Official UK procurement notice
Service and Maintenance Contract for Genomic Sequencing Platform
Authority: University of Northumbria at Newcastle (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNorthumbria University has procured a 5-year service, support, and maintenance contract for an existing Revio high-throughput genomic sequencing platform to support advanced molecular, environmental, and bioscience research frameworks within the Faculty of Science and Environment. This specialized multi-year service agreement is critical for ensuring the continuous, high-availability, and high-precision operational performance of complex, long-read sequencing instrumentation running critical data workflows.
The contract ensures the systematic provisioning of vital maintenance parameters—including preventative maintenance visits, emergency engineering labor, certified replacement parts, proprietary consumables required for mechanical repairs, and real-time remote performance monitoring—allowing researchers to maximize instrument uptime and maintain strict data fidelity across high-throughput genomic pipelines.
The contract is awarded via a formal internal procurement exemption as the sequencing platform relies entirely on proprietary technology and closed-source software architectures. Consequently, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is the sole authorized provider capable of supplying certified replacement parts, executing specialized engineering calibrations, and providing remote diagnostic support. No alternative provider exists with the technical capacity or legal authorization to service the asset without compromising instrument validation, operational warranties, or downstream research data fidelity.
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
- 11 Jun 2026, 16:35 BST
- Last source update
- 6 Jul 2026, 10:16 BST
- Authority reference
E25/0008- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-063106- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b36eFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights; Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
The direct award is justified under Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 due to exclusive rights and technical reasons:
Intellectual Property and Exclusive Rights: The genomic sequencing platform relies entirely on proprietary, patented technology and closed-source software architectures owned exclusively by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). No third-party providers hold the legal licenses or authorizations required to access, update, or modify the system's core operating infrastructure.
Technical Reasons: The OEM is the sole authorized provider globally with the specialized technical capacity, certified engineering tooling, and remote diagnostic systems required to service this instrument. Utilizing an alternative provider would invalidate manufacturer operational warranties, breach mandatory instrument calibration protocols (such as laser alignment), and fatally compromise downstream research data fidelity and scientific validation.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
24 Jun 2026 → 6 Jul 2026 · 2 dates- Standstill ends120 days ago24 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Notice published108 days ago6 Jul 2026, 10:16 BST
Notice history
4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 11 Jun 2026- Transparency notice published11 Jun 2026, 16:35 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published12 Jun 2026, 10:36 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected25 Jun 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published6 Jul 2026, 10:16 BSTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PACIFIC BIOSCIENCES OF CALIFORNIA26 Jun 2026 – 22 May 2031 | US$326,250 inc. VAT | 10 Jun 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · PACIFIC BIOSCIENCES OF CALIFORNIA
- Signed
- 25 Jun 2026
- Value
- £326,250 inc. VAT
- Period
- 26 Jun 2026 – 22 May 2031
- Status
- active
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- PACIFIC BIOSCIENCES OF CALIFORNIAAwarded 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