This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

11 Jun 2026 at 09:42

Award

11 Jun 2026 at 09:33

Summary of the contracting process

The Animal and Plant Health Agency, in collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has awarded a contract to LIONEX GmbH for the "Technical Transfer of DST-F to CMO". This involves transferring technology from the supplier to a Contract Manufacturing Organisation (CMO) for DST-F production. The procurement process used a direct award method due to the supplier's proprietary intellectual property and technical expertise. The contract, valued at €172,494 gross and set to commence on 24th June 2026, runs until 30th November 2027, with a possibility for extension. The project is categorised under technical assistance services, centered in the United Kingdom, specifically London where both the procuring agency and the buying organisation are located.

This tender provides substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in technology transfer within the bio-industrial sector, particularly those possessing unique technical expertise and proprietary technologies required for such transfers. SMEs with the capability to engage in complex scientific data exchanges and intellectual property management would find this contract beneficial. Businesses that can develop commercial manufacturing processes from scholarly findings stand well-suited to compete in future procurements of this nature, enabling advancements in commercial manufacturing capacities.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Technical Transfer of DST-F to CMO

Notice Description

This Contract seeks to acquire Technology Transfer Services for DST-F manufacture from the Supplier to the appointed CMO. The CMO has been appointed by means of a competitive flexible tender process, which is a separate requirement and contract to this Contract. Technology Transfer is the collaborative process of moving scientific findings, intellectual property, and technical knowledge from creators to the CMO to develop commercial manufacturing. The process involves transferring data, designs, software, inventions, and expertise between organisations.

Procurement Information

Direct Award for the technical transfer from the pilot scale Supplier Lionex to the appointed Contract Manufacturing Organisation (CMO) under both Schedule 5, Condition 5 (a) and (b) and Condition 6 (a) and (b) of The Procurement Act 2023. 5 The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract-- (a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. 6 The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract-- (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: The Supplier has Intellectual Property Rights - Condition 5(a) APHA has an exclusive licence with Lionex for the current technology (IPR) for Diva Skin Test - Fusion (DST-F) production. Absence of competition for technical reasons: Lionex have developed the DST-F in partnership with APHA as the designated Pilot Scale provider. As a result, they hold the specialist knowledge, proprietary processes, and technical understanding required for its production and further development. No other supplier has been involved in the creation or pilot-scale manufacture of DST-F, and therefore no alternative provider has the capability or access to the necessary proprietary information to undertake the Technical Transfer to the CMO. For these reasons, Lionex are the only supplier in the market able to carry out the required work, demonstrating a clear absence of competition for technical reasons. No reasonable alternatives: For the reasons outlined above, there are no reasonable alternatives in the market capable of delivering the Technical Transfer. No other supplier can complete the transfer to the newly appointed CMO, as they do not have the necessary knowledge, IPR or involvement in the development of DST-F. Any alternative supplier would be required to redevelop a skin-testing agent in collaboration with APHA, which would involve substantial time, resource investment, and a retendering of the CMO contract. This work cannot be delivered in-house, as it requires specialist expertise that APHA does not have the capacity to provide. Pre market engagement has not been carried out for this Technical Transfer requirement, as there is no other supplier in the market place who can deliver this service given the nature of the required services, however a transparency notice will be published to inform the market of the intention to award this contract.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b284
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055053-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

71356200 - Technical assistance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£143,745 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Jun 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
4 Jun 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
23 Jun 2026 - 30 Nov 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
Additional Buyers

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

LIONEX

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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