CLI-FTS-58921 Culture Media and Associated Consumables

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

07 Aug 2026 at 11:28

Award

07 Aug 2026 at 09:57

Tender

04 Nov 2025 at 16:16

Planning

23 May 2025 at 11:09

Summary of the contracting process

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership Procurement Services, hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust, procured an all-Wales framework for culture media and associated microbiology consumables on behalf of NHS bodies in Wales. The requirement covers antimicrobial sensitivity testing; plated media for Mueller Hinton-F, general culture, Braziers CCEY and triple-wrapped plates; bottled media; solid media for Mycobacterium; MIC gradient strips; atmospheric generation systems; quality-control organisms; and antisera. These products support clinical, food, water, environmental and public-health microbiology, including bacterial and fungal culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, organism identification and test quality assurance. Delivery is across Wales, for participating health boards and NHS organisations including Public Health Wales, Velindre NHS Trust and the Welsh Blood Service.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded through a competitive procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, although the published method field records direct award. It is an above-threshold, multi-lot framework with ten participant places and electronic submission. The estimated tender value was £8,809,107.84; the award value is £6,741,113 excluding VAT and £8,089,335 including VAT. The award date is 7 August 2026, with a standstill period ending 18 August 2026 and planned signature on 19 August 2026. E&O Laboratories Ltd, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Ltd and Launch Diagnostics Ltd were selected, with Launch Diagnostics listed twice. The award covers lot 1, Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing, from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2030, with a possible two-year extension to 31 August 2032. Bids were evaluated against supplier suitability and the ITT conditions; named staff and qualifications were required, variants were not allowed, and consortia were considered suitable.

This award demonstrates sustained Welsh NHS demand for a broad, technically specialised microbiology supply portfolio rather than a single product line. Suppliers well placed for a future requirement would need reliable manufacture or distribution of culture media, antimicrobial susceptibility products, reference organisms, antisera and laboratory consumables, with the technical knowledge to support clinical, environmental and public-health testing. Credibility would also depend on demonstrating suitability against the ITT conditions, providing appropriately qualified staff and naming the personnel assigned to delivery. Businesses should be able to supply consistently across NHS Wales and manage electronic ordering, invoicing and payment processes. The framework approach favours organisations able to support multiple Welsh health bodies; the buyer also regarded consortium bids as suitable, creating scope for specialist manufacturers, distributors and service partners to combine capabilities.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

CLI-FTS-58921 Culture Media and Associated Consumables

Notice Description

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership Procurement Services (NWSSP ProcS), hosted by Velindre NHS Trust, are looking to award Culture Media & Associated Consumables on behalf of all NHS Bodies in Wales to an All Wales Framework Agreement. The duration of this Framework Agreement will be four years with the option to extend for a further two years (maximum six years). Please note that this procurement was not awarded via a direct award process. A competitive procurement procedure was conducted in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023. A UK1 Pipeline Notice is associated with this procurement and has been published separately. Owing to an administrative error, an F02 Contract Notice was issued in place of the required UK4 Tender Notice. As a result, this UK5 Transparency Notice is being published to ensure transparency and maintain a clear audit trail, enabling the publication of the UK6 Contract Award Notice. The standstill period is expected to end at the end of 18th August 2026, that being the 8th working day after the contract award notice is published.

Lot Information

Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Plated Media - Mueller Hinton-F (NAD)

Growth medium used to culture bacterial isolates and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Lot includes Mueller Hinton agar with 5% defibrinated horse blood and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Plated Media - Culture

A solid or semi-solid substance that provides the necessary nutrients for microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, to grow and multiply. Lot includes Chromogenic, Fastidious Anaerobe (FAA) and Columbia.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Plated Media - Braziers CCEY

A specialised, selective plated media used to isolate and identify Clostridium from patient samples. Lot includes Braziers CCEY agar with lysed horse blood, cefoxitin, cyclomerize and egg yolk emulsion.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Plated Media - Triple Wrapped.

A nutrient-rich growth medium sterilised using gramma radiation with and protected by three layers of packaging to maintain sterility and prevent contamination. Lot includes both 55mm and 90mm irradiated plates.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Bottled Media.

Prepared, ready to use media supplied in various volumes, typically for food, water, and environmental microbiological testing. Lot includes various bottled media, agar slopes, waters, and ancillary bottled items.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Mycobacterium Solid Media.

Used for the isolation and identification of mycobacterium species, such as the presence of tuberculosis. Lot includes both acidified and non-acidified glycerol and pyruvate media.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

MIC Gradient Strips.

Porous strips impregnated with pre-defined gradient of an antimicrobial agent, for determining the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that will stop the growth of a microorganism. Lot includes numerous antimicrobial gradient strips.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Atmospheric Generation Systems.

Devices that create specific gaseous environments for microbial culture and testing. Lot includes microaerophilic, anaerobic, co2 generating packs, indicator sachets, boxes, and jars.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Quality Control Organisms.

Used to ensure tests are accurate and reliable. They serve as a standard to verify that reagents, media, and stains are working correctly. Organisms are maintained as stock cultures and come from reference collections. Lot includes numerous NCTC organisms.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Antisera.

Used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, used for identifying unknown bacteria and viruses through various serological tests. Lot includes monovalent and polyvalent antisera. For example, salmonella and shigella.

Renewal: Option to extend for a further 24 months

Procurement Information

Please note that this procurement was not awarded via a direct award process. A competitive procurement procedure was conducted in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023. A UK1 Pipeline Notice is associated with this procurement and has been published separately. Owing to an administrative error, an F02 Contract Notice was issued in place of the required UK4 Tender Notice. As a result, this UK5 Transparency Notice is being published to ensure transparency and maintain a clear audit trail, enabling the publication of the UK6 Contract Award Notice.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-052163
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075209-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

24 - Chemical products


CPV Codes

24931250 - Culture medium

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£8,809,107 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£6,741,113 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
16 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
13 Oct 2025Expired
Award Date
7 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
January 2032

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS 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
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF14 3UZ
Postcode Area
Cardiff
Country
Wales

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Delivery Location
TLL Wales

Local Authority
Cardiff
Electoral Ward
Gabalfa
Westminster Constituency
Cardiff North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

E&O Laboraties Ltd

Launch Diagnostics Ltd

Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Ltd

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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