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BWC Karotyping and FISH Service PME

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

27 Oct 2026 at 10:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

19 Oct 2026 at 14:54

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust intends to procure a laboratory karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) solution for its clinical and genomic services. The system is intended to provide automated slide scanning, cell selection and capture, and AI-assisted digital karyotyping across the Trust’s laboratories. It should support integration with existing systems, centralise wet-laboratory work at two sites, and allow images to be shared for analysis and reporting across three sites and remotely. FISH analysis is required for cell suspensions and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded slides, with tissue matching; automated scanning is preferred. The system must also provide data storage and retention. The buying organisation is Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is managing procurement activity on its behalf. Delivery is in Birmingham.

The process is at planning stage: the Trust has set out its intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects to publish a further notice by 7 December 2026. The Trust is conducting preliminary market engagement for three weeks, with the engagement milestone due on 16 November 2026. These are planning expectations, not tender submission deadlines. One lot is planned. The anticipated contract period runs from 11 January to 31 March 2027, with a maximum extent to 31 March 2029 and renewal indicated. The published estimated value is £0. No procurement procedure, award method or evaluation criteria are stated at this planning stage.

This may suit suppliers of laboratory cytogenetics systems, medical imaging software and AI-enabled diagnostic analysis, particularly those able to combine karyotyping and FISH within an integrated solution. Suppliers should be prepared to demonstrate automated slide scanning, cell selection and capture, digital karyotyping, image distribution and reporting, and data storage and retention. The system is expected to connect with existing laboratory systems where possible, support work across three sites and enable remote analysis. FISH capability must cover cell suspensions and FFPE slides and include tissue matching; automated scanning is desirable. The requirements call for compliance with relevant data security and privacy regulations. The planned lot is marked as suitable for SMEs, so smaller specialist suppliers may also consider contributing to the market engagement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

BWC Karotyping and FISH Service PME

Notice Description

C&S GMS wish to implement an AI-assisted automated karyotyping solution across all sites, with capability to also deliver automated FISH analysis. The requirements documented are vendor agnostic and have been developed to inform the selection and implementation of a karyotyping / FISH solution. Requirements C&S GMS have prepared a supporting document to demonstrate the requirements of the karyotyping solution, but in summary the system must: * Deliver automated slide scanning, automated cell selection and capture, and AI-assisted digital karyotyping capability across our laboratories, * Enable integration with existing systems where possible - details of existing systems are in Appendix 1. * Security and Compliance: Meet all relevant data security and privacy regulations. * Allow for centralisation of "wet laboratory" work at 2 sites and distribution of images, allowing distributed analysis and reporting at all 3 sites plus remote working from home. * FISH capability is also required, meeting specified performance expectations for both cell suspensions and FFPE slides including tissue-matching function, and ideally automated scanning. * Data storage and retention capability

Planning Information

The Authority are running a PME process for 3 weeks.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078af3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101403-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48517000 - IT software package

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
7 Dec 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
11 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2027 1-6 months
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
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B4 6NH
Postcode Area
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
TLG31 Birmingham
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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