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Water Testing Services for Water Plants and Reverse Osmosis Units

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

09 Oct 2026 at 10:13

Market Engagement Notice
Planning

09 Oct 2026 at 10:12

Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is planning to procure laboratory testing of water samples from six water plants and six portable reverse-osmosis units, including Veolia Water, Fresenius and B Braun/Vantive equipment. The Trust will collect the samples and send them to the testing organisation. The service covers monthly microbiological testing of every unit for total bacterial/viable counts, endotoxins, fungi and mould, and yeast. Quarterly chemistry testing covers chlorine, nitrate, sulphate, fluoride, silver, aluminium, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, potassium, magnesium, sodium, lead, thallium, zinc, calcium, mercury and chloramine, plus results against Renal Association table tolerances. Results are required for each unit. The service is for the Trust’s facilities in Reading.

This is at the planning stage: the Trust has described an intention to procure and is undertaking early market engagement, rather than inviting tenders. Interested organisations are asked to introduce their organisation and relevant experience in testing for NHS or private healthcare organisations in the UK. The Trust expects microbiology and chemistry results for each unit within one to two weeks after the laboratory receives the samples. The planned engagement period ends on 4 November 2026; this is an engagement date, not a tender submission deadline. No procurement procedure, contract value or budget is stated. The service is presented as a single requirement covering all twelve units, with no separate lots described.

The work is suited to laboratory providers able to handle recurring water testing for healthcare facilities, including both microbiological and broad chemical analysis. A laboratory must hold UKAS accreditation for microbiology and chemistry to ISO/IEC 17025. Suppliers will need processes to return complete, unit-specific results within the required one-to-two-week turnaround after receiving samples. Relevant experience is particularly valuable: the Trust is seeking information from organisations that have carried out these testing activities for NHS or private healthcare organisations in the UK. Small and medium-sized enterprises are identified as suitable, so the requirement is not presented as restricted to large providers. Businesses with capacity to support monthly microbiology tests and quarterly chemistry panels across the stated equipment mix are best placed to prepare for a future competition.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Water Testing Services for Water Plants and Reverse Osmosis Units

Notice Description

The Trust has six (6) water plants and six (6) portable reverse osmosis units which are a mix of Veolia Water, Fresenius and B Braun / Vantive units. The Trust requires the following water sample testing for each of the units described above: - Micro biological testing for Total Bacterial Count/Total Viable Count, endotoxins, fungal/mould and yeast. Micro biological testing is to be undertaken monthly for each unit (144 samples tested per annum); and - Chemistry sample testing which is to be undertaken quarterly for each unit (48 samples tested per annum). The Chemistry sample testing is to cover: * Chlorine, total; * Nitrate as N; * Sulphate as SO4; * Fluoride; * Silver, total; * Aluminium, total; * Arsenic, total; * Beryllium, total; * Cadmium, total; * Chromium; total * Copper; total * Potassium; total * Magnesium; total * Sodium; total * Lead; total * Thallium; total * Zinc; total * Calcium; total * Mercury, total; * Chloramine; and * Renal Association Tables tolerance results. The Trust will collect the water samples and send them to the organisation for testing. Subsequently the Trust will require the full results per unit of the tests carried out within one to two weeks following receipt of the water samples by the organisation. The organisation must have a lab with UKAS accreditation for microbiology and chemistry to ISO/IEC 17025. Interested organisations should contact Christopher Dickenson (Christopher.dickenson@nhs.net) introducing your organisation and your experience in carrying out the above activities for other NHS and or private health organisations in the UK.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-028d5e2a-7f99-4f00-9f18-4e460d982602
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/df122adc-e1b1-4fe5-80a8-dcbf1df3f0b6
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71317200 - Health and safety services

71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services

71700000 - Monitoring and control services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG1 5AN
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Reading
Electoral Ward
Redlands
Westminster Constituency
Reading Central

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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