8% (254 notices)
- Police, fire & emergency 2% (76 notices)
- Not classified 19% (613 notices)
| Contracting authority | Type | Notices | Last 12 months | Open now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Research and Innovation | Central government | 168 | 0 | 0 |
| Ministry of Defence | Central government | 130 | 10 | 0 |
| University of Glasgow | Education & universities | 90 | 21 | 0 |
| National Physical Laboratory | not classified | 84 | 0 | 0 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK | Education & universities | 77 | 7 | 0 |
| University Of Edinburgh | Education & universities | 76 | 24 | 0 |
| United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority | not classified | 68 | 0 | 0 |
| University of Strathclyde | Education & universities | 59 | 19 | 0 |
| Queen's University Belfast | Education & universities | 54 | 21 | 0 |
| Secretary of State for Health and Social Care acting as part of the Crown through UK Health Security Agency | Central government | 52 | 8 | 0 |
713 distinct authorities in total · the ten most active shown.
Where the work is delivered
Delivery regions (ITL1) published on 2,302 of 3,363 notices · a notice covering several regions counts in each · competition columns: contracts awarded in the last 36 months, lots delivered in the region
| Region | Notices | Bids / lot | SME wins | Local wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 3 | 59% | 37% | |
| South East England | 3 | 61% | 46% | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 2 | 50% | 30% | |
| Northern Ireland | 3 | 56% | 39% | |
| West Midlands | 2 | 55% | 41% | |
| South West England | 2 | 41% | 31% | |
| North West England | 2 | 26% | 48% | |
| Wales (Cymru) | 2 | 50% | 18% | |
| East of England | 2 | 50% | 48% | |
| Greater London | 3 | 52% | 43% | |
| North East England | 3 | 27% | 47% | |
| East Midlands | 2 | 45% | 64% |
Local wins = the winner’s registered region is the delivery region. Dashes: fewer than ten observations.
How it is bought
Commercial tool, procedure route and threshold as published on the notice, not a legal-regime claim
- Contract 83% (2,803 notices)
- Framework 15% (513 notices)
- Dynamic purchasing system 1% (47 notices)
- Open 55% (1,843 notices)
- Route not published 19% (625 notices)
- Limited / restricted 16% (550 notices)
- Selective 10% (336 notices)
- Direct award 0% (9 notices)
- Above threshold 72% (467 notices)
- Below threshold 28% (183 notices)
Competition
Contracts published in the last 36 months (1,411) · bid counts per lot from award notices · values are net contract awards, framework and DPS ceilings excluded · SME and local status as declared
- 1 bid 29% (161)
- 2–3 46% (258)
- 4–6 19% (105)
- 7 or more 7% (39)
Who wins
Single-supplier active awards with a canonical supplier on notices carrying this code · 3,206 awards to 1,636 suppliers · the five most frequent winners hold 7% of contract awards in the last 36 months
| Supplier | Awards | Last 12 months | Buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Laboratory Supplies Ltd | 34 | 1 | 8 |
| Bruker UK Ltd | 33 | 6 | 22 |
| Agilent Technologies | 31 | 5 | 22 |
| Fisher Scientific UK LTD | 28 | 0 | 5 |
| VWR International Ltd | 27 | 0 | 7 |
| KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES UK LIMITED | 22 | 0 | 8 |
| R & L Slaughter Ltd | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| WATERS LIMITED | 19 | 1 | 13 |
Where to submit
E-sourcing portals named in the submission address · 911 of 3,363 notices name one · each portal page explains registration
Method
What the numbers on this page are and are not
Which notices count?
Every Find a Tender notice that carries a CPV code starting 38 — on the procedure or any of its lots. A notice with several codes counts in each sector it names. Earliest notice 2021; latest 18 Sept 2026.
Competition figures
From the 36-month lot-grain contest statistics: a lot counts where its own CPV codes (or, for single-class notices, the procedure’s) start 38. Bids per lot come from the award notice’s bid statistics; “competed” means an open or selective route with no direct-award transparency notice; contract values are net, on single-supplier awards, with framework and DPS ceilings excluded. Frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems are reported separately because their “bids” are admissions to a panel.
Why no total value or month-by-month chart?
Sums of notice estimates repeat framework ceilings and mix net with gross. Monthly volumes per sector are not shown yet: the catalogue’s CPV coverage per notice changed in May 2026 (compiled records carry every lot’s codes), so a curve would show the catalogue, not the market.