Planning

Surge Laboratory Capacity in Response to Future Health Emergencies

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ACTING AS PART OF THE CROWN THROUGH UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Planning

09 Jan 2026 at 11:41

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

23 May 2025 at 13:11

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

07 May 2025 at 07:26

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Surge Laboratory Capacity in Response to Future Health Emergencies." This process aims to secure laboratory services, primarily to scale up PCR testing capabilities swiftly in the event of future health emergencies. The procurement is primarily focused on the services industry category and is set to take place across the United Kingdom. A virtual engagement session is scheduled for 30th January 2026, with suppliers required to register their interest by 6th February 2026. The UKHSA is serving as the buyer for this procurement, with Hamza Hussain acting as the contact point. The indicative contract period is planned from 30th April 2026 to 30th April 2029.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses engaged in laboratory services to expand their market reach by participating in a nationally critical project. Companies with capabilities in laboratory testing, particularly in rapid PCR testing, would be well-suited to compete. The engagement process will allow businesses to influence the specifications and tender evaluation criteria, offering a collaborative opportunity to align services with national healthcare objectives. The procurement is designed to be inclusive of suppliers who can rapidly respond to public health needs, contributing to both economic growth and public safety.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Surge Laboratory Capacity in Response to Future Health Emergencies

Notice Description

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is inviting suppliers to participate in this pre-market engagement exercise to explore options for surge laboratory capacity in response to future health emergencies. This engagement aims to share UKHSA's current thinking, gather feedback from the market regarding the proposed specification, contract and tender evaluation methodology to inform the final approvals for the procurement strategy. UKHSA is considering options for Surge Laboratory Capacity to ensure rapid response during public health emergencies, focusing on rapidly scaling up PCR testing capabilities for Pathogen X. Please note, the indicative contract value below is for a cold state running of the contract and a hot state contract value will be many multiples of this. This engagement is exploratory and does not represent a commitment to procure at this stage.

Planning Information

A virtual engagement session will be held on 30th January 2026 at 10am. The purpose of this session is to present UKHSA’s objectives, gather feedback from suppliers and outline the procurement approach. Suppliers should register their interest by emailing hamza.hussain2@ukhsa.gov.uk with company details.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-050d89
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001779-2026
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

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71900000 - Laboratory services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Jan 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Mar 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
29 Apr 2026 - 30 Apr 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ACTING AS PART OF THE CROWN THROUGH UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY
Additional Buyers

UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY

Contact Name
Hamza Hussain
Contact Email
hamza.hussain2@ukhsa.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E14 4PU
Post Town
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Canary Wharf
Westminster Constituency
Poplar and Limehouse

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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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