Contract

(NU/1433-33) GitLife Biotech: providing a lab-in-the-cloud versioning control system for engineered cell lines. Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation and scale-up

  • Newcastle University
  • Durham University
  • Northumbria University Newcastle
  • University of Sunderland
  • Teesside University
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  • University of Bath on behalf of the SETsquared

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-019972

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0354ac

Published 22 July 2022, 9:59am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Newcastle University

Newcastle University, Procurement Services, Kingsgate

Newcastle

NE1 7RU

Contact

Mrs Natalie Morton

Email

natalie.morton@ncl.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 1912086396

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKC - North East (England)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.ncl.ac.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.ncl.ac.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

Durham University

The Palatine Centre, Stockton Road

NE1 7RU

Email

Edwin.e.milligan@durham.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKC - North East (England)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.durham.ac.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

Northumbria University Newcastle

Newcastle

NE1 7RU

Email

Hugh.Rhodes@northumbria.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKC - North East (England)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://northumbria.ac.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

University of Sunderland

Sunderland

NE1 7RU

Email

Cheryl.Holmstrom@sunderland.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKC - North East (England)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://Sunderland.ac.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

Teesside University

Middlesbrough, Tees Valley

NE1 7RU

Email

David.Pratt@tees.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKC - North East (England)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.tees.ac.uk/

one.1) Name and addresses

University of Bath on behalf of the SETsquared

Claverton Down, Bath

NE1 7RU

Email

pb487@bath.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.bath.ac.uk/

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract involves joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

(NU/1433-33) GitLife Biotech: providing a lab-in-the-cloud versioning control system for engineered cell lines. Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation and scale-up

Reference number

DN611994

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Professor Krasnogor saw an opportunity in developing a solution to the “Integration” problem that is generic for biotechnology and the life sciences beyond the specifics of these two projects. This is how the idea of establishing GitLife Biotech and the development of the CellRepo technology, as a versioning control system for engineered cell lines, including biotechnology microorganisms, in the cloud was born.

The plan is to spin out GitLife Biotech Ltd in Q3 2022. To be able to spin out and take forward this opportunity, securing the involvement of experienced and appropriate business leadership is both essential and complementary to the existing technical staff and resource.

Commercial and business skills are needed in addition to those in the current team. Moreover, it is clearly the case that Prof. Krasnogor and the current team will need to remain focused on the scientific and technical aspects of the company and be able to place trust in and be guided by experienced staff (ideally with sector experience, networks and VC contacts) who will run the day-to-day business operations and company’s strategic development.

Thus, a talented and experienced CEO (Designate) to assist in the development of the business plans and forecasting needed to spin out the company from the University, as well as to provide leadership of GitLife Biotech, is needed.

The person appointed to lead the company formation and development will have experience in business start –ups, deeptech companies or University Spin Outs, marketing, innovation and fund raising.

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: £30,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKC - North East (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Professor Krasnogor saw an opportunity in developing a solution to the “Integration” problem that is generic for biotechnology and the life sciences beyond the specifics of these two projects. This is how the idea of establishing GitLife Biotech and the development of the CellRepo technology, as a versioning control system for engineered cell lines, including biotechnology microorganisms, in the cloud was born.

The plan is to spin out GitLife Biotech Ltd in Q3 2022. To be able to spin out and take forward this opportunity, securing the involvement of experienced and appropriate business leadership is both essential and complementary to the existing technical staff and resource.

Commercial and business skills are needed in addition to those in the current team. Moreover, it is clearly the case that Prof. Krasnogor and the current team will need to remain focused on the scientific and technical aspects of the company and be able to place trust in and be guided by experienced staff (ideally with sector experience, networks and VC contacts) who will run the day-to-day business operations and company’s strategic development.

Thus, a talented and experienced CEO (Designate) to assist in the development of the business plans and forecasting needed to spin out the company from the University, as well as to provide leadership of GitLife Biotech, is needed.

The person appointed to lead the company formation and development will have experience in business start –ups, deeptech companies or University Spin Outs, marketing, innovation and fund raising.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Formal Appointment / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion - Name: Ability to meet the Job description / Weighting: Pass Fail and 60%

Price - Weighting: 40

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: Yes

Identification of the project

2019/S 009-016574


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Restricted procedure

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system

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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2019/S 009-016574


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

(NU/1433-33)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

23 June 2022

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 3

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3

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

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 3

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

Cambridge Future Tech

10 Trafalgar Road

Cambridge

CB4 1EU

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKC - North East (England)
The contractor is an SME

Yes

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

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £30,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £29,760


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Newcastle University

Tyne and Wear

NE1 7RU

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Newcastle University

Tyne and Wear

NE1 7RU

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

The University will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the

contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the

award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days,

provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the

contract is entered into.

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who

have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High

Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) within 30 days of knowledge or constructive

knowledge of breach.

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Newcastle University

Tyne and Wear

NE1 7RU

Country

United Kingdom