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Supply of HLA Sequencing Systems

NHS Blood and Transplant

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

11 Sep 2026 at 11:20

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is planning to procure HLA sequencing systems for its Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics function. The requirement covers commercially available sequencing systems, including allelic test kits and associated medical equipment and consumables (CPV 33100000 and 33140000). The systems will support HLA typing for transplantation, specialised transfusion, selected blood products, immunogenetics, and platelet and granulocyte immunology. Testing is delivered through NHSBT’s national network of six laboratories across England, so the requirement has a national English delivery scope. Kits should identify all alleles across the HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, DRB3/4/5, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 and DPB1 loci, including relevant null alleles and specified exon polymorphisms. NHSBT is also considering managed service models.

This procurement is at planning stage and is intended to inform a future tender under the Procurement Act 2023; it is not an invitation to tender. NHSBT expects to use a framework agreement, with one planned lot, and has indicated that small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises may be suitable. The estimated value is £11.2 million excluding VAT and £13.44 million including VAT. Any resulting arrangement is expected to run from 1 September 2028 to 31 July 2032, with a possible extension to 31 July 2036. The current contract is expected to end in August 2028. NHSBT plans remote supplier engagement meetings during 21–23 October 2026. Expressions of interest, including attendee details and a brief offer overview or website link, are requested by 17:00 GMT on 9 October 2026. NHSBT says no resulting contract or framework, or business under it, is guaranteed.

The engagement will suit manufacturers, specialist diagnostic suppliers and laboratory technology providers with commercially available HLA sequencing platforms, allelic test kits and related consumables. Systems should achieve at least third-field resolution under WHO nomenclature, resolving ambiguities caused by coding-region polymorphisms and identifying null alleles wherever the relevant polymorphism occurs. Fourth-field resolution is described as the optimal capability. NHSBT is not restricting compatibility to a particular sequencing platform, but HLA typing should be completed within 72 hours of starting the process. Suppliers able to support transplantation and immunogenetics laboratories across a national network will be well placed, particularly those that can demonstrate efficient, timely and cost-effective testing. Businesses may also prepare a managed service proposal. Other health authorities may be able to use any resulting arrangement.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Supply of HLA Sequencing Systems

Notice Description

NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics function intends to undertake a Procurement Act 2023 tender exercise for the supply of HLA sequencing systems. Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (H&I) is a strategic business function of NHSBT, providing testing and support in transplantation, specialised transfusion including the supply of selected blood products, immunogenetics, platelet and granulocyte immunology. Services are supplied through a national network of six laboratories across England. Building on our strengths as a national provider, NHSBT's strategic aim is for its diagnostic services to become the preferred provider and supplier of choice for these services in the NHS in England. We would like to work with future suppliers to realise this ambition and to perform HLA typing in an efficient, timely and cost-effective manner to meet the demands and expectations of our customers and the patients we serve. Prior to commencing a formal procurement process and to help inform our strategy, NHSBT is seeking to engage with suppliers of commercially available HLA sequencing systems. Our current contract ends in August 2028 and NHSBT would like to improve our knowledge of all current and future systems available in the marketplace. This will aid identification of opportunities and gauge market interest in this field. We require HLA typing systems to cover the following: * Allelic Test Kits SHOULD detect and uniquely identify all alleles of the HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, DRB3/4/5, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 and DPB1 loci at the level of resolution that additionally defines the third field according to WHO nomenclature by at least resolving all ambiguities resulting from: (1) polymorphisms located within the exons coding for HLA class I and class II proteins and (2) that encompass a null allele wherever the polymorphism is located. * The optimal solution SHOULD define fourth field level resolution. * We are not restricting which sequencing platform the allelic test kits are compatible with, however HLA typing should be completed within 72 hours of the start of the process. NB: Procurement of the above systems may be managed by individual tenders. It is NHSBT's intention to hold pre-procurement engagement meetings the week of 21OCT2026 to 23OCT2026 these will be held remotely, the date to be confirmed. To enable NHSBT to finalise arrangements (e.g. send meeting details and agree time slots) for the supplier engagement meetings, interested organisations are required to send an expression of interest via email to coco.otiotio@nhsbt.nhs.uk by no later than 17:00 hrs (GMT) on 09OCT2026. This should include a list of your potential attendees and a brief overview (or a website link) of the Goods / Services which might be offered. Please include options, if available, to offer a managed service contract. No business whatsoever is guaranteed under any resulting framework agreement or contract, and there is no guarantee that any framework agreement or contract will be put in place in relation to this notice. No compensation etc. will be paid if a tender or resulting framework agreement is withdrawn for any reason. Bidders should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position. It should be noted that this procurement exercise may allow other Health authorities to utilise any contracts/ framework agreements awarded.

Planning Information

It is NHSBT's intention to hold pre-procurement engagement meetings the week of 21OCT2026 to 23OCT2026 these will be held remotely, the date to be confirmed. The format of these sessions will be shared at a later date.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f7d2
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086306-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
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

CPV Codes

33100000 - Medical equipments

33140000 - Medical consumables

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£11,200,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2028 - 31 Jul 2032 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
NHS Blood and Transplant
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 7QH
Postcode Area
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
Not specified
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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