Awarded contract

Procurement of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Tests (Self-Tests)

  • Department of Health and Social Care

F03: Contract award notice

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-007376

Published 9 April 2021, 12:35pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Department of Health and Social Care

39 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0EU

Email

procurement.operations@dhsc.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI32 - Westminster

Internet address(es)

Main address

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

Buyer's address

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

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Procurement of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Tests (Self-Tests)

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 33141625 - Diagnostic kits

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

The contract is to purchase Innova SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative test kits for self-test use. DHSC is the legal manufacturer of these devices and holds an Exceptional Use Authorisation for self-test from the MHRA, making these the only products currently authorised for use as a Covid-19 self-test kit in the UK. The products are NHS branded and come in packs of 7s

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: £1,212,000,018.18

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The contract is to purchase Innova SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative test kits for self-test use. DHSC is the legal manufacturer of these devices and holds an Exceptional Use Authorisation for self-test from the MHRA, making these the only products currently authorised for use as a Covid-19 self-test kit in the UK. The products are NHS branded and come in packs of 7s

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

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

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
    • absence of competition for technical reasons

Explanation:

1. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared a COVID-19 pandemic with the associated serious risk posed to life.  The UK Government’s response to the national emergency posed by COVID-19 includes the putting in place by it of arrangements for large-scale testing in respect of COVID-19. 2. As part of those arrangements, it needs to acquire products in order to implement the large-scale testing programme necessary to build a profile of the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent further loss of human life, to allow the population to return to work safely.  Relevant to its procurement strategy is the efficient use of lateral flow test devices for self-use throughout the UK. 3. Accordingly the UK government will be fulfilling a significant volume of its overall requirement for home testing by using lateral flow devices developed by Innova. 4. DHSC is satisfied the relevant tests permitting use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii)) are met:a. The works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator as competition is absent for technical reasons: Innova are the only available supplier of home use lateral flow tests for COVID-19 as there is currently no other supplier whose COVID-19 tests are authorised by the relevant regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), for self-test use in the UK.b. No reasonable alternative or substitute exists: there is currently no other supplier of lateral flow devices that has MHRA authorisation for the self-test use needed to satisfy DHSC’s requirement. c. The absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement: this procurement is part of a procurement strategy by the UK government to increase testing capacity to meet demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the country exits from lockdown.

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

13 March 2021

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 1

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

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

INNOVA MEDICAL GROUP INC

800 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 288

Pasadena

CA 91101

Country

United States

NUTS code
  • US - United States
The contractor is an SME

No

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

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,212,000,018.18

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,212,000,018


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

The High Court

Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Email

generaloffice@administrativecourtoffice.justice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals