Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Metagenomic Profiling of Gut Microbiome IID3: New Perspectives Infectious Intestinal Disease

Food Standards Agency

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

01 Oct 2026 at 17:24

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

01 Oct 2026 at 17:16

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Food Standards Agency commissioned scientific research to analyse faecal samples from the Third Study of Infectious Intestinal Disease (IID3), alongside other relevant datasets. The work uses metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis to improve understanding of the causes of infectious intestinal disease and to characterise the prevalence and diversity of antimicrobial-resistance and virulence genes in IID samples. This is a research and development services requirement. The FSA works across England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the procurement lists delivery in the United Kingdom.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to the University of Liverpool. The award is dated 1 October 2026 and is valued at £599,688.74 excluding VAT (£719,626.49 including VAT). The contract period runs from 19 October 2026 to 19 October 2028, with an optional six-month extension, up to 18 April 2029. It was a direct award, justified by technical reasons and the absence of a reasonable alternative supplier, as well as compatibility or additional services from an existing supplier. The procurement was a single lot, marked suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. No evaluation criteria are stated.

For future work of this kind, credible suppliers will need to demonstrate the ability to conduct metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of faecal samples and integrate findings with relevant datasets. The research requires expertise in infectious intestinal disease, microbiome analysis, antimicrobial-resistance and virulence genes, alongside the laboratory capacity and validated analytical methods to deliver reliable results. Suppliers should be equipped to manage sample representativeness, availability and quality, and to respond to method-development needs and changes in the sampling plan. The FSA’s selection of a university through a direct award justified by technical reasons and compatibility indicates that relevant specialist capability and fit with existing work mattered in this procurement. Strong project management, including mitigation of delivery, budget, data-quality and stakeholder risks, is also relevant to this buyer’s research requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Metagenomic Profiling of Gut Microbiome IID3: New Perspectives Infectious Intestinal Disease

Notice Description

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an independent Government department working across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to protect public health and consumers wider interest in food. We make sure food is safe and what it says it is. The FSA are looking to appoint a supplier to deliver a research project to undertake metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of faecal samples generated as part of The Third Study of Infectious Intestinal Disease (IID3), alongside other relevant datasets. The study aims to improve our understanding of the causes of IID and to characterise the prevalence and diversity of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in IID samples. The contract will run for a period of 24 months, with an optional 6-month extension period if required. The maximum budget assigned for this project is PS600,000, excluding VAT.

Procurement Information

A Direct Award is justified for this procurement based on the conditions permitted under the Procurement Act 2023, specifically the Schedule 5 Sch. 5 para 6 "technical reasons / no reasonable alternative supplier" and "compatibility / additional services from existing supplier" justifications.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077f18
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093049-2026
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, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£599,688 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Oct 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Oct 20266 days ago
Contract Period
19 Oct 2026 - 19 Oct 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Food Standards 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
YORK
Postcode
YO1 7PR
Postcode Area
York
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE2 North Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE21 York
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
York
Electoral Ward
Guildhall
Westminster Constituency
York Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

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.

Loading OCDS record...