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Published 14 Aug 2026, 15:37 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Supply, Installation and Commissioning of a Thermal Vacuum Cycling Chamber

Official notice

Authority: University of Leicester (Education)

GoodsOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) (38) Delivery: East Midlands (UKF22)
Published estimate£250,000£250,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 18 Sept 2026
Contract term 8 moends 1 Jul 2027 · starts 6 Nov 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The School of Physics & Astronomy (Space Park Leicester) has secured funding to procure a Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) System to support environmental testing, qualification, and thermal vacuum cycling of components and equipment developed under the projects run by its Space Projects and Instrumentation group and via commercial agreements with third parties (managed by Space Park Leicester).

Thermal vacuum (TVAC) chambers require high-vacuum capability (typically ≤ 1×10−5 hPa), wide-range temperature cycling (often -190 °C to +150°C or higher), and precise thermal control (control surface stability in the range ±0.1 °C/min), usually achieved via liquid nitrogen, shrouds and heating platens. They include contaminant control (e.g. dry pumps), structural reliability to withstand atmospheric pressure, and feedthroughs for power and data to Equipment Under Test (EUT). The System is intended to be installed in an ISO 14644 Class 6 cleanroom at Space Park Leicester.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:

universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Leices… ↗

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:

universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com/respond/C895QUS33V ↗

CPV: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) · Machines and apparatus for testing and measuring · Research, testing and scientific technical simulator

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1 8 moSMEPublished value£250,000
Contract period: 6 Nov 2026 – 1 Jul 2027 (8 mo)Value: £250,000 exc. VAT · £250,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: East MidlandsEligibility: SME eligible
38000000 Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)38540000 Machines and apparatus for testing and measuring38970000 Research, testing and scientific technical simulator

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 75%Price: 25%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Compliance with the technical specification and contract requirements: 75%
  • The price of the commercial offer: 25%
Published award criteria (2)
  • The price of the commercial offer: Price
  • Compliance with the technical specification and contract requirements: Quality
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 25 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
14 Aug 2026, 15:37 BST
Last source update
14 Aug 2026, 15:37 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 26 Oct 2026
Authority reference
LUV01450
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-077796
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)Machines and apparatus for testing and measuringResearch, testing and scientific technical simulator
Delivery area
East Midlands (UKF22)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e4e6 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Delta eSourcing · Who buys & how to bid on Delta
Public notice page · account needed to bidElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Select account; no DUNS asked at signup
Submission deadline
18 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline
9 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

universityofleicester.delta-esourcing.com ↗

Timeline

14 Aug 2026 → 6 Nov 2026 · 5 dates
  1. Tender notice published73 days ago
    14 Aug 2026, 15:37 BST
  2. Clarification questions by47 days ago
    9 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
  3. Submission deadline38 days ago
    18 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
  4. Today
    26 Oct 2026
  5. Award decision expected bytoday
    26 Oct 2026, 23:59 GMT
  6. Contract startsin 10 days
    6 Nov 2026

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Tender notice published
    14 Aug 2026, 15:37 BST
    UK4

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of Leicester

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PPNM-4297-VLCH University Road, Leicester, East Midlands, LE1 7RHContact name, email, phone

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender