Service and Maintenance Contract for Genomic Sequencing Platform

Northumbria University intends to directly award a 5-year service, support, and maintenance contract for an existing 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 will ensure 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 to be 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.