Planning

Transfection Kit

NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

09 Jun 2025 at 08:14

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The NHS Blood and Transplant, a central government public authority, is in the planning stage of a procurement process for a transfection kit. The procurement involves reagents and contrast media in the biotechnology sector, with plans for delivery in the region of South West England (UKK11). Suppliers are invited to express their interest by the 24th of June 2025, with a preliminary market engagement meeting anticipated in the week of the 30th of June 2025. Although the procurement is currently in the planning stage and no contract is guaranteed, the engagement is part of NHS Blood and Transplant's initiative to source advanced transfection reagents for clinical and research applications in gene therapy. The overall contract period is scheduled to start on the 1st of December 2025 and run until the 30th of November 2029.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in biotechnology and pharmaceutical products, especially those capable of providing advanced, GMP-quality transfection reagents. Given the demand for reagents that ensure efficient and low-cytotoxic delivery for various nucleic acid formats, companies with expertise in scalable bioreactor systems and advanced gene therapy vector manufacturing are well-suited to compete. Engaging with NHS Blood and Transplant at this early stage may position suppliers advantageously for future formal tendering, allowing them to influence specifications and requirements prior to formal procurement. This can drive business growth through collaboration on innovative therapeutic products and advanced biotechnologies.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Transfection Kit

Notice Description

The Clinical Biotechnology Centre at the NHS Blood and Transplant is an MHRA licensed facility for the manufacture of investigational medical products such as advanced therapies and biotechnology products which includes plasmid DNA, viral vectors and therapeutic proteins. The organisation intends to initiate a procurement process for the supply of advanced and cost-effective transfection reagents demonstrating optimal performance characteristics for the delivery of various nucleic acid formats into mammalian cells. In the initial phase, transfection reagents are sought for the production of lentiviral and adeno-associated viral vectors utilizing packaging cell lines, and for a range of related research and clinical applications. It is anticipated that these reagents also will be utilised for gene therapies and other therapeutic manufacturing or research purposes using DNA and RNA or other novel modalities requiring transfection. The transfection reagent of choice must demonstrate the efficient and low-cytotoxic delivery of the following non-exhaustive list modalities such as plasmid DNA, synthetic DNA, enzymatically produced DNA, RNA and any other novel modalities. The reagent must be of GMP quality and be compatible with HEK293 suspension and adherent cell culture systems for clinical grade manufacturing of gene therapy vectors. Suitability to transfect cells in process intensified cell culture system is a critical requirement along with cell culture systems that utilise high cell density cultures. Transfection reagent should be suitable to be used in scalable bioreactor systems.

Planning Information

Interested suppliers are asked to express their interest to rowena.thomas@nhsbt.nhs.uk and carley.butcher@nhsbt.nhs.uk by 5pm on Tuesday, 24th June 2025. Suppliers expressing an interest will be invited to attend an early market engagement exercise supplier meeting during the week of the 30th June 2025 (note: date subject to change). Prior to this session, interested suppliers will be provided with a draft specification of requirements and short questionnaire related to requirements. There is no guarantee that a formal procurement process will be launched as a result of this early market engagement exercise, nor that any contract(s) will be placed. No remuneration or compensation etc will be paid to organisations who take part in this early market engagement exercise. Suppliers should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0544f1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030784-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

CPV Codes

33696000 - Reagents and contrast media

33696300 - Chemical reagents

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£545,535 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Jun 20258 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Jul 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Dec 2025 - 30 Nov 2029 4-5 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
NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT
Contact Name
Rowena Thomas
Contact Email
rowena.thomas@nhsbt.nhs.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 7QH
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
TLK11 Bristol, City of
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Filton
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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