Opportunity

Microbiology and Serology Testing Services

  • NHS Blood and Transplant

F02: Contract notice

Notice reference: 2024/S 000-005276

Published 16 February 2024, 4:17pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Blood and Transplant

203 Longmead Rd, Avon

Bristol

BS16 7FG

Contact

Tennille Madigan

Email

tennille.madigan@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Telephone

+44 7795483583

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

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

Microbiology and Serology Testing Services

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 71900000 - Laboratory services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

NHS Blood and Transplant requires a direct contractual relationship with either a manufacturer or any other economic operator for a complete end-to-end integrated solution for the Microbiology Serology screening/testing of blood and non-blood donations , which must include all the necessary equipment, installation, maintenance, consumables, reagents, software including an inter-interoperability provision with NHSBTs existing IT infrastructure and overall ongoing support mechanism that may be required to carry out the necessary testing.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £53,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Tenders may be submitted for all lots

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 1 Microbiology and Serology Main Testing

Lot No

Lot 1 Contract A

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33124000 - Diagnostics and radiodiagnostic devices and supplies
  • 33124000 - Diagnostics and radiodiagnostic devices and supplies
  • 48921000 - Automation system
  • 33141625 - Diagnostic kits
  • 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
  • 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
  • 33696200 - Blood-testing reagents
  • 33127000 - Immuno-analysis devices
  • 33140000 - Medical consumables

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Main site or place of performance

Manchester & Filton

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 1 Provision of Microbiology & Serology Testing

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £48,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

84

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Up to a maximum of 10 years

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

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

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Microbiology & Serology - MSL and Deceased Donor Testing

Lot No

Lot 2 Contract B

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
  • 33124000 - Diagnostics and radiodiagnostic devices and supplies
  • 48921000 - Automation system
  • 33141625 - Diagnostic kits
  • 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
  • 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
  • 33696200 - Blood-testing reagents
  • 33127000 - Immuno-analysis devices
  • 33140000 - Medical consumables

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Main site or place of performance

Colindale

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Microbiology and Serology Testing for MSL including deceased donors.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

84

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Maximum 10 year contract

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents


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: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

23 April 2024

Local time

6:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 14 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

16 February 2024

Local time

6:00pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

NHSBT requires a direct contractual relationship with either a manufacturer or any other economic operator for a complete end-to-end integrated solution for the Microbiology Serological screening/testing of blood and non-blood donations , which must include all the necessary equipment, installation, maintenance, consumables, reagents, software including an inter-operability provision with NHSBTs existing IT infrastructure and overall ongoing support mechanism that may be required to carry out the necessary testing as stated below. All invitro diagnostic medical devices, for example, instruments, consumables and reagents must be CE/UKCA marked. GB will continue to recognise CE marking under the IVDD or IVDR ( following the government timetable) devices placed on the GB market must be UKCA marked under the UK MDR 2002 as amended. The end-to-end solution must be capable of producing test results in a format that can be utilised by NHSBT’s host IT system (PULSE) without the need for changes to PULSE.

The current contract held with NHSBT for the Microbiology Serology Service includes the supply of the mandatory and selective serology assays, consumables, instrumentation, uninterruptable power supply and software required for result management and interface(s) with host systems; including servers to support the IT infrastructure.

Mandatory testing is undertaken on all blood and non-blood donations. The assays required include: Hepatitis B (HBsAg), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1&2 Ab/Ag), Hepatitis C (anti-HCV), syphilis antibodies, and anti-HBc for non-blood donations. These tests are undertaken on high throughput automated equipment. Additional discretionary testing is also undertaken on select donations. These include testing for human T- lymphotropic virus (anti-HTLV), cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV), malarial antibody (anti-malaria), Hepatitis B antibodies (anti-HBc & anti-HBs) and Trypanosome cruzi (anti-T. cruzi). Deceased (non-heart beating) donor screening is performed at Microbiology Services Laboratory (MSL), Colindale and the assays used in MSL Colindale must be suitable for deceased donor screening.


Kit Evaluation Group (KEG) approval of the assays must be obtained prior to the award of the contract.

There is a requirement for automated instrumentation to enable high throughput testing of mandatory and discretionary testing for blood and non-blood donors, archiving and long-term storage of plasma samples as part of this contract. Instrumentation for sample sorting is also for consideration.

All Microbiology Serology testing requirements must be in accordance with the Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion service in the United Kingdom (https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/red-book) and rules and guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.

NHSBT undertakes Microbiology Serology testing on approximately 1,600,000 donations per annum across two principal testing sites, namely Manchester and Filton, and also at the Microbiology Services Laboratory at Colindale.

This procurement contains Lots:
Lot 1 – Contract A Microbiology and Serology Testing for Manchester and Filton
Lot 2 – Contract B Microbiology and Serology Testing for Colindale and accommodates the requirements for Deceased Donor Screening

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department of Health and Social Care

39 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0EU

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care