← Back to search results

AwardedFind a Tender · award

Purchase of a Materials Tester

Buyer: University Of Edinburgh →

BuyerUniversity Of Edinburgh
StatusAwarded
DeadlineNot published
ValueValue not published
Published15 Jul 2026

What is being bought

The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements.

Delivery location

UKM75

Categories

Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) 38000000

Lot details

Lot 1

The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements, specifically: 1) Measurement accuracy and integrity through proprietary design that removes seal friction and pressure compensation irrespective of surrounding stress as well as the elimination of the need for mathematical compensation to correct for ram upthrust. 2) Enhanced safety due to the usage of pressure/volume controllers as compared to syringe-based or pneumatic systems. 3) Open architecture software that is crucial for the ongoing research at the University that also allows for user-defined custom scripts and custom calculations and virtual transducers.

Statuscancelled

Award criteria
Technical — 100
price — 0

What is included

ItemCategoryQuantity
1Not publishedNot published

Comparable-procurement analytics

Benchmarked against retained Find a Tender procedures with CPV division 38. The category anchor is Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38000000); this is a deliberately broad market comparator. The comparison is shown at several levels rather than pretending one company or region is always the best benchmark.

Comparison setProceduresReported bids per procedureNamed award suppliersPrice evidence
Market: CPV division 382,3552 median · 13 average (1,052 of 2,355 with a bid count)2.7 average (1,211 of 2,355 with named award suppliers)Not published
Same buyer501 median · 1.3 average (34 of 50 with a bid count)1 average (42 of 50 with named award suppliers)Not published
Delivery region: UKM75881 median · 3.2 average (62 of 88 with a bid count)1.3 average (73 of 88 with named award suppliers)Not published

“Reported bids” is an official aggregate, sometimes reported per lot; it is the closest available competition measure. “Named award suppliers” are winners, not all applicants.

Price-outcome signal

Not enough comparable procedures currently publish both a GBP tender value and a usable lowest-valid-bid value to calculate a responsible price-reduction benchmark. Tenderline deliberately does not infer a saving from named award suppliers or from missing award values.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleFrom a comprehensive market analysis the University of Edinburgh thinks that there is a lack of competition due to technical reasons as specified in the notice.
Rationale classificationsThe procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Special regimeNot published
Covered byGPA
Submission policyNot published
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetNot published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents0
Planning milestones0

No planning milestones published.

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Awards

Contracts

066852-2026-NCA21397-1

Statusactive
Value£63,711

Documents & submission route

No documents are published in the current source record.

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-068028
Latest release ID066852-2026
Latest release timestampWed Jul 15 2026 14:04:45 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLNot published
Tender statuscomplete
Procurement methodlimited
Procurement method detailsAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Main procurement categorygoods
Above thresholdNot published
Legal basis32014L0024
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: endNot published
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadlineNot published
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender valueNot published
Tender lots in source1
Tender items in source1
Tender documents in source0
Awards in latest release1
Contracts in latest release1
Parties in latest release3

Notice history

DateEventReference
15 Jul 2026award, contract066852-2026
10 Apr 2026award, contract032892-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
{
  "id": "066852-2026",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "bids": {
    "statistics": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "bids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "2",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "smeBids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "3",
        "value": 0,
        "measure": "foreignBidsFromEU",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "4",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "foreignBidsFromNonEU",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "5",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "electronicBids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      }
    ]
  },
  "date": "2026-07-15T15:04:45+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-068028",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
    "name": "University Of Edinburgh"
  },
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "canonical",
      "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000829138"
    }
  ],
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
          "name": "GDS Instruments"
        }
      ],
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "NCA21397",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "cancelled",
        "hasOptions": false,
        "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements, specifically:\n1)\tMeasurement accuracy and integrity through proprietary design that removes seal friction and pressure compensation irrespective of surrounding stress as well as the elimination of the need for mathematical compensation to correct for ram upthrust.\n2)\tEnhanced safety due to the usage of pressure/volume controllers as compared to syringe-based or pneumatic systems.\n3)\tOpen architecture software that is crucial for the ongoing research at the University that also allows for user-defined custom scripts and custom calculations and virtual transducers.",
        "awardCriteria": {
          "criteria": [
            {
              "name": "Technical",
              "type": "quality",
              "description": "100"
            },
            {
              "type": "price",
              "description": "0"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryLocation": {
          "description": "University of Edinburgh"
        },
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKM75"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Purchase of a Materials Tester",
    "status": "complete",
    "coveredBy": [
      "GPA"
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32014L0024",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements.",
    "classification": {
      "id": "38000000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)"
    },
    "procurementMethod": "limited",
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
    "procurementMethodRationale": "From a comprehensive market analysis the University of Edinburgh thinks that there is a lack of competition due to technical reasons as specified in the notice.",
    "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "D_OUTSIDE_SCOPE",
        "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL",
        "description": "The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
      "name": "University Of Edinburgh",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKM75",
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "postalCode": "EH1 1HT",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Charles Stewart House, 9-16 Chambers Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "http://www.ed.ac.uk",
        "buyerProfile": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00107",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "BODY_PUBLIC",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Body governed by public law"
          },
          {
            "id": "09",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Education"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "University Of Edinburgh"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "lelder2@ed.ac.uk",
        "telephone": "+44 1316502759"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
      "name": "GDS Instruments",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKJ37",
        "locality": "Hook",
        "postalCode": "RG27 9GR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Units 28-32 Murrell Green Business Park, London Road"
      },
      "details": {
        "scale": "sme"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "GDS Instruments"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "telephone": "+44 01256382450"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-21538",
      "name": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court",
      "roles": [
        "reviewBody"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "value": {
        "amount": 63711,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "dateSigned": "2026-07-02T00:00:00+01:00"
    }
  ],
  "description": "(SC Ref:837530)",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
Complete JSON history (2 releases)
15 Jul 2026 · 066852-2026 · award, contract
{
  "id": "066852-2026",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "bids": {
    "statistics": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "bids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "2",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "smeBids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "3",
        "value": 0,
        "measure": "foreignBidsFromEU",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "4",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "foreignBidsFromNonEU",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      },
      {
        "id": "5",
        "value": 1,
        "measure": "electronicBids",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      }
    ]
  },
  "date": "2026-07-15T15:04:45+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-068028",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
    "name": "University Of Edinburgh"
  },
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "canonical",
      "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000829138"
    }
  ],
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
          "name": "GDS Instruments"
        }
      ],
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "NCA21397",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "cancelled",
        "hasOptions": false,
        "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements, specifically:\n1)\tMeasurement accuracy and integrity through proprietary design that removes seal friction and pressure compensation irrespective of surrounding stress as well as the elimination of the need for mathematical compensation to correct for ram upthrust.\n2)\tEnhanced safety due to the usage of pressure/volume controllers as compared to syringe-based or pneumatic systems.\n3)\tOpen architecture software that is crucial for the ongoing research at the University that also allows for user-defined custom scripts and custom calculations and virtual transducers.",
        "awardCriteria": {
          "criteria": [
            {
              "name": "Technical",
              "type": "quality",
              "description": "100"
            },
            {
              "type": "price",
              "description": "0"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryLocation": {
          "description": "University of Edinburgh"
        },
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKM75"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Purchase of a Materials Tester",
    "status": "complete",
    "coveredBy": [
      "GPA"
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32014L0024",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements.",
    "classification": {
      "id": "38000000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)"
    },
    "procurementMethod": "limited",
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
    "procurementMethodRationale": "From a comprehensive market analysis the University of Edinburgh thinks that there is a lack of competition due to technical reasons as specified in the notice.",
    "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "D_OUTSIDE_SCOPE",
        "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL",
        "description": "The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
      "name": "University Of Edinburgh",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKM75",
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "postalCode": "EH1 1HT",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Charles Stewart House, 9-16 Chambers Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "http://www.ed.ac.uk",
        "buyerProfile": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00107",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "BODY_PUBLIC",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Body governed by public law"
          },
          {
            "id": "09",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Education"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "University Of Edinburgh"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "lelder2@ed.ac.uk",
        "telephone": "+44 1316502759"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
      "name": "GDS Instruments",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKJ37",
        "locality": "Hook",
        "postalCode": "RG27 9GR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Units 28-32 Murrell Green Business Park, London Road"
      },
      "details": {
        "scale": "sme"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "GDS Instruments"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "telephone": "+44 01256382450"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-21538",
      "name": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court",
      "roles": [
        "reviewBody"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "value": {
        "amount": 63711,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "066852-2026-NCA21397-1",
      "dateSigned": "2026-07-02T00:00:00+01:00"
    }
  ],
  "description": "(SC Ref:837530)",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
10 Apr 2026 · 032892-2026 · award, contract
{
  "id": "032892-2026",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "date": "2026-04-10T14:55:29+01:00",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-068028",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
    "name": "University Of Edinburgh"
  },
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "canonical",
      "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000829138"
    }
  ],
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "032892-2026-1",
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
          "name": "GDS Instruments"
        }
      ],
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "NCA21397",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "hasOptions": false,
        "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements, specifically:\n1)\tMeasurement accuracy and integrity through proprietary design that removes seal friction and pressure compensation irrespective of surrounding stress as well as the elimination of the need for mathematical compensation to correct for ram upthrust.\n2)\tEnhanced safety due to the usage of pressure/volume controllers as compared to syringe-based or pneumatic systems.\n3)\tOpen architecture software that is crucial for the ongoing research at the University that also allows for user-defined custom scripts and custom calculations and virtual transducers."
      }
    ],
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1",
        "deliveryLocation": {
          "description": "University of Edinburgh"
        },
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "region": "UKM75"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "title": "Purchase of a Materials Tester",
    "status": "complete",
    "coveredBy": [
      "GPA"
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "32014L0024",
      "scheme": "CELEX"
    },
    "description": "The University of Edinburgh intents to award a contract for the purchase of a triaxial materials load tester. The University of Edinburgh believes that GDS Instruments is the only supplier capable of providing a solution that meets its requirements.",
    "classification": {
      "id": "38000000",
      "scheme": "CPV",
      "description": "Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)"
    },
    "procurementMethod": "limited",
    "mainProcurementCategory": "goods",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
    "procurementMethodRationale": "From a comprehensive market analysis the University of Edinburgh thinks that there is a lack of competition due to technical reasons as specified in the notice.",
    "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
      {
        "id": "D_OUTSIDE_SCOPE",
        "scheme": "TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL",
        "description": "The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-2023",
      "name": "University Of Edinburgh",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKM75",
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "postalCode": "EH1 1HT",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Charles Stewart House, 9-16 Chambers Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "http://www.ed.ac.uk",
        "buyerProfile": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00107",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "BODY_PUBLIC",
            "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Body governed by public law"
          },
          {
            "id": "09",
            "scheme": "COFOG",
            "description": "Education"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "University Of Edinburgh"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "lelder2@ed.ac.uk",
        "telephone": "+44 1316502759"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-179803",
      "name": "GDS Instruments",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKJ37",
        "locality": "Hook",
        "postalCode": "RG27 9GR",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Units 28-32 Murrell Green Business Park, London Road"
      },
      "details": {
        "scale": "sme"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "GDS Instruments"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "telephone": "+44 01256382450"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-21538",
      "name": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court",
      "roles": [
        "reviewBody"
      ],
      "address": {
        "locality": "Edinburgh",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
      },
      "identifier": {
        "legalName": "Edinburgh Sherriff Court"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "032892-2026-1",
      "value": {
        "amount": 63711,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "032892-2026-1",
      "dateSigned": "2026-04-10T00:00:00+01:00"
    }
  ],
  "description": "NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=829138.\n(SC Ref:829138)",
  "initiationType": "tender"
}