Scope
Description
The Clinical Immunology Service (CIS) provides a comprehensive Clinical Immunology diagnostics service to the West Midlands, regional services in lymphoma/leukaemia diagnosis and national services for neuro-immunology and myeloma testing. Being situated within the University of Birmingham (UoB), the CIS also provides central trials analysis for a number of national and local research studies and has a strong track record in immunodiagnostic development. The CIS is the anchor tenant for the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator (PHTA) Home - PHTA Ltd, hosted within the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC) Birmingham Health Innovation Campus - Birmingham Health Partners. This ambitious new development will leverage the existing Birmingham Health Partners ecosystem to drive innovation and economic growth.
The CIS has built a nationally leading reputation based on our foundations of quality and delivery and has the expertise, reputation, and networks to progress towards being a global leader in diagnostic development, translation and testing. This supports UoB's ambition to become a global top 50 University and contributes towards the success of the PHTA and BHIC.
To ensure the CIS not only remains able to deliver and maintain current business and workload, but also to ensure it can sustain delivery during the move to the PHTA and deliver the anticipated growth in the future, we need to continually update our equipment and methods to ensure improved efficiency, quality and capabilities.
The CIS is a UKAS ISO15189 accredited laboratory offering comprehensive blood cancer, autoimmunity, neuroimmunology, immunodeficiency and allergy diagnostic services to local and national NHS services. Additionally, the CIS hosts the Midlands Integrated Reporting for Haemato-oncology (MIRHO), a blood cancer diagnostic service, providing blood cancer flow cytometry to the whole of West Midlands; this is an area of ensured increased growth as new therapies are commenced and survival improves for blood cancer patients.
To support the growth and development of this service we need to ensure continuity of the diagnostic flow cytometry service including transitioning across cytometer platforms to improve our efficiency and resilience by cross-validating to newer machines by the same supplier (BD Bioscience)
Contract 1. Reagent Rental Contract for Diagnostic Service on the BD FACS Canto II analysers, Lyse Wash Assistants and BD FACS Lyric.
Supplier
Contract value
- £35,800,000 excluding VAT
- £42,960,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
27 November 2025
Contract dates (estimated)
- 27 November 2025 to 26 November 2027
- 2 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 33000000 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
- 38434510 - Cytometers
- 50400000 - Repair and maintenance services of medical and precision equipment
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Direct award justification
Additional or repeat goods, services or works - extension or partial replacement
Justification:
• Our aim is to continue to provide diagnostic service on the BD FACS Canto II analysers, Lyse Wash Assistants and BD FACS Lyric. We plan to continue to migrate clinically validated assays to the new BD FACS Lyric System to replace the FACS Canto II systems which are due to be discontinued for servicing in 2033.
• BD are a world-leading supplier of flow cytometry equipment and reagents for both clinical and research use. All of our clinical panels are currently validated on the BD systems and use BD reagents. This includes the following panels:
o Lymphoproliferative Disorder Panel
o Myeloid Neoplastic Screen Panel
o Acute Leukaemia Rapid Screen Panel
o PNH panel
o Multiple Myeloma Panel
o Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Panel
o B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Panel
o T Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Panel
o Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome Panel
o EURO Class Panel
o Sezary Panel
o HTLV Panel
o TBNK and T48
Supplier
Becton Dickinson (CME) U.K. Limited
- Companies House: 04236707
103 Eskdale Road
Berkshire
RG41 5TS
United Kingdom
Email: Assam.Rasool@bd.com
Region: UKJ11 - Berkshire
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1. Reagent Rental Contract for Diagnostic Service on the BD FACS Canto II analysers, Lyse Wash Assistants and BD FACS Lyric.
Contracting authority
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
- Companies House: RC000645
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHCQ-3464-LVTM
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom
Region: UKG31 - Birmingham
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government