Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UK Biobank Ltd
1-2 Spectrum Way, Adswood
Stockport
SK3 0SA
Telephone
+44 1614755386
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKD3 - Greater Manchester
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA25607
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 Large-Scale Ultra-Low Temperature Biological Sample Archive
Reference number
UKBB0017
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 39711124 - Industrial freezers
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
UK Biobank (UKB) is a registered UK charity and is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing genetic, lifestyle and health information from half a million UK participants. UKB is responsible for the safe preservation, and scientific exploitation, of a priceless collection of 17 million biological samples. Around 11 million are stored at -80 °C and accessible for approved use by academic and industry researchers. Samples include plasma, serum, buffy coat, extracted DNA, urine and saliva. UKB’s next phase of development will be characterised by increasing demand for biological samples, and a number of new, large-scale, sample collections. This Contract Award Notice relates to a contract for the provision of a new automated large-scale ultra-low temperature biological sample archive (the Archive) with sufficient
capacity to accommodate 20 million samples (with expansion to 30 million samples if required by UKB during the contract) and associated support services.
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: £27,301,466
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 45213210 - Cold-storage installations
- 42513100 - Freezing equipment
- 42997300 - Industrial robots
- 51430000 - Installation services of laboratory equipment
- 72250000 - System and support services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD33 - Manchester
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
UKB sought a supplier that can provide a new Archive (taking responsibility for design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and training), the provision of related IT systems, maintenance and other support services.
The Archive will be installed on the ground floor of a new UKB facility in the City of Manchester, UK (the ‘Facility’). Main construction will start in April 2024, and UKB and the Archive supplier will have early access to the ground floor for installation of the Archive in September 2025. Facility practical completion is planned by 2026.
The Archive will need to satisfy Factory and Site Acceptance Tests, including Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification and Performance Qualification (as set out in the contract which was provided as part of the procurement documents). The Supplier will have responsibility for the successful integration of the Archive to the Facility. Following satisfaction of Operational Qualification, UKB will load 11 million samples from its existing facility and be responsible for the operation of the Archive.
Funding to support the purchase of the Archive and development of the Facility has been agreed by UKRI.
The Archive will have sufficient capacity to accommodate 20 million samples (with expansion to 30 million samples if required by UKB during the contract) and design requirements include spatial efficiency, fit with the Facility design, sample storage temperatures and environmental efficiency. The Archive will be electrically cooled to preserve samples at ultra-low temperature and ultra-dry humidity (minus 80 degrees C) with dual redundancy, and with backup cooling provided by a supply of liquid nitrogen. The Archive will use
96-position SBS-format racks, be compatible with UKB’s current and future labware and have resilient robotic automation for picking and returning samples and sufficient throughput to meet UKB’s sample processing requirements (retrievals of up to 500,000+ samples combined with smaller requests, daily loading of new samples, return of retrieved samples after laboratory processing and consolidation (defragmentation) of empty spaces). The Archive will be capable of handling biological samples that have a thin layer of frosting or more significant icing that may obscure barcodes, and raised septum seal bungs.
The IT system (all hardware, software and management components required to support the operation and management of the Archive) will be provided by the supplier. The system requirements include the ability to maintain an accurate inventory of labware (and therefore samples) stored at all times; functionality for operation and management of the Archive by UKB laboratory and facilities staff; be highly configurable by UKB (e.g. role-based access to data and functionality; logging; and alerts); and support integration with UKB’s laboratory information and other systems programmatically through, for example, secure API based services.
The supplier will provide ongoing support services including on-site engineering support personnel to respond to Archive errors, faults and failures; supply of spares to ensure the Archive remains operational and meets UKB’s requirements, some of which must be stored on-site at UKB’s premises; remote monitoring of the Archive by the supplier to support timely notification to UKB of errors or failures; maintenance and support of the IT system including application of hardware and software patches and updates and preventative maintenance; and initial and ongoing training of UKB personnel.
Further details are set out in the Specification which was provided as part of the procurement documents.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Overall Archive Architecture / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Physical Characteristics and Efficiency / Weighting: 9
Quality criterion - Name: Sample Storage / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Sample Handling / Weighting: 24
Quality criterion - Name: Data and Information Systems / Weighting: 9
Quality criterion - Name: project Plan and Governance / Weighting: 4
Quality criterion - Name: Support Services / Weighting: 9
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Following design, manufacture, installation and testing of the Archive, the supplier will be required to provide support services for an initial period of 5 years, to commence on satisfaction of Operational Qualification (as defined in the contract) and this may be extended (on one or more occasions(each period being at least 12 months in duration) as determined by UKB) for up to a further 10 years
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: 2023/S 000-027167
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
20 March 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Hamilton Storage GmbH
Parc Industrial Vial 10,
Domat/Ems
CH-7013
Country
Switzerland
NUTS code
- CH056 - Graubünden
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £27,301,466
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The negotiated procedure without prior publication pursuant to Regulation 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) was used by UKB as no tenders capable of meeting UKB's requirements were submitted in response to the open procedure.
Following design, manufacture, installation and testing of the Archive, the supplier will be required to provide support services for an initial period of 5 years, to commence on satisfaction of Operational Qualification (as defined in the contract) and may be extended (on one or more occasions (each period being at least 12 months in duration) as determined by UKB) for up to a further 10 years. The total value of the contract given includes the optional deliverable to accommodate 30 million samples and an initial 5 years of service and support costs.
(MT Ref:231646)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit