Awarded contract

Automated NAT Assay System

  • Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

F03: Contract award notice

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-004028

Published 11 February 2022, 3:04pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service

The Jack Copland Centre, 52 Research Avenue, Heriot-Watt Research Park

Edinburgh

EH14 4BE

Email

gordon.dickson@nhs.scot

Telephone

+44 1313145522

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.scotblood.co.uk/

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA12722

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Automated NAT Assay System

Reference number

NSS212241

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 33100000 - Medical equipments

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

SNBTS wishes to contract for the provision of an automated NAT assay system, incorporating all equipment, test kits, reagents, relevant controls and calibrators, I.T.peripherals, delivery, installation, training and fully comprehensive systems maintenance.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £330,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33100000 - Medical equipments

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

SNBTS wishes to contract for the provision of an automated NAT assay system, incorporating all equipment, test kits, reagents, relevant controls and calibrators, I.T peripherals, delivery, installation, training and fully comprehensive systems maintenance.

The SNBTS NMRU (National Microbiological Reference Unit) provides confirmatory and screening services for blood borne infections that can be acquired through transfusion and transplantation, in addition the NMRU perform look-back investigations on confirmed positive donors and suspected transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs).

NMRU currently use in-house assimilated assays for HCV, HIV and HBV NAT testing. These are fully validated and have been used within SNBTS for many years. The assays involve two stages; nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain amplification (PCR).

In addition to the need to replace the current PCR platform (which will involve replacement of current assays) used for HCV, HIV & HBV NAT in NMRU, it is anticipated that the number of HBV NAT assays performed will increase significantly after SaBTO recommend anti-HBc screening for blood donors. Anti-HBc screening will generate a significant number of confirmatory HBV NAT tests and HBV NAT tests associated with lookback investigation on donors confirmed to be anti-HBc reactive. This will increase the NMRU annual workload for HBV NAT tests significantly (100 test cf. 2000-3000 in year 1 of anti-HBc screening, 1000 in year 2 and 500 in subsequent years).

Therefore, a small scale automated platform will be essential for NMRU to cope with the increased volume of HBV NAT testing due to the implementation of anti-HBc screening testing

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Price - Weighting: 20

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2021/S 000-028438


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

NSS212241

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

10 February 2022

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 2

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 2

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Cepheid UK Ltd

Jupiter House, Mercury park

Wooburn Green

HP10 0HH

Telephone

+44 1628564000

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: £330,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

(SC Ref:682927)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Court of Session

Parliament House, Parliament Square

Edinburgh

EH1 1RQ

Country

United Kingdom