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Forensic Services

Greater Manchester Police

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

21 Sep 2026 at 15:49

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Greater Manchester Police procured physical forensic services for policing and the criminal justice system across the North West of England. The requirement covers a broad range of specialist laboratory and investigative work: toxicology for RT and CW substances, drugs analysis, subject DNA and crime-scene DNA, firearms and ammunition, fire investigation, noxious substances, questioned documents, ecology, marks and traces, and CW biology. This is a forensic services contract, classified under CPV 90700000, although the work is primarily criminal-justice and evidential rather than general environmental services. The procurement aims to support a collaborative, nationally standardised approach to physical forensics, with common specifications and terms intended to create sustainable service capacity for current and future policing needs. Greater Manchester Police is the buying organisation.

The procurement is complete and was awarded through a selective call-off from the BLC dynamic purchasing system. The tender submission deadline was 25 August 2025 at 5pm, and the award was made on 7 January 2026. The awarded value is £37,747,925, against an estimated procurement value of £38,000,000. The contract runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. Three suppliers were selected: Orchid Cellmark Limited trading as Cellmark Forensic Services, Key Forensic Services Limited, and Forensic Access Limited. The published information does not set out separate lots or a detailed scoring model; the requirement is presented as one broad physical-forensics service package. Participation was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This requirement indicates substantial, sustained demand from Greater Manchester Police for suppliers able to deliver accredited-quality physical forensic services across multiple disciplines, rather than a single specialist test. Credible competitors would need access to appropriately qualified forensic scientists, secure laboratories, validated methods, robust evidence handling and reporting processes, and the capacity to manage varied workloads for policing and criminal-justice users. Relevant capability may include toxicology, drugs, DNA, firearms, fire investigation, questioned documents, ecology, marks and traces, noxious substances and CW biology, depending on the service line pursued. The use of a dynamic purchasing system and standardised national specifications favours organisations able to operate consistently against common contractual requirements, collaborate with public-sector partners, and demonstrate resilient capacity across a broad service portfolio.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Forensic Services

Notice Description

The provision of physical forensic services covering RT Tox, CW Tox, Drugs, Subject DNA, CSDNA, Firearms & Ammunition, Fire Investigation, Noxious Substances, Questioned Documents, Ecology, Marks & Traces, CW Biology. Procured using the BLC DPS: The aim of the Physical Forensic Services DPS is to deliver a collaborative approach to the next generation of forensics contracts for physical forensics services, providing a nationally standardised specification and terms & conditions to build a cohesive sustainable marketplace environment, where service delivery and capacity meet both the current and future needs of policing and the criminal justice system (CJS).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-f255647b-6164-46d5-9dc9-73412cabcd93
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/05758c20-645b-4a17-810d-accd701d0188
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a dynamic purchasing system
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

CPV Codes

90700000 - Environmental services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£38,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£37,747,925 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
7 Jan 20269 months ago
Contract Period
1 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Greater Manchester Police
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M40 5BP
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
TLD North West (England)
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Harpurhey
Westminster Constituency
Blackley and Middleton South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

Orchid Cellmark Ltd

Key Forensic Services Ltd

FORENSIC ACCESS LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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