Notice Information
Notice Title
Provision of Scanning Surveillance Activities for APHA, including PME's
Notice Description
Provision of Scanning Surveillance Activities for APHA including PMEs. Scanning surveillance plays a vital role in protecting animal health and food safety. It helps identify potential food safety risks, ensures compliance with national and international disease reporting requirements, and highlights animal welfare concerns and possible adverse reactions to medicines. In addition, it provides valuable insight into patterns and emerging trends in endemic diseases, enabling early intervention and informed decision-making. APHA's Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs) already provide PMEs and surveillance data, forming a core part of the national disease monitoring network. However, their coverage is limited and their capacity is constrained. To maintain a comprehensive and resilient surveillance service across England and Wales, APHA needs additional support from external providers.
Procurement Information
APHA is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs ("Defra") with responsibility for disease surveillance to identify new and re-emerging threats to animal health and welfare and public health. APHA fulfils this function through (i) statutory surveillance, by monitoring and collecting notifiable and reportable disease information and (ii) scanning surveillance, through the voluntary submission and collection of information by private vets enabling the early detection of new and re-emerging disease threats. Veterinary Investigation Centres ("VICs") provide PME and surveillance data to APHA, but their limited geographical coverage and operational capacity require APHA to procure supplementary service provision from the listed suppliers to ensure comprehensive PME services and data surveillance across England and Wales. The services to be provided by the suppliers under the contract include (but are not limited to): * conducting postmortem examinations of animal carcases with the objective of diagnosing disease; * collecting and reporting data from PMEs and disease investigations of animals for the purpose of accumulating disease surveillance intelligence; * alerting APHA to suspicions of notifiable disease, New or Re-emerging disease Threats ("NRT") and animal welfare issues; * participating in a network of veterinary staff with experience in animal disease investigation, diagnosis and pathology, and engaging in government surveillance for potential NRT in animals; and * engaging in daily discussions with private veterinary surgeons about disease incidents where specialist advice is needed. Five of the suppliers have been providing these services to APHA since 2014 and the remaining three suppliers, since 2021. The contracting authority, APHA, is relying on the single supplier direct award justification in paragraph 6 of schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023: (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required; and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. The explanations as to why the justification applies are as follows. Absence of competition for technical reasons - paragraph 6(a). APHA applied clear and objective criteria to assess the technical capability of suppliers on the market. The identified suppliers are the only suppliers (i) able to provide high value PME data of the requisite equivalent standard of VICs and (ii) with the technical capability to operate a diagnostic PME and disease surveillance service for animals, as part of an integrated surveillance network with existing APHA sites and databases. The suppliers can operate as a strategic extension to APHA's diagnostic and surveillance capabilities and ensure comprehensive PME access across England and Wales. The suppliers' technical capability includes (but is not limited to): * delivery of PME outputs that are quality-assured and fully compliant with Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis ("VIDA") data recording requirements, and facilitating integration into APHA's epidemiological datasets; * substantial experience in conducting PMEs and diagnosing both routine and emerging animal diseases; * personnel registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons ("RCVS"); * purpose-built or suitably adapted PME facilities for large animal carcasses, meeting all relevant biosecurity, health and safety, and environmental regulations; and * IT systems compatible with APHA's Data Capture Tool to enable secure and efficient surveillance data transmission. The suppliers' ability to meet these requirements, in combination, effectively constitute exclusive rights. These rights arise from the unique integration of technical capability, infrastructure, and operational readiness that enables only these suppliers to deliver the services to the required standard and within the required timeframe. No other suppliers currently possess the combination of VIDA-compliant data systems, purpose-built PME facilities, accredited veterinary personnel, and established integration with APHA's surveillance infrastructure. These characteristics are essential to the delivery of the services. Accordingly, the suppliers hold exclusive rights in practice to deliver the services required under this contract. No reasonable alternatives - paragraph 6(b). It is not reasonable for APHA to acquire and fully implement an alternative PME and data surveillance service by the critical service delivery date of 1 January 2026 or at any point prior to 31 December 2028. An alternative supplier(s) would have to build a replacement service. It would take significant time and financial investment in infrastructure to upgrade facilities to meet the requisite biosecurity, health and safety, and environmental regulations and standards. The service requires specialist facilities to enable the safe and efficient postmortem examination of animals, including large animals, and the correct and safe disposal of animal remains. Modifying or adapting facilities to meet the standards of the VIDA programme, invest in specialist diagnostic tools required for service delivery and train staff to operate a diagnostic PME service and collect surveillance data correctly, or this could pose a high risk to animal health and welfare, public health, and potentially, international trade. A replacement service would be built in the context of a limited and inconsistent demand for these services and a service critical delivery date of 1 January 2026. It would not be reasonable for an alternative supplier(s) to build a replacement service. It would not be reasonable for APHA to transition to an alternative interim PME and data surveillance service. There is not sufficient time to (i) secure the facilities required; (ii) train staff to operate a diagnostic PME service and collect surveillance data correctly; and (iii) ensure service compatibility with VIDA data recording requirements, national surveillance protocols and APHA's existing epidemiological datasets by 1 January 2026. It is not reasonable for financial and practical reasons (including obtaining governance and funding) for APHA to secure the facilities and staff required to meet a limited demand for the services being supplied. Existing VICs and the suppliers' facilities are tailor-made for this purpose and already meet infrastructure and maintenance requirements. The suppliers have suitably trained and skilled staff for every working day of the year, including registered veterinarians with appropriate skills and experience, and in the context of a limited and inconsistent demand for the service. Transitioning to an interim PME surveillance service is therefore not a reasonable or feasible alternative for financial and practical reasons. In assessing the availability of reasonable alternatives, APHA has considered the wider market and has not identified any new entrants or other providers with the requisite technical capability, infrastructure, or integration with APHA systems. The market for PME services is highly specialised and constrained by the need for bespoke facilities, trained personnel, and data compatibility with national surveillance systems. Therefore, there are no reasonable alternatives.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-05d7d4
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030126-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK7 - Contract Details Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Direct
- Procurement Method Details
- Direct award
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- Large, SME
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
85 - Health and social work services
-
- CPV Codes
85200000 - Veterinary services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £1,250,000 £1M-£10M
- Contracts Value
- £700,000 £500K-£1M
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 1 Apr 20263 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 31 Oct 20255 months ago
- Contract Period
- 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 3-4 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Complete
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
- Additional Buyers
- 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
- SW1P 4DF
- Post Town
- South West London
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLI London
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLI3 Inner London - West
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLI35 Westminster and City of London
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Westminster
- Electoral Ward
- St James's
- Westminster Constituency
- Cities of London and Westminster
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030126-2026
1st April 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024736-2026
18th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021785-2026
11th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021646-2026
11th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021630-2026
11th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020998-2026
9th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/019552-2026
4th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/019414-2026
4th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007698-2026
28th January 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070033-2025
31st October 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender
Notice URLs
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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"title": "Provision of Scanning Surveillance Activities for APHA, including PME's",
"description": "Provision of Scanning Surveillance Activities for APHA including PMEs. Scanning surveillance plays a vital role in protecting animal health and food safety. It helps identify potential food safety risks, ensures compliance with national and international disease reporting requirements, and highlights animal welfare concerns and possible adverse reactions to medicines. In addition, it provides valuable insight into patterns and emerging trends in endemic diseases, enabling early intervention and informed decision-making. APHA's Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs) already provide PMEs and surveillance data, forming a core part of the national disease monitoring network. However, their coverage is limited and their capacity is constrained. To maintain a comprehensive and resilient surveillance service across England and Wales, APHA needs additional support from external providers.",
"status": "complete",
"procurementMethod": "direct",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
"procurementMethodRationale": "APHA is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (\"Defra\") with responsibility for disease surveillance to identify new and re-emerging threats to animal health and welfare and public health. APHA fulfils this function through (i) statutory surveillance, by monitoring and collecting notifiable and reportable disease information and (ii) scanning surveillance, through the voluntary submission and collection of information by private vets enabling the early detection of new and re-emerging disease threats. Veterinary Investigation Centres (\"VICs\") provide PME and surveillance data to APHA, but their limited geographical coverage and operational capacity require APHA to procure supplementary service provision from the listed suppliers to ensure comprehensive PME services and data surveillance across England and Wales. The services to be provided by the suppliers under the contract include (but are not limited to): * conducting postmortem examinations of animal carcases with the objective of diagnosing disease; * collecting and reporting data from PMEs and disease investigations of animals for the purpose of accumulating disease surveillance intelligence; * alerting APHA to suspicions of notifiable disease, New or Re-emerging disease Threats (\"NRT\") and animal welfare issues; * participating in a network of veterinary staff with experience in animal disease investigation, diagnosis and pathology, and engaging in government surveillance for potential NRT in animals; and * engaging in daily discussions with private veterinary surgeons about disease incidents where specialist advice is needed. Five of the suppliers have been providing these services to APHA since 2014 and the remaining three suppliers, since 2021. The contracting authority, APHA, is relying on the single supplier direct award justification in paragraph 6 of schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023: (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required; and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. The explanations as to why the justification applies are as follows. Absence of competition for technical reasons - paragraph 6(a). APHA applied clear and objective criteria to assess the technical capability of suppliers on the market. The identified suppliers are the only suppliers (i) able to provide high value PME data of the requisite equivalent standard of VICs and (ii) with the technical capability to operate a diagnostic PME and disease surveillance service for animals, as part of an integrated surveillance network with existing APHA sites and databases. The suppliers can operate as a strategic extension to APHA's diagnostic and surveillance capabilities and ensure comprehensive PME access across England and Wales. The suppliers' technical capability includes (but is not limited to): * delivery of PME outputs that are quality-assured and fully compliant with Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (\"VIDA\") data recording requirements, and facilitating integration into APHA's epidemiological datasets; * substantial experience in conducting PMEs and diagnosing both routine and emerging animal diseases; * personnel registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (\"RCVS\"); * purpose-built or suitably adapted PME facilities for large animal carcasses, meeting all relevant biosecurity, health and safety, and environmental regulations; and * IT systems compatible with APHA's Data Capture Tool to enable secure and efficient surveillance data transmission. The suppliers' ability to meet these requirements, in combination, effectively constitute exclusive rights. These rights arise from the unique integration of technical capability, infrastructure, and operational readiness that enables only these suppliers to deliver the services to the required standard and within the required timeframe. No other suppliers currently possess the combination of VIDA-compliant data systems, purpose-built PME facilities, accredited veterinary personnel, and established integration with APHA's surveillance infrastructure. These characteristics are essential to the delivery of the services. Accordingly, the suppliers hold exclusive rights in practice to deliver the services required under this contract. No reasonable alternatives - paragraph 6(b). It is not reasonable for APHA to acquire and fully implement an alternative PME and data surveillance service by the critical service delivery date of 1 January 2026 or at any point prior to 31 December 2028. An alternative supplier(s) would have to build a replacement service. It would take significant time and financial investment in infrastructure to upgrade facilities to meet the requisite biosecurity, health and safety, and environmental regulations and standards. The service requires specialist facilities to enable the safe and efficient postmortem examination of animals, including large animals, and the correct and safe disposal of animal remains. Modifying or adapting facilities to meet the standards of the VIDA programme, invest in specialist diagnostic tools required for service delivery and train staff to operate a diagnostic PME service and collect surveillance data correctly, or this could pose a high risk to animal health and welfare, public health, and potentially, international trade. A replacement service would be built in the context of a limited and inconsistent demand for these services and a service critical delivery date of 1 January 2026. It would not be reasonable for an alternative supplier(s) to build a replacement service. It would not be reasonable for APHA to transition to an alternative interim PME and data surveillance service. There is not sufficient time to (i) secure the facilities required; (ii) train staff to operate a diagnostic PME service and collect surveillance data correctly; and (iii) ensure service compatibility with VIDA data recording requirements, national surveillance protocols and APHA's existing epidemiological datasets by 1 January 2026. It is not reasonable for financial and practical reasons (including obtaining governance and funding) for APHA to secure the facilities and staff required to meet a limited demand for the services being supplied. Existing VICs and the suppliers' facilities are tailor-made for this purpose and already meet infrastructure and maintenance requirements. The suppliers have suitably trained and skilled staff for every working day of the year, including registered veterinarians with appropriate skills and experience, and in the context of a limited and inconsistent demand for the service. Transitioning to an interim PME surveillance service is therefore not a reasonable or feasible alternative for financial and practical reasons. In assessing the availability of reasonable alternatives, APHA has considered the wider market and has not identified any new entrants or other providers with the requisite technical capability, infrastructure, or integration with APHA systems. The market for PME services is highly specialised and constrained by the need for bespoke facilities, trained personnel, and data compatibility with national surveillance systems. Therefore, there are no reasonable alternatives.",
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