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Regular Asymptomatic Testing in NI Special Education Needs Schools

Education Authority NI

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

22 Dec 2021 at 12:35

Award Notice
AwardUpdate

22 Jul 2021 at 15:15

Award Notice
Award

29 Mar 2021 at 17:56

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority NI has initiated a tender titled "Regular Asymptomatic Testing in NI Special Education Needs Schools," aimed at providing a weekly testing service for approximately 10,000 staff and students across 39 Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools in Northern Ireland. This service is set to commence on 23rd December 2021 and will run until at least 31st March 2022, with the possibility of extension to 30th November 2022 based on public health advice. This procurement falls under the health services category and was executed through a limited procurement method due to the urgency stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The total contract value is approximately £2,115,000, and the primary supplier awarded for this service is Queen's University Belfast.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses that specialise in health services, particularly in COVID-19 testing and management solutions. Companies with capabilities in non-invasive testing methodologies, rapid result turnaround, and experience in educational settings will find this contract suitable. As the need for ongoing testing is paramount in protecting vulnerable populations in educational environments, providers who can demonstrate reliability and efficiency will be ideally positioned to compete for this and similar future contracts.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Regular Asymptomatic Testing in NI Special Education Needs Schools

Notice Description

Regular Asymptomatic Testing in NI Special Education Needs Schools

Lot Information

Lot 1

Regular Asymptomatic Testing in NI Special Education Needs Schools

Procurement Information

The weekly asymptomatic testing service of 10,000 special school staff (teaching, non-teaching and ancillary) and students with special educational needs is urgently required due to the emergency situation regarding Covid-19 within Special Educational Needs schools in Northern Ireland and will ensure that these schools can remain open during the current period of restrictions. The service will run in all 39 Special Educational Needs schools within Northern Ireland from March 2021 to the end of June 2021. The samples will be tested using the direct LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) method as this is a viable and readily available deliverable method and is less invasive for children in Special Educational Needs schools and therefore uptake is likely to be maximised and testing objectives met. Queen's University Belfast is part of the UK national plan for testing and is the only laboratory that is accredited within Northern Ireland to provide all elements of the testing service including the requirement for the testing to be turned around with results within several hours. The aim of this service is to find asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases so they can be isolated along with their contacts, therefore reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the school settings, and consequently the wider community. Special Educational Needs schools are remaining open during the current period of restrictions, and while children, even those with significant underlying medical conditions, do not generally become very unwell if they contract COVID-19, some children in Special Educational Needs schools have extremely complex medical needs and all possible steps must be taken to protect them from COVID-19. Any infection can be serious for them as their baseline condition is so fragile. The provision of this service will also contribute to reducing the rate of infections in Special Educational Needs Schools as regular testing will identify cases either before they are symptomatic, or asymptomatic cases, allowing immediate self-isolation, thereby reducing the potential for wider transmission, both within the school and in the contact groups of pupils and staff.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-02a0a5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032061-2021
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£3,545,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Dec 20214 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
29 Mar 20215 years ago
Contract Period
23 Dec 2021 - 30 Nov 2022 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Education Authority NI
Additional Buyers

Education Authority

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT1 2NQ
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Duncairn
Westminster Constituency
Belfast North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST

Queens University Belfast

Further Information

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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