---
title: "Provision of Testing Services and Sample Analysis"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0291da"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0291da"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0291da.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0291da.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND"
published: "2021-02-09"
---

# Provision of Testing Services and Sample Analysis

Buyer: PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0291da

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0291da.json)

## Summary

The procurement process involves Public Health England (PHE) seeking to secure testing services and sample analysis related to the evaluation of immune responses following COVID-19 vaccinations. This initiative falls under the services category, specifically laboratory services, and is characterised as a limited procurement method. The contract was awarded on 9th February 2021, with the primary supplier being Oxford Immunotec Ltd, which has been tasked with providing these essential services over a delivery period encompassing 24 months. This initiative is noted as a high national public health priority, aligning with the National Immunisation Programme in the UK and necessitating the analysis of 2000 samples.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses within the healthcare and laboratory services sector, particularly those specialising in testing and analysis technologies. Companies with expertise in immunology and vaccine response studies would be well-suited to engage in similar future tenders, especially those capable of meeting the specific technical requirements dictated by government authority decisions. The focus on collaborative studies in the UK means that successful vendors may also benefit from increased visibility and potential extensions of partnership contracts as vaccine evaluation initiatives progress.

## Notice

PHE has been tasked by DHSC to urgently undertake a study to evaluate the immune response following COVID-19 vaccines as part of the National Immunisation Programme. This has been identified as a high national public health priority and a key aspect of this study requires taking 2000 samples for cellular work over a 24-month period. The UK Vaccines Taskforce have selected Oxford Immunotec as the sole supplier of T cell Testing for SARS-CoV-2 specific responses as part of the new COVID vaccine trials. Aligning PHE's study with this decision will ensure that it is consistent with the other vaccine studies performed within the UK, providing for comprehensive comparison and analysis to be carried out across all the different studies.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Oxford Immunotec will provide testing services and sample analysis to assist PHE in its evaluation of immune responses following COVID-19 vaccines used in the National Immunisation Programme.

### Procurement Information

The justification to source these services from Oxford Immunotec is to enable PHE to adhere with the decision made by the UK Vaccines Taskforce who selected Oxford Immunotec as the sole supplier of T cell Testing for SARS-CoV-2 specific responses as part of the new COVID vaccine trials. Oxford Immunotec was chosen as a result of the competitive process for its expertise in T cell measurement and its unique ability to provide T-SPOT(r) technology, the only globally regulated ELISPOT platform - which is currently being used clinically for identifying T cells made in response to another respiratory pathogen responsible for Tuberculosis. Aligning with this verdict will ensure that the National Immunisation Programme being carried out by PHE is consistent with the other vaccine studies performed within the UK, providing for comprehensive comparison and analysis to be carried out across all the different studies. The Vaccines Taskforce has emphasised that it is important to be able to assess the different vaccines head-to-head and employing Oxford Immunotec's T-SPOT technology will measure the magnitude of the SARS-CoV-2 protein-specific T cell response of different vaccine candidates for cross-comparisons.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002675-2021 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Negotiated without publication of a contract notice |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Feb 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 9 Feb 2021 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £240,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND |
| Locality | SALISBURY |
| Post town | Salisbury |
| Postcode | SP2 0QT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK72 Wiltshire |
| Local authority | Wiltshire |
| Electoral ward | Till Valley |
| Westminster constituency | East Wiltshire |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | OXFORD IMMUNOTEC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71900000 - Laboratory services

## Release History

- 9 Feb 2021 at 22:56 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002675-2021

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england

## 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-h6vhtk-0291da. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0291da.json.