Notice Information
Notice Title
Cloud Infrastructure
Notice Description
UK Biobank ("UKB") currently hosts a cloud-based health Research Analysis Platform which makes research projects and data accessible to researchers ("RAP"). The current RAP was procured by UKB in 2020 and was developed by DNAnexus, in collaboration with, and cloud infrastructure provided by, Amazon Web Services. As part of a series of changes to implement UKB's strategy to create a more secure data environment, UKB intends to initiate a procurement exercise for the development of a new RAP ("RAP2.0") and associated services to take account of advances in technology over the past 5 years and its future requirements. The RAP2.0 is anticipated to be the default way that most researchers will access and analyse UKB's biomedical database and it is anticipated to comprise one or more software platforms or data analysis services that work together to meet the diverse functional needs to the research community. UKB currently intends to undertake separate procurements in relation to (i) the RAP2.0, (ii) cloud infrastructure which will host data on RAP2.0, and (iii) the development of an Output Checking System to control the extraction of data held by UKB for research purposes, whilst ensuring the ongoing security and confidentiality of the data. UKB has established an informatics working group consisting of senior experts who will provide guidance to help develop the requirements for the technology listed at (i) - (iii) above. It is currently envisaged that the first procurement to be undertaken will relate to the OCS (in the first half of 2026), followed by a procurement for cloud infrastructure (in the second half of 2026), followed by the procurement of the RAP2.0 in 2027. It is necessary for the procurement exercise for cloud infrastructure services to host the UKB data under the new RAP2.0 to be completed before preliminary market engagement can take place with suppliers and users regarding the requirements and strategic approach to the new RAP2.0. The identity of the cloud services infrastructure will inform the approach to the RAP2.0 procurement to ensure the compatibility of the technology underlying the platform or platforms. The current contract for the enablement of the RAP with DNAnexus expires in June 2026. It is intended that this contract will be amended in January 2026 to extend the services through to June 2028. This Preliminary Market Engagement Notice relates to the proposed procurement of cloud infrastructure as the enabling foundation of the platform ecosystem for RAP2.0. Separate Preliminary Market Engagement Notices were published for RAP2.0 and OCS in April 2025 and are being updated. It is envisaged that preliminary market engagement with interested cloud services suppliers will take place in 2026 to understand how storage capability and compute optimisation can enhance the functionality and security of UK Biobank's data. Further updates regarding preliminary market engagement activities will be included in a future update to this notice, as appropriate.
Planning Information
UKB currently envisages that, in addition to the work of the informatics working group, it may engage with suppliers prior to launch of the cloud infrastructure procurement. Further details of any proposed engagement would be set out in a further preliminary market engagement notice including the activities to be undertaken (which may take place in stages and may take the form of one-to-one meetings with suppliers and/or requests to complete written questionnaires). Interested organisations should register their interest in this potential opportunity via the following link: tenders@ukbiobank.ac.uk
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-05067e
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081715-2025
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Not Specified
- Procurement Method Details
- Not specified
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
-
- CPV Codes
30211300 - Computer platforms
72317000 - Data storage services
72500000 - Computer-related services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 10 Dec 20252 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 9 Mar 20263 months to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Jun 2027 - 30 Jun 2033 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Planning
- Lots Status
- Planning
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- UK BIOBANK LIMITED
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- tenders@ukbiobank.ac.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- STOCKPORT
- Postcode
- SK3 0SA
- Post Town
- Stockport
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLD North West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLD3 Greater Manchester
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLD35 Greater Manchester South East
- Delivery Location
- TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
-
- Local Authority
- Stockport
- Electoral Ward
- Davenport & Cale Green
- Westminster Constituency
- Stockport
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081715-2025
10th December 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016585-2025
23rd April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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