Published date: 12 October 2017

This notice was replaced on 2 November 2017

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 2 November 2017)

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Measuring instruments - 38300000

  • Detection and analysis apparatus - 38430000

Location of contract

LA1 4AP

Value of contract

£0 to £58,000

Procurement reference

RE17252

Published date

12 October 2017

Closing date

26 October 2017

Contract start date

6 November 2017

Contract end date

6 November 2019

Contract type

Supply contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The final date and time for the submission of bids is Thursday 26th October 2017 at 14:00

DO NOT apply directly to the buyer.

All tender information MUST be submitted through the CCS eSourcing Portal.

Brief Description of Requirement
The Natural Environment Research Council requires an image analysis system for high-throughput processing of zooplankton samples collected from long-term monitoring sites, and additional sites visited in a range of sampling campaigns. All sites will be freshwater and, for such systems, we will need to be able to image particles in the 0.5 - 4mm size range (the typical size range for zooplankton that we would collect in our samples). To address our research questions, we need a system that is capable of identifying zooplankton to genus level (or better), and measuring multiple parameters on each individual zooplankton "particle" (e.g. maximum and minimum lengths, aspect ratios, area and shape).
The system must be able to process 12 samples per hour (5 min to process a single sample).
The system must be lab-based, rather than field-based, and would have to fit on a standard lab benchtop unit (78 x 66 cm).

Please ensure you review all attached information to ensure a full understanding of this requirement. All attachments can be found with the RFx attachments tab within the Emptoris System.

This contract will be awarded based on the evaluation criteria set out in the ITQ document.

How to Apply

As part of the strategic alliance between UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) and Crown Commercial Service (CCS), UK SBS will be using the CCS eSourcing Suite for this procurement.

To register on the CCS eSourcing portal please follow the details contained within the Additional Information section of this notice.

If you are already registered on the CCS eSourcing portal and wish to register your interest in this opportunity please email; expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Your email must clearly state:
• the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for;
• the name of the registered Bidder;
• the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email.

More information

Attachments

Additional text

DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO BUYER

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts)

Responses must be received by the date in the bid documents.

Responses received outside or concurrently using the eSourcing process will not be accepted or considered further for this opportunity.

How to Register on the CCS eSourcing Suite

Full details of this opportunity can be found on the e-sourcing portal please follow instructions below. If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link 'Register for CCS eSourcing'.

Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so.

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state:
• name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for;
• name of the registered Bidder;
• name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email.

Crown Commercial Service will process the email and then enable the Bidder to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done. The Sourcing documents can then be accessed on the eSourcing Suite at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in the Specification documents within Contracts Finder.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event.

Please note it is your responsibility to access these emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Helpdesk: Telephone: 0345 010 3503

Training documents to support Bidders to utilise Emptoris CCS eSourcing are available in the Contracts Finder Tender documents section.

About UK Shared Business Services

UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) brings a commercial attitude to the public sector; helping our customers improve efficiency, generate savings and modernise.

Our broad range of expert services is shared by our customers. This allows our customers the freedom to focus resources on core activities; innovating and transforming their own organisations.

For full details of our partner base please review the following link: http://www.uksbs.co.uk/services/procure/

About the buyer

Contact name

Mary Cheston-Burt

Address

Polaris House
Swindon
SN2 1FL
England

Email

research.tenders@uksbs.co.uk

Website

www.uksbs.co.uk