Scope
Reference
C29998
Description
The SampleManager is the software for the Laboratory Information Management Service system is used extensively for recording animal submissions, samples and testing, facilitates reporting of disease test results and underpins statutory disease testing for notifiable diseases, reportable diseases and other zoonotic diseases (human impacting diseases with primary biological reservoir in animals).
This system is critical to APHA's management of animal disease outbreaks and assuring and facilitating international trade by demonstrating sufficient surveillance for disease-free status.
The purpose of this Transparency Notice is to announce APHA's intention to enter into a contract to upgrade the SampleManager current version (12.1) which is now out of support to 21.3 version for a year with 12 months extend options.
Contract 2
Supplier
Contract value
- £462,143.40 excluding VAT
- £554,572.08 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Date signed
2 September 2025
Contract dates
- 3 September 2025 to 2 September 2026
- Possible extension to 2 September 2027
- 2 years
Description of possible extension:
12 Months extension
Main procurement category
Services
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Options to extend for another 12 months
CPV classifications
- 72212517 - IT software development services
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Direct award justification
Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights
Thermo Electron Ltd are the sole owners and licensor of SampleManager software, and there are no alternatives available to Animal and Plant Health Agency without rewriting all forecasting models.
It is the view of the Animal and Plant Health Agency that this contract is justifiable under Paragraph 5 in Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 to award the contract for the supply and support of the SampleManager software because, ThermoFisher Scientific own the intellectual property for the software, and there are no reasonable alternative, nor can another organisation supply and support the software. Additionally, it is the view of the Animal and Plant Health Agency that this contract is also justifiable under Paragraph 6 in Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 to award the contract for the supply and support of the SampleManager software because, at this time, no alternative solution is available and any decision to deviate from this software would require a redevelopment of all Animal and Plant Health Agency models, therefore competition is absent for technical reasons.
Supplier
Thermo Electron Ltd
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTND-1582-BZLR
7 Kingsland Grange
Woolston Warrington
WA1 4SR
United Kingdom
Region: UKD61 - Warrington
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Contract 2
Contracting authority
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBHC-6261-BLLQ
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
United Kingdom
Email: wendy.ukwu@defra.gov.uk
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government