Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Great Maze Pond
London
SE1 9RT
Contact
Simone Gelinas
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI44 - Lewisham and Southwark
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme to Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC
Reference number
C395947 (Ref # 5940-26)
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 33190000 - Miscellaneous medical devices and products
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
The delivery of a National NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme to a network of 30 NHS sites across the UK.
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: £7,010,966
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 33140000 - Medical consumables
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI44 - Lewisham and Southwark
Main site or place of performance
Guys and St. Thomas Hospital
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Direct Award. The Trust has been granted funding from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with oversight delegated to the Office of Life Sciences (OLS), for the delivery of the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme, in which GSTT will lead the development of a national clinical metagenomics pilot service by deploying NHS developed laboratory, bioinformatic and clinical protocols along with ONT developed sequencing technology to a network of 30 NHS sites across the UK for the dual benefit of patient care and bio-surveillance.
The contract period is for Three Years and will expire on 20th November 2028. The approximate lifetime value of the contract is
The contract will be grant funded from the DSIT award to GSTT for the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation:
Direct award justification
Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights
In accordance with Section 41 and Schedule 5 of the PA23, this direct award is to be
made on the grounds of absence of competition for technical reasons as the products and
services are subject to patented technology by Oxford Nanpore Technologies PLC.
It is unique in that it is the only sequencing technology available on the market that enables
direct, real-time analysis of short to ultra-long fragments of DNA/RNA, in fully scalable
formats. No other provider is able to supply equivalent goods or services.
• Additional Information - The contracting authority has concluded that the conditions for a
direct award are satisfied due to their being no alternatives and an absence of competition
due to patent status of the required products and services. A Contract Award Notice
(UK6) will be published following the expiry of the standstill period.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
21 November 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
Gosling Building Edmund Halley Road, Oxford Science Park
Oxfordshire
OX4 4DQ
Telephone
+44 7879896025
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
National registration number
05386273
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £7,010,966
Lowest offer: £7,010,966 / Highest offer: £7,010,966 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Trust has been in contract with Oxford Nanopore for a period of 1 year as part of the pilot programme for delivery of an initial pilot metagenomics service at 9 NHS sites in 2024/25.
A number of collaboration agreements have existed between GSTT and ONT prior to this, under which the two institutions developed the joint elements of our respective components of the end to end workflow.
Given the requirement to continue the pilot arrangements and the continuation of the grant funding from DSIT and OLS, it was necessary to engage in direct negotiations with Oxford Nanopore. In addition, the technology under development is patented and GSTT are working in collaboration with Oxford Nanopore to continue to develop the protocols and undertake the research activity.
Under PA23 there are 2 relevant provisions for a direct award for patented technology covered under section 41, Schedule 5. (1) “a supplier is in possession of IP and there are no reasonable alternatives…”and (2) “the absence of competition for technical reasons”, both sectioned under “Single Suppliers” where a particular supplier owns the intellectual rights and is the only supplier able to provide that product / service.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Great Maze Pond
London
SE1 9RT
Country
United Kingdom