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Lateral Flow Device Pilot and Development Activity

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

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

29 Jun 2026 at 16:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

12 Sep 2025 at 13:12

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is currently in the planning stage for a procurement titled "Lateral Flow Device Pilot and Development Activity." The agency seeks to develop UK-based manufacturing capabilities for lateral flow devices (LFDs), aiming to enhance the UK's readiness for future pandemics. The procurement process focuses on the diagnostics industry, specifically within the United Kingdom, and includes a virtual engagement session scheduled for 16th July 2026. Interested suppliers must confirm attendance by 15th July 2026. This initiative aligns with broader public health objectives and the UK's 100 Days Mission to improve pandemic response capabilities. The tender process is governed by the Procurement Act 2023, with an anticipated delivery timeline concluding by 31st March 2027.

This procurement opportunity provides substantial growth possibilities for businesses, particularly those involved in diagnostics and manufacturing. Companies with expertise in assay development or those capable of scaling up manufacturing operations are well-suited for this engagement. SMEs and VCSEs are encouraged to participate, as the pilot aims to test the resilience and scalability of UK-based supply chains, potentially opening further partnerships and contracts in the health security industry. Suppliers will have the opportunity to shape the procurement approach and contribute to the strategic development of the national diagnostic infrastructure in collaboration with UKHSA. Overall, this tender represents a strategic opportunity for businesses aiming to expand their presence in the health and diagnostics sector while contributing to national biosecurity efforts.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Lateral Flow Device Pilot and Development Activity

Notice Description

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is inviting suppliers to participate in this pre-market engagement exercise for the Lateral Flow Device (LFD) pilot and development activity. This work supports UKHSA's broader strategy to strengthen the UK's ability to understand, prevent, and respond to health threats, as set out in the UKHSA Strategy 2026-2029. It also aligns with the UK's commitment to the 100 Days Mission, which aims to enable the rapid development and deployment of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines within 100 days of identifying a new pandemic threat. A key objective of this programme is to develop resilient, scalable UK-based manufacturing capability for LFDs, reducing reliance on international supply chains and improving national biosecurity. For the purposes of this exercise, UK-based manufacturing refers to the ability to undertake core stages of assay development, device manufacture, and final assembly within the UK, supported by a robust and scalable supply chain. Suppliers are not required to have a fully domestic supply chain but must demonstrate transparency, resilience, and the ability to sustain production at scale during an outbreak. LFDs, particularly antigen-based LFDs, were a key component of large-scale population testing during the COVID-19 response and are expected to play a similarly critical role in future pandemic testing strategies. However, lessons learned from COVID-19 highlighted challenges relating to test quality and performance, the ability to scale production rapidly to meet demand, supply chain resilience, and product shelf-life. This programme seeks to address these challenges by assessing the UK's capability to develop, manufacture, and supply LFDs at pace and scale, ensuring a resilient and sustainable diagnostic testing capability for future outbreaks. The pilot activity will focus on testing the feasibility of onshore development of antigen LFDs. This will involve working with UK-based manufacturers to develop prototype diagnostics for priority pathogens and evaluating their performance against defined target product profiles within required timelines. The pilot will act as a "stress test" of the UK diagnostics ecosystem, covering the full development lifecycle, alongside an assessment of the risks and barriers to bringing products to market through a desktop review of supply chains and production capacity. The pilot will generate insights to identify supply chain gaps, validate capability, and refine processes for rapid deployment during public health emergencies. It is expected to be delivered by 31 March 2027. In parallel, UKHSA intends to explore options for longer-term provision beyond FY 26/27 through a separate procurement process, which will be developed alongside this pilot. UKHSA is currently considering the use of a Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023; however, this may be subject to change following further information gathered as the pilot progresses. The requirement beyond this initial pilot activity will focus on establishing sustainable UK manufacturing capability, scalability, and resilient supply chains, to support UKHSA's strategic stockpiling and response to future pandemics. This engagement aims to share UKHSA's current thinking and gather feedback from the market regarding the proposed specification, procurement approach, contract, and tender evaluation methodology to inform final approvals for the procurement strategy. 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 the 16th July 2026 (subject to change) at 14:00 to 15:00. 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 joshua.williams@ukhsa.gov.uk with their company and attendee details. Once attendance has been confirmed, UKHSA will provide the invite, along with the agenda. Please note that spaces will be limited to two representatives from each supplier. Please confirm attendance by 17:00 on 15 July 2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-059984
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060953-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

33141625 - Diagnostic kits

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73111000 - Research laboratory services

73120000 - Experimental development services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,666,666 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Jun 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Jul 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
17 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
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
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ACTING AS PART OF THE CROWN THROUGH UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

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

JSON Markdown

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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