Microscopes: UK Tenders, Buyers & Competition
CPV 38510000·Supplies · class·in Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Codes and neighbouring classes
The 8-digit CPV codes notices in this class actually use, and the other classes of the same division
38510000 Microscopes126 notices · 67%38511100 Scanning electron microscopes30 notices · 16%38511000 Electron microscopes20 notices · 11%38511200 Transmission electron microscope10 notices · 5%38515200 Fluorescent microscopes10 notices · 5%38512200 Molecular microscopes7 notices · 4%38513100 Inverted microscopes6 notices · 3%38514200 Scanning probe microscopes6 notices · 3%- Detection and analysis apparatus 134 · 12m
- Machines and apparatus for testing and measuring 54 · 12m
- Photographic equipment 44 · 12m
- Instruments for measuring quantities 37 · 12m
- Meters 35 · 12m
- Instruments for measuring flow, level and pressure of liquids and gases 32 · 12m
- Checking and testing apparatus 29 · 12m
- Navigational instruments 28 · 12m
- Astronomical and optical instruments 27 · 12m
- Surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic and hydrological instruments and appliances 24 · 12m
- All of Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) →
Open tenders in microscopes
1 live at the nightly build · soonest deadline first
| Notice | Authority | Deadline | Days left | Published value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BU322026-Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope | Prifysgol Bangor / Bangor University | 9 Oct 2026 | 21d | £437,000 |
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 58% (109 notices)
- Central government 22% (42 notices)
- Other public bodies 5% (9 notices)
- Local authorities 2% (3 notices)
- NHS & health 1% (2 notices)
- Not classified 12% (23 notices)
| Contracting authority | Type | Notices | Last 12 months | Open now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK | Education & universities | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| University Of Edinburgh | Education & universities | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| UK Research and Innovation | Central government | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| University of Glasgow | Education & universities | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| University of Leeds | Education & universities | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) | Central government | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority | not classified | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| University of Exeter | Education & universities | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Ministry of Defence | Central government | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Queen's University Belfast | Education & universities | 4 | 2 | 0 |
78 distinct authorities in total · the ten most active shown.
Where the work is delivered
Delivery regions (ITL1) published on 163 of 189 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 | — | — | — | |
| West Midlands | — | — | — | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | — | — | — | |
| East of England | — | — | — | |
| South East England | — | — | — | |
| Wales (Cymru) | — | — | — | |
| South West England | — | — | — | |
| North West England | — | — | — | |
| Northern Ireland | — | — | — | |
| East Midlands | — | — | — | |
| North East England | — | — | — | |
| Greater London | — | — | — |
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 89% (168 notices)
- Framework 11% (21 notices)
- Open 61% (116 notices)
- Limited / restricted 29% (54 notices)
- Route not published 6% (11 notices)
- Selective 4% (8 notices)
- Above threshold 74% (14 notices)
- Below threshold 26% (5 notices)
Competition
Contracts published in the last 36 months (66) · 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% (14)
- 2–3 38% (18)
- 4–6 21% (10)
- 7 or more 13% (6)
Who wins
Single-supplier active awards with a canonical supplier on notices carrying this code · 174 awards to 97 suppliers · the five most frequent winners hold 24% of contract awards in the last 36 months
| Supplier | Awards | Last 12 months | Buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Zeiss Ltd | 12 | 2 | 9 |
| FEI UK Ltd | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Tescan-uk Ltd | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| Fisher Scientific UK LTD | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Oxford Nanoimaging Ltd | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Leica Microsystems UK Ltd | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| JEOL (UK) Ltd | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Bruker UK Ltd | 4 | 0 | 3 |
Where to submit
E-sourcing portals named in the submission address · 39 of 189 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 3851. A notice with several codes counts in each sector it names. Earliest notice 2021; latest 7 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 3851. 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.