On site calibration and service of Instron 3345 and 34SC-5 Tensometers

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnerships (NWSSP) Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory (SMTL) are looking to renew their Service and Maintenance contract that covers two (2) Instron 3345 and 34SC-5 Tensometers.

These devices are compact electromechanical testing systems designed for tension, compression, and flexure tests on materials. They apply precise forces up to 5 kN and measures load, displacement, and strain with high accuracy, using complex proprietary software for control and data analysis. For NHS Wales, these devices validate the strength and durability of medical devices and biocompatible materials, support research and development, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards, ultimately improving patient safety, reducing procurement risks, and enhancing quality assurance in healthcare applications.

Previously SMTL and Procurement Services had entered a 3-year Service and Maintenance contract with the supplier which is due to expire on the 28th February 2026. Due to National and International Standards, we test against required specific limits for medical devices, therefore a reliable and accurately performing calibrated test unit is essential.

Instron manufactured both the test units and bespoke software and as such have a unique and full understanding of how the test unit and software interact. They are the sole supplier of replacement parts and software checks and updates, and as such there is no other company who can offer this service in the UK.

NWSSP are looking to complete a Direct Award to Instron due to them being the only supplier of the devices/services and relevant software through IP rights under Schedule 5.5 a & b of the Procurement Act 2023, The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract—

(a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and

(b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.