Award

A multi-drug resistant pathogen reference strain and clinical isolate collection

  • MEDICINES DISCOVERY CATAPULT

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-036804

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0425a3

Published 14 December 2023, 1:49pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

MEDICINES DISCOVERY CATAPULT

Block 35g Mereside,Alderley Park

MACCLESFIELD

SK104ZF

Email

procurement@md.catapult.org.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKD62 - Cheshire East

Companies House

09928547

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://md.catapult.org.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Other type

Drug Discovery / Health

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Drug Discovery / Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

A multi-drug resistant pathogen reference strain and clinical isolate collection

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

A multi-drug resistant pathogen reference strain and clinical isolate collection representative of pathogens and resistance mechanisms directly aligned to the PACE first funding call that can be used by the provider to generate antimicrobial susceptibility data across PACE-funded projects and that can be made available to PACE awardees for onward project progression.

Continued expansion and characterisation of the strain and isolate collection to ensure it remains reflective of contemporary and genomically diverse multi-drug resistant and epidemic lineages of target pathogens (~20-30 strains) across E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii and S. aureus. This expanded collection will be made available for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) across PACE-funded projects and the wider AMR community.

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: £695,718

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The UKHSA are well positioned to provide the services required by PACE for PACE portfolio funded projects and the wider AMR community. This will include but not be limited to the following:

AST against a well characterised (including phenotypically, whole-genome sequenced with full antibiogram data) set of isolates and strains directly relevant to the PACE funding call, and;

AST data delivered according to industry standards, and;

Provided in an open-access environment, enabling PACE awardees to directly learn from and access the lab capability provided for onward studies, and;

An opportunity to transfer specific isolates to PACE awardee labs for onward studies, and;

The isolate bank will be evolved using the latest surveillance and national reference laboratory data on clinical isolates currently circulating nationally and internationally, and;

UKHSA AMR labs then enable rapid characterisation of new isolates including full antibiogram and whole genome sequencing, and;

A service model that can account for diverse needs of the PACE-funded projects as they arise i.e. variations to SOPs as required and ability to provide rapid surge capacity as and when needed.

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

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

Explanation:

This is a voluntary ex ante transparency (VEAT) notice, indicating that Medicines Discovery Catapult, intends to enter into a contract with the UK Health Security Agency for a multi-drug resistant pathogen reference strain and clinical isolate collection without a call to competition in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ((32.2(b) ii).

The contract is directly aligned to the PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy) first funding call that can be used by the provider to generate antimicrobial susceptibility data across PACE-funded projects and that can be made available to PACE awardees for onward project progression and will allow continued expansion and characterisation of the strain and isolate collection to ensure it remains reflective of contemporary and genomically diverse multi-drug resistant and epidemic lineages of target pathogens (~20-30 strains) across E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii and S. aureus.

This expanded collection will be made available for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) across PACE-funded projects and the wider AMR community.

The UKHSA maintains unique capabilities and assets that are part of the country's critical national infrastructure to support this aim, this includes;

The English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR), which identifies emergence and trends in key resistance-causing pathogens.

The AMRHAI (antimicrobial resistance and healthcare associated infections) national reference unit, part of the Bacteriology reference department (BRD) - a national and international laboratory reference centre for a bacterial infections.

The isolate bank will be evolved using the latest surveillance and national reference laboratory data on clinical isolates currently circulating nationally and internationally and;

UKHSA AMR labs then enable rapid characterisation of new isolates including full antibiogram and whole genome sequencing.

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/concession

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

29 November 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

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

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

UK Health Security Agency

London

E14 4PU

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

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

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £695,718

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £695,718


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Medicines Discovery Catapult

Macclesfield

SK10 4ZF

Country

United Kingdom