Official UK procurement notice
Purchase of Hamamatsu Streak Camera
Authority: Cardiff University (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Hamamatsu C16910 Universal Streak Camera system is essential to restore a unique capability for ultrafast time-resolved spectral measurements at Cardiff University. This system enables time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) experiments with sub-picosecond resolution, which are critical for investigating the dynamic behaviour of photo-excited carriers in semiconductor materials and ultra-fast optoelectronic devices, such as quantum dot lasers.The previously held system, also manufactured by Hamamatsu, is now non-functional, obsolete, and irreparable. It was approximately 25–30 years old and had been operating until recently. Replacement parts are incompatible with the legacy hardware, and thus repair is not possible. The replacement system must ensure continuity of prior capability, and for future uses must be able to satisfy the requirements of a number of research projects, with one requirement of this specification including a patented internal MCP technology, which drastically reduces dark noise by several orders of magnitude (e.g. 25,000 times) compared to external image intensifier configurations.
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
- 12 Dec 2025, 14:41 GMT
- Last source update
- 17 Dec 2025, 14:56 GMT
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-083938- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f4fcFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
- Published justification
The university requires a Streak Camera with very specific capabilities. Amongst a long list of required features are two noteworthy requirements which validate the reasoning of directly sourcing this equipment. Those are the following -
Requirement for patented internal MCP technology
The replacement system must ensure continuity of prior capability
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
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Timeline
17 Dec 2025 → 30 Dec 2025 · 2 dates- Notice published314 days ago17 Dec 2025, 14:56 GMT
- Standstill ends301 days ago30 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Notice history
3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Dec 2025- Transparency notice published12 Dec 2025, 14:41 GMTUK5
- Contract award notice published17 Dec 2025, 14:56 GMTUK6
- Contract signature expected5 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamamastsu Photonics UK LtdHamamatsu C16910 Universal Streak Camera system12 Jan 2026 – 27 Feb 2026 | £376,734 | 17 Dec 2025standstill to 30 Dec 2025 | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Hamamatsu Photonics UK LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender