United Kingdom-Filton: Diagnostic supplies – Framework Lead

The current contract for Diagnostic supplies – Framework Lead is projected to end on 06-APR-21 and may be available for retender.
Description:
Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:: Managed Service Contract for routine Nucleic Acid Testing.

Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Services
Service category No 1: Maintenance and repair services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: NHSBT locations in England (Manchester and Filton/Bristol) Other Blood Services which are to be contracting parties:
– Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service – until May 2017 Blood Donor Centre in Edinburgh, from May 2017 onwards – New National Centre Heriot-Watt Research Park Edinburgh;
– Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service – Transfusion Microbiology Laboratory, Belfast City Hospital Complex;
– Welsh Blood Service, Pontyclun.
NUTS code UK

Information on framework agreement: Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement
Estimated value excluding VAT: 35 000 000 GBP

Short description of the contract or purchase(s): NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS), Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) and Welsh Blood Service (WBS), (the Authorities) require a fully integrated testing system for routine Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) within a single sourced managed service. This includes equipment, maintenance, consumables, spare parts, upgrades, training, clinical education material, remote diagnostics, reporting and support; all to deliver a final result to the Authorities information management systems.
Current contractual arrangements for Managed Laboratory Services for NAT expire on the following dates:
– NHSBT 31.8.2014
– WBS 31.8.2014
– SNBTS 31.3.2015
– NIBTS 31.3.2015.
Therefore the new contract with a successful Tenderer will be implemented by each contracting Blood Authority when their current agreements have expired.
It is the intention that SNBTS will move to a new National Centre in May 2017. The new Centre will be located in the Heriot Watt University campus to the west of Edinburgh. As part of the contract SNBTS will expect the successful Tenderer to propose a solution to ensure that there is continuity of testing during this move.
NHSBT has two testing sites in England, collecting circa 1,9 million donations each year. NIBTS, SNBTS and WBS have one site each, with a total volume of circa 370k donations each year. Please note the value indicated in this contract notice is an estimate only. It is calculated based on existing forecasted information and therefore cannot be treated as a guaranteed volume.
Within the Authorities organisation the testing function performs a wide range of testing services, these include:
1. Mandatory assays:
the ability to detect HCV RNA in plasma samples from blood donations and also, HCV RNA, HIV RNA and HBV DNA in tissue and stem cell products.
The system offered should be capable of supporting WNV RNA detection if required. Systems should be fully automated and capable of using pooled and single human plasma samples. Complete systems should include pooling systems including hardware and software.
2. In addition approximately 9 000 living tissue and stem cell donors are tested ( individual donation testing) per year at NHSBT designated site for HCV RNA, HIV RNA and HBV DNA.
3. High throughput equipment will be required. Current volumes along with forecasted volumes are quoted within the Specification document, these numbers only indicate the current requirement and the Authorities are not able to provide accurate forecasts for the duration of the contract term, therefore these numbers cannot be treated as a commitment to service or volume levels.
For NHSBT these tests are currently completed on all donations in pools of 24. The full list of markers including current numbers tested and the full list of requirements for NHSBT and other contracting parties – Northern Ireland
Blood Transfusion Service, Welsh Blood Service and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is contained within the tender documents.

Information about variants: Variants will be accepted: no