--- title: "Supply, installation and support of an automated ultra-low temperature (-80degC) archive system for biological samples" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "UK BIOBANK LTD" published: "2022-09-30" --- # Supply, installation and support of an automated ultra-low temperature (-80degC) archive system for biological samples Buyer: UK BIOBANK LTD Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532.json) ## Summary The UK Biobank Ltd is planning a procurement process for the supply, installation and support of an automated ultra-low temperature archive system for biological samples. The organization is based in Stockport, Greater Manchester in the North West of England. The milestone for engagement end date is set for 21st October 2022. This procurement falls under the industry category of Domestic appliances and is in the planning stage. This tender presents an opportunity for businesses involved in providing infrastructure solutions, energy-efficient technologies, and archive systems. Companies that specialise in tube handling, energy consumption, and Health & Safety considerations would be well-suited to compete. The procurement method is a tender initiated by the UK Biobank Ltd to gather market information for their infrastructure replacement program, aimed at supporting scientific research and innovation in the field of biological samples storage and retrieval. ## Notice UK Biobank intends to conduct a procurement for an automated ultra-low temperature (-80degC) archive system for biological samples as part of a programme of infrastructure replacement, following a funding announcement by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) (https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/creating-world-class-research-and-innovation-infrastructure/funded-infrastructure-projects/) and is issuing this PIN to seek market information to help develop and validate its proposed procurement strategy for its intended forthcoming procurement exercise. UK Biobank's existing archive, based in Stockport, Greater Manchester in the North West of England, holds 10 million samples and is now approaching 15 years old. It is experiencing more frequent maintenance issues, and its speed of retrieval is insufficient to support interest in accessing samples for scientific assays across a whole cohort (i.e. retrieval of batches of ca. 500,000 samples). Furthermore, it has insufficient capacity to accommodate ongoing and future collections, and is energy inefficient (relying on liquid nitrogen as a primary coolant, with an electrical backup). As part of the programme of infrastructure replacement, UK Biobank will be seeking to procure a new archive, to be installed in 2025 within a new facility being designed in the City of Manchester. The purpose of this PIN is to engage with the market to: * validate the current intended design of the facility (ensuring it is flexible enough to accommodate such archive systems); * validate the availability of suitable tube handling for UK Biobank legacy samples; * validate assumptions on energy consumption and efficiency within the draft business case for investment * test assumptions regarding the programme for installation; * identify any Health & Safety considerations; and * validate availability in the market of proposed solutions that might meet UK Biobank's requirements, and understand future technological innovations. Additional information: To respond to this PIN please visit the myTenders website at http://www.mytenders.org to register your interest and access all documents related to this PIN. Completed questionnaires should be e-mailed to tenders@ukbiobank.ac.uk If you have any questions please e-mail them to tenders@ukbiobank.ac.uk Following receipt of completed questionnaires, UK Biobank intends to offer pre-market engagement meetings to respondents. If offered, these will be conducted virtually and all interested parties will be allocated the same length of time for the meeting, with UK Biobank following a consistent agenda to be issued in advance. We anticipate holding these meetings in late November 2022. Responses to this PIN will be reviewed internally by relevant UK Biobank staff and consultants engaged by UK Biobank to work on projects related to this PIN. Interested parties should note that UK Biobank reserves the right to cancel or vary this pre-market engagement exercise and any potential resulting procurement process, or not conduct a procurement process whatsoever, at any point and will not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by interested parties in responding to this pre-market engagement or any resulting procurement process. UK Biobank may also change the basis and/or deadlines in respect of this pre-market engagement. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/60956be1-ad48-4012-89e3-9af6e97d23b2 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 30 Sep 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 21 Oct 2022 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UK BIOBANK LTD | | Locality | STOCKPORT | | Post town | Stockport | | Postcode | SK3 0SA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLD3 Greater Manchester | | ITL 3 | TLD35 Greater Manchester South East | | Local authority | Stockport | | Electoral ward | Davenport & Cale Green | | Westminster constituency | Stockport | | Delivery location | TLD North West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products ### Codes - 39700000 - Domestic appliances ## Release History - 30 Sep 2022 at 08:22 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/60956be1-ad48-4012-89e3-9af6e97d23b2 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/60956be1-ad48-4012-89e3-9af6e97d23b2 30th September 2022 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - http://www.mytenders.org - http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk - https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/creating-world-class-research-and-innovation-infrastructure/funded-infrastructure-projects/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-835a6eac-0fd2-4461-9645-b0091ba86532.json.