Awarded contract

RBGKEW1573 phenoTest for SPEED project

Details

Buyer: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Supplier(s): PhenoKey B.V.
Value: £600,000
Duration: 2 years
Topic: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
Published: 2 October 2026
Source: uk:find_a_tender

Tender description

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew intends to award a contract for the provision of a custom-built phenoTest 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging platform to support the ARIA-funded SPEED project. The contract will include delivery, installation, commissioning, software licences, maintenance, calibration, technical support and training. The platform will be used to measure dynamic seed and seedling traits at individual-seed level using non-destructive longitudinal 3D X-ray CT imaging. The requirement includes access to the associated proprietary hardware, software, algorithms and processing workflows necessary to generate and analyse the required research data. The supplier will retain ownership of the equipment. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew will receive operational access to the platform and the associated rights required to use the system for project purposes. Delivery, installation and commissioning are required in sufficient time to support project milestones, with installation planned at Wakehurst, West Sussex, United Kingdom. ## Contract award Title: RBGKEW1573 phenoTest for SPEED project

Timeline

Completed: Award published2 October 2026
Current notice
Completed: Award date2 October 2026
Next: Contract expiry date31 August 2028in 2 years

About the buyer

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A Framework Document sets out how the two bodies work together on business planning and resource allocation. Kew keeps the freedom to opt in or out of central government procurement routes such as the Crown Commercial Service. Tender opportunities appear on Find a Tender alongside Defra procurement channels. Procurement documents for live opportunities are issued through Defra's Bravo Solution portal. Suppliers are expected to meet Kew's procurement standards, including sustainability requirements, before any contract begins.

Procurement spend from central entities makes up 66% of overall UK public spend.

Over the past 5 years, most of Royal Botanic Gardens Kew's contract awards have been in business services, architectural and engineering services and IT services.

Relevant CPV codes

38000000 · Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
48000000 · Software package and information systems
51000000 · Installation services (except software)

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@royal-botanic-gardens-kew.gov