Planning

Provision of Metformin and Placebo for Clinical Trial

  • Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-036841

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0557aa

Published 2 July 2025, 2:44pm

Last edited 2 July 2025, 3:21pm

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Scope

Reference

C368969

Description

The trust was successful in obtaining a grant from NIHR for a clinical trial to look at the use of metformin in people newly diagnosed with psychosis. The clinical trial (including the recruitment phase) is estimated to take place between June 2026 to November 2028. As part of that grant we need to source a supplier that has the capability to purchase or manufacture Metformin and an identical placebo for a clinical trial, to package and label both to our requirements and distribute to Trusts across the UK in a predetermined schedule.

Total value (estimated)

  • £200,000 excluding VAT
  • £240,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 10 November 2025 to 30 November 2028
  • Possible extension to 30 November 2029
  • 4 years, 21 days

Main procurement category

Services

Additional procurement category

Goods

CPV classifications

  • 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Engagement

Engagement deadline

4 June 2025

The engagement was carried out before this notice was published.

Engagement process description

During the pre-market engagement activity for the MAP trial tender, six suppliers known to the University of Sheffield Clinical Trial Research Unit (CTRU) were contacted. The goals of this activity were to: Identify suppliers with previous experience in developing a matched placebo to metformin to guide the tender requirements. Provide suppliers the opportunity to review the tender specification and offer feedback on any unclear, unreasonable, or missing elements. Notify potential suppliers about the upcoming tender. Out of the six suppliers, only two reported prior experience in developing a metformin placebo. Consequently, prior experience will not be a mandatory requirement in the tender, but it will be considered as a criterion for evaluating tender submissions. Additionally, one supplier commented on the 2-3 month requirement for campaign lead times. In response, the tender specification has been amended to 4-5 months, although shorter lead times will be taken into account during the evaluation process


Submission

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

18 July 2025


Contracting authority

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWWC-1379-XVNG

225 Old Street

Ashton-Under-Lyne

OL6 7SR

United Kingdom

Contact name: Kelly Dalton

Email: kelly.dalton2@nhs.net

Website: https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/

Region: UKD35 - Greater Manchester South East

Organisation type: Public authority - central government