--- title: "Provision of Lateral Flow Test Device Vision Reader" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-029877" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029877" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029877.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029877.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE" published: "2021-03-04" --- # Provision of Lateral Flow Test Device Vision Reader Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-029877 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029877) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029877.json) ## Summary The tender, titled "Provision of Lateral Flow Test Device Vision Reader," was initiated by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the UK, focusing on IT services related to consulting, software development, and support. Currently in the Award stage, the contract was signed on 3rd February 2021, with a total value of £247,000. The tender aimed to develop technology for citizens to self-test for COVID-19 using lateral flow devices and report results without professional assistance. This initiative is crucial for the UK's strategy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and was processed using a limited procurement method due to the urgent need for specific technical solutions. This contract presents significant opportunities for businesses, particularly those specialising in technology development, software solutions, and healthcare innovations. Companies that possess expertise in computer vision and automated analysis technologies would be particularly well-suited to compete. As the focus is on enhancing testing capabilities and addressing public health needs, businesses capable of aligning their offerings with these goals could find potential for growth, especially in the evolving landscape of digital health solutions. ## Notice The strategic end state for Lateral Flow Device (LFD) COVID-19 testing is one where citizens can test themselves using LFDs and report results without professional assistance with either the swabbing or the test analysis. This Letter of Intent is for proof of concept work to demonstrate computer vision technology that will automatically analyse test results from photos captured by the users. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The strategic end state for Lateral Flow Device (LFD) COVID-19 testing is one where citizens can test themselves using LFDs and report results without professional assistance with either the swabbing or the test analysis. This Letter of Intent is for proof of concept work to demonstrate computer vision technology that will automatically analyse test results from photos captured by the users. ### Procurement Information 1. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared a COVID-19 pandemic with the associated serious risk to life. The UK Government's response to the national emergency posed by COVID-19 includes the putting in place by it of arrangements for large-scale testing in respect of COVID-19 on an urgent basis. 2. As part of those arrangements, DHSC needs to acquire products in order to implement the large-scale antigen testing programme necessary to build a profile of the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent further loss of human life and to allow the population to return to work safely. A part of its procurement strategy is the procurement of technology which enables citizens to test themselves using lateral flow devices and report results to Test and Trace without professional assistance. 3. DHSC is satisfied that the tests permitting use of the Negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii)) are met because:A. The works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator as competition is absent for technical reasons: The proof of concept work being carried out by the supplier is to demonstrate, refine and retrain specialist software and algorithms which are protected by IPRs held solely by the supplier. No other supplier is capable of providing the same software, technology and algorithm in the short time frames required for the pilot phase of the proof of concept which is a pre-condition to the roll out of the technology to NHS professionals and in time the general public. B. No reasonable alternative or substitute exists: There is no reasonable alternative operator who can provide the technology, software and algorithms to run the proof of concept and pilot the expanded testing capabilities without interruption at this stage. The imperative of innovation and the need to rapidly expand the scope and capacity of testing services is critical to England's response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the significant benefits of successful containment of the spread of the virus is self-evident. If DHSC is unable to continue with its investigations into innovative solutions that could rapidly increase testing capacity and speeds, this may have a catastrophic impact on its strategy and could result in further spreading of the virus due to difficulties in testing and isolating those who have tested positive. C. The absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement: This procurement is part of a procurement strategy by the UK government to increase testing capacity exponentially to meet demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004384-2021 | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Limited | | Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 4 Mar 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 3 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 | £247,000 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1H 0EU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | SENSYNE HEALTH GROUP | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ## Release History - 4 Mar 2021 at 17:16 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004384-2021 ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care ## 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-029877. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029877.json.