Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Grampian
Summerfield House, 2 Eday Road
Aberdeen
AB15 6RE
Telephone
+44 3454566000
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM50 - Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00200
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
Reagents and Bioinformatics analysis
Reference number
NC006-24
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) kits
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: £352,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM50 - Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Main site or place of performance
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Award value estimated based on previous spend for 2023-24 financial year.
This is a direct award to the existing supplier to save a significant amount of rework that would be required if the genetics lab was to switch to an alternative supplier.
This will cover the spend for 2024-25 financial year.
It is vital that the supply of these items is uninterrupted as any delay will impact on patient care including cancer surgery / treatments, stem cell transplants for patients with primary immune deficiencies and bone marrow failure and correct patient management to prevent irreversible brain damage in metabolic conditions.
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:
We have a number of services within the department that use Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) kits supplied by SOPHiA Genetics. These services are funded by National Services division (NSD) and the Aberdeen laboratory provides National services for Hereditary Breast, Ovarian and prostate cancer, Cardiac arrhythmias and Whole exome sequencing (for metabolic, gastrohepatology, chromosome breakage / inherited bone marrow failure and eye disorders) using these SOPHiA kits. These are essential established reagents used in these testing pathways, having previously undergone extensive validation processes within the laboratory. Purchase of alternative reagents would involve delay to testing as additional extensive validation work would need to be undertaken before use. An integral bioinformatics solution, SOPHiA DDM, is included in the price of these SOPHiA kits which provides cost-effective, streamlined analysis for these patient samples. In addition, SOPHiA DDM is used to analyse NGS data for other rare and inherited conditions using tailored analysis pipelines. This includes Primary Immune Deficiencies, Familial Hypercholesterolaemia and tumour testing for metastatic prostate cancer. This is charged on a cost per sample upload basis and allows clinical scientists to analyse the data in an efficient manner without the need for specialist bioinformaticians. Purchase of bioinformatics services from another provider would take a significant amount of time for the validation work required to ensure accurate results are obtained and would incur significant costs for extensive validation. Furthermore, additional staff would be required to perform the bioinformatics processes that would be required in the absence of the SOPHiA DDM platform for all of the national genetics services mentioned above. It is vital that the supply of these items is uninterrupted as any delay will impact on patient care including cancer surgery / treatments, stem cell transplants for patients with
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
NC006-24
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
24 May 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
SOPHiA GENETICS Ltd
60 Windsor Avenue
London
SW19 2RR
Telephone
+44 7395594261
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: £352,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
(SC Ref:767636)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Aberdeen Sheriff Court and Justice of Peace Court
Aberdeen
Country
United Kingdom