Scope
Description
HM Coroner for Suffolk requires a provider for Toxicology samples taken at Postmortem examinations to be analysed by a professional specialist laboratory service to help enable a cause of death to be determined.
Total value (estimated)
- £750,000 excluding VAT
- £750,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2029
- Possible extension to 28 February 2031
- 5 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85111800 - Pathology services
- 85111810 - Blood analysis services
- 85111820 - Bacteriological analysis services
Contract locations
- UKH14 - Suffolk
Engagement
Engagement deadline
28 November 2025
Engagement process description
The Authority wishes to invite interested parties to respond to the following topics:
1. Do you as a supplier have experience of working with other LAs at county level.
2. Are you part of a framework or wider contract that SCC could join?
3. Which regulatory bodies are you a member of?
4. How many samples, per week do you have capacity to test?
5. Please confirm which days of the week you are able to receive samples.
6. Do you use a tracking system to ensure samples are safely received and dispatched?
Please note that responses received will be recorded and used to inform and reflect future procurements. This will ensure that any resulting tender pack provides information such that all bidders have the same information and no potential bidder unable to respond is disadvantaged. No sensitive or confidential information will be shared.
Interested parties should respond to the questions, along with any comments to Rachael.Dann@suffolk.gov.uk by 5 pm 28th November 2025.
You are also advised to ensure you are registered on the Central Digital Platform, or your supplier information record is up to date. Suppliers: How to register your organisation and first administrator on Find a Tender in three easy steps
This notice is intended as an awareness, communication and information gathering exercise. Participation is no indication of a commitment to partake in any future tendering process, nor does it infer any preferential or special status on those individuals and organisations who participate.
Please also note that this notice is not intended as a call for competition and as such you will need to express your interest in any future tender opportunity once the tender notice is published.
All future tender documents will be available on Suffolk County Council E- tendering portal: http://www.suffolksourcing.uk/
We look forward to your participation and contributions.
Suffolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme (DPP), a fast-track programme towards devolution and local government reorganisation.
Under the DPP it is proposed that:
a) a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) for Norfolk and Suffolk is established, with strategic powers and headed by an elected mayor ("Devolution").
b) the existing two-tier council structure in Suffolk is abolished and replaced with one or more unitary councils covering the current geographical boundary of Suffolk ("LGR").
It is possible that both, one or neither of these changes will happen. These changes are declared as known risks as we do not yet know the implications of Devolution and/or LGR.
As a result of LGR and Devolution, contract modifications may be necessary to novate, transfer or disaggregate the contract from the one you entered into to one or more successor authorities or the MCAA. Impacts could include changes to geographical boundaries, significant increases and/or decreases in the goods and/or services required due to the change in size/scope of any successor authority or the MCAA. This may also change the scope of the contract
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Contracting authority
Suffolk County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHVH-1657-HHMV
Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
United Kingdom
Email: Rachael.Dann@suffolk.gov.uk
Region: UKH14 - Suffolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government