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In Service Evaluation into Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SMA and SCID)

Department of Health and Social Care

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

16 Jul 2026 at 11:04

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

16 Jul 2026 at 10:55

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department of Health and Social Care is seeking strategic collaborators or donors from the private, voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors to support the extension of newborn screening in England. The programme covers in-service evaluation of screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), including the establishment and operation of six additional newborn screening laboratories. The aim is to extend coverage from seven existing laboratories to all 13 laboratories in England, helping offer screening to all babies and identify SMA and SCID earlier. The work combines laboratory testing, medical analysis, health services and screening research. Existing laboratories use the required testing platform and processes for SMA and SCID screening, while the additional centres will need comparable infrastructure, workforce expertise and operational capability.

This procurement is at the planning and early market-engagement stage; it is not an invitation to tender or a public contract opportunity. DHSC expects to identify one or more organisations for discussions about a potential collaboration or donation agreement, using a fair and non-discriminatory evaluation of responses. Expressions of interest for the engagement are expected by 7 August 2026 at 23:59. The anticipated financial support is in the region of £5.5 million over two years, covering capital and revenue costs for six additional laboratories, screening research and project-team funding. The first additional centre is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2027. The stated contract period is 10 August 2026 to 2 November 2029, and DHSC may select fewer organisations or decide not to form an agreement.

This engagement is likely to suit organisations able to make substantial financial contributions and support a national healthcare programme over several years. Relevant suppliers may include private healthcare and diagnostics businesses, medical laboratory operators, pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, research organisations, and VCSE organisations with a strong health focus. Strong responses will need to show a clear understanding of the requirements, credible supporting information, financial strength and a relevant track record. DHSC will carry out due diligence on respondents’ financial position, track record and other information needed to test the accuracy and adequacy of their responses. Organisations able to support laboratory establishment and operation, newborn screening delivery, genetic testing, evidence generation or implementation planning will be well placed for future discussions.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

In Service Evaluation into Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SMA and SCID)

Notice Description

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. This general information notice is published to provide information about how the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will be engaging with interested parties to find one or more strategic collaborator/donor. 1.2. DHSC is seeking expressions of interest from organisations in the voluntary, community, social enterprise (VCSE) and private sectors to collaborate in support of both the capital and revenue commitments to enable the extension at pace of the existing In Service Evaluation (ISE) into newborn Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) screening in England, which will also include evaluating screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). 1.3. The focus of this collaboration is the financial contribution required for the set up and running of an additional 6 newborn screening centres over a two year period (with the first of the additional centres looking to be operational by Q3 of 2027) 1.4. This is not a public procurement or sponsorship opportunity and will not result in the award of a "public contract" (within the meaning of the Procurement Act 2023). DHSC is specifically looking for financial contributions and wishes to hear from interested parties who can help us to: * Extend the screening and laboratory testing process to enable all babies in England to receive the offer of screening. * Help with the early identification of SMA in newborns by extending the evaluation of SMA / SCID screening to an additional 6 labs. Engagement process and deadline 1.5. Full details of the requirement can be found within section 3 of this document. Those wishing to participate in the engagement process should register their interest by completing and submitting the questionnaire at the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/2FwiSsY8ib 1.6. The closing date for responses is on: 7th August at 23.59 pm. We reserve the right not to accept responses after this time. 1.7. We will be using a fair and non-discriminatory evaluation method to select interested parties to enter into discussions regarding a potential collaboration/donation agreement following the close of the early market engagement process. 1.8. DHSC will carry out due diligence relating to your organisation's financial position, track record and other information it reasonably deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy itself as to the accuracy and adequacy of the responses received. This may involve the use of a range of tools and sources including, but not limited to, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). 1.9. DHSC intends to select organisations to collaborate with, but it reserves its right to select fewer organisations and/or not form a collaboration/donation agreement. 1.10. The questionnaire contains 4 questions for interested parties to answer. Each question refers to a key aspect of the requirements set out in Appendix 1. Each question will be scored on a scale of 0-4 using the scoring criteria set out below: Score Criteria for awarding score 0 Failure to understand requirements and provides no confidence that the requirement will be met. 1 The response meets some elements of the requirement but falls short in many significant areas. There are strong reservations because the response shows: Some misunderstandings of the requirements and insufficient supporting information is provided. It provides low confidence that the requirements will be met. 2 The response broadly meets what is expected for the requirements, but there are some areas of concern. The response shows: A basic understanding of the requirements and a minimum level of supporting information provided. It provides reasonable confidence that the requirements will be met. 3 The response meets the requirements in all material respects, with no or few areas of concern. The response shows: A good understanding of the requirements and a good level of supporting information provided. It provides good degree confidence that the requirements will be met. 4 The response exceeds many aspects of the requirements. There are no areas of concern. The response shows: A very good understanding of the requirements and very good level of supporting information provided. It provides a high degree of confidence that the requirements will be met. 2. BACKGROUND Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in newborns is a severe genetic condition that affects the motor nerves in the spinal cord. This nerve damage leads to progressive muscle weakness, severely impacting a baby's ability to move, swallow, and breathe. It is a leading genetic cause of infant mortality. SMA is caused by a missing or faulty gene called SMN1. For a baby to be born with SMA, both biological parents must be carriers of this mutated gene and pass it on to their child. Carriers typically show no symptoms themselves. In many countries, SMA is now included in routine newborn screening programs (often part of the newborn blood spot or "heel prick" test) to allow for early diagnosis before symptoms even begin. Diagnostic confirmation involves a simple genetic blood test. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is the name given to a group of rare, inherited disorders that cause major abnormalities of the immune system. They form part of a larger group of conditions known as primary immunodeficiencies. The immune system abnormalities in SCID lead to greatly increased risks of infection and other complications that are life-threatening. Affected infants become unwell within the first few months of life, and before modern medication and treatments were available, most affected babies did not survive beyond their first year. At present, DHSC via NHS England are currently funding the implementation of "in-service evaluation" SMA screening in seven of England's thirteen newborn blood spot screening laboratories, (screening 410,000 babies per year). All of these seven laboratories possess the infrastructure, workforce expertise and operational capability required. These laboratories are also currently delivering Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) screening using the same testing platform and processes. To move at pace and lift screening capacity to all 13 screening laboratories which would provide coverage to the whole of England (additional 185,000 babies per year) further financial support is required.

Planning Information

We are seeking interested parties who are willing to provide : • Financial support to enable the extension of the existing SMA and SCID programmes, increasing national coverage from seven to thirteen laboratories. (this is expected to be in the region of £5.5 M for the 2 year period). • Financial support to meet capital investment and revenue costs associated with establishing and operating the six additional laboratories over a two-year period • Financial investment to amplify and extend existing screening research, generating the robust evidence required to inform the review and support any future recommendations. Should the programme be recommended for implementation, funding is anticipated to be secured through the Spending Review process. • Financial support for project team funding to optimise implementation of the extension In return, DHSC may: • Seek opportunities to secure Minister promotion of the contribution made by all collaborating organisations • Seek opportunities once funding is secured to move at pace to implement the role out via NHS England of further screening and laboratory testing to widen the newborn screening programme • Seek to build data and evidence from the existing 7 and collaborator funded 6 screening laboratories • Enable screening laboratories to provide additional expertise and evidence to support ongoing funding for the likely onward continuation of the programme via the spending review process and UKNSC recommendations Please respond using the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/2FwiSsY8ib All responses must be submitted by 7th August 2026 at 23:59pm. We reserve the right not to accept responses after this time. Press release: Every baby in England to get life-saving genetic test from birth (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/every-baby-in-england-to-get-life-saving-genetic-test-from-birth)

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06cc9d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067135-2026
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
Not specified
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

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

33694000 - Diagnostic agents

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73110000 - Research services

85100000 - Health services

85121200 - Medical specialist services

85140000 - Miscellaneous health services

85145000 - Services provided by medical laboratories

85148000 - Medical analysis services

85149000 - Pharmacy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
10 Aug 2026 - 2 Nov 2029 3-4 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
Department of Health and Social Care
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
SW1H 0EU
Postcode Area
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

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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