Official UK procurement notice
APHA CapEx: Supply of Spectral Flow Cytometer Analyser
Authority: ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY (Defra Network eTendering Portal)·On behalf of: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionAPHA requires the supply of a Spectral Flow Cytometer (BD FACSDiscover™ A8 Cell Analyser by Becton Dickinson UK Ltd) comprising a 5-laser spectral analyser with simultaneous imaging, advanced spectral unmixing, and automated sampling.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 14 Aug 2026, 16:05 BST
- Last source update
- 4 Sept 2026, 14:28 BST
- Authority reference
C35099- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-079767- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e4fbFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
The proposed award is a Direct Award justified under Schedule 5, Condition 6(a) and (b) of the Procurement Act 2023:
This equipment is the only identified system that combines simultaneous imaging and spectral flow cytometry, advanced spectral unmixing, and high-throughput automated sample acquisition in a single platform. These capabilities are essential to support APHA's bovine immunology research programme and the development of advanced multi-parameter assays.
No reasonable alternative has been identified that provides this complete combination of capabilities required to meet APHA's scientific and operational needs. Procuring an alternative that does not offer this combination compromises data quality, research efficiency and confidence in scientific outputs
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
2 Sept 2026 → 4 Sept 2026 · 2 dates- Standstill ends50 days ago2 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Notice published48 days ago4 Sept 2026, 14:28 BST
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 14 Aug 2026- Transparency notice published14 Aug 2026, 16:05 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published21 Aug 2026, 10:06 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected3 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published4 Sept 2026, 14:28 BSTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Becton, Dickinson U.K. LimitedSupply of Spectral Flow Cytometer to APHA7 Sept 2026 – 4 Oct 2027 · up to 4 Oct 2030Extensions: Optional 3 year extension | £443,569 | 20 Aug 2026standstill to 2 Sept 2026 | Standstill |
| Becton, Dickinson U.K. Limited | £357,500 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Supply of Spectral Flow Cytometer to APHA · Becton, Dickinson U.K. Limited
- Signed
- 3 Sept 2026
- Value
- £357,500
- Period
- 7 Sept 2026 – 4 Oct 2027 · up to 4 Oct 2030 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- Optional 36 month extension
3 agreed KPIs: KPI 1 · KPI 2 · KPI 3
- KPI 1, Delivery on time
- KPI 2, Quality
- KPI 3, Warranty and Preventative / Corrective Maintenance period
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRSProcuring entityDraft and award the contract on behalf of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Becton, Dickinson U.K. LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender