--- title: "Third Party NAT Testing for Hepatitis A virus and human parvovirus B19 to support UK Plasma for Fractionation" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-029920" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029920" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029920.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029920.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "NHS BLOOD & TRANSPLANT" published: "2021-03-05" --- # Third Party NAT Testing for Hepatitis A virus and human parvovirus B19 to support UK Plasma for Fractionation Buyer: NHS BLOOD & TRANSPLANT Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-029920 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029920) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029920.json) ## Summary The NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) is initiating a tender for the procurement of third-party nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) services for the detection of hepatitis A virus and human parvovirus B19. This procurement falls under the technical testing services category and is planned to support the UK plasma supply chain for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products exclusively for the NHS. Interested suppliers should note that a prior information notice (PIN) has been issued, with an initial deadline for responses by 12:00 hours on 12th April 2021. The contract is expected to begin collections before it is formally executed, anticipating sample volumes of 5,000 to 10,000 weekly during the contract term of 12 months, with arrangements for specimen transport and result reporting in place. This opportunity creates a significant prospect for businesses specialised in diagnostic testing, particularly those experienced with NAT testing technologies and capable of handling large plasma sample volumes. Companies equipped with laboratory facilities that can provide confirmatory testing services, as well as those with experience in managing secure data transfer processes, will be well positioned to compete. This tender represents an essential growth avenue for firms in the healthcare testing sector, particularly those focused on providing vital services to support the NHS and enhance patient care across the UK. ## Notice The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that it has approved the use of UK plasma for the production of immunoglobulins. For NHSBT blood donors, this will mean that the excess plasma recovered from whole blood donations will be provided for fractionation to produce plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). These domestically sourced PDMPs will be supplied exclusively to the NHS for the benefit of UK patients. For NHSBT to provide domestic plasma for the fractionation supply chain, further NAT testing will be required in addition to NHSBT's current routine testing, specifically hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA and human parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA. NHSBT would like to engage with the marketplace to understand if there are any establishments who would be able to undertake this specific testing (volumes specified below) on their premises on behalf of NHSBT. NHSBT is anticipating beginning collections before the contract is executed and will therefore have a stockpile of up to 60,000 frozen samples some of which may have been frozen for 12 weeks or more. NHSBT will require: * Following testing the initial stockpile, weekly sample numbers of between 5,000 and 10,000 (subject to agreed change during the term of the contract) will require HAV and B19V NAT testing * This may be by individual donation testing or by pooling donations * The ability to test a plasma sample stored frozen in a gel separated EDTA sample tube * If testing is undertaken in pools, resolution down to the individual reactive sample will be required * Confirmatory testing for screen reactive donations by an alternative assay is desirable * Transport of samples to your testing facility will take place approximately 5-6 days per week * Results will be expected to be returned to NHSBT electronically via a secure SFTP data file / transfer process * An initial contract term of 12 months ### Lot Information Lot 1 Prior Information Notice (PIN) to alert potential suppliers of NHSBT's requirement for third party Nucleic acid Amplification Testing (NAT) for hepatitis A virus and human parvovirus B19 to support NHSBT's intention to provide UK plasma to a commercial fractionator for the manufacture of medicinal products. The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that it has approved the use of UK plasma for the production of immunoglobulins. For NHSBT blood donors, this will mean that the excess plasma recovered from whole blood donations will be provided for fractionation to produce plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). These domestically sourced PDMPs will be supplied exclusively to the NHS for the benefit of UK patients. For NHSBT to provide domestic plasma for the fractionation supply chain, further NAT testing will be required in addition to NHSBT's current routine testing, specifically hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA and human parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA. NHSBT would like to engage with the marketplace to understand if there are any establishments who would be able to undertake this specific testing (volumes specified below) on their premises on behalf of NHSBT. NHSBT is anticipating beginning collections before the contract is executed and will therefore have a stockpile of up to 60,000 frozen samples some of which may have been frozen for 12 weeks or more. NHSBT will require: * Following testing the initial stockpile, weekly sample numbers of between 5,000 and 10,000 (subject to agreed change during the term of the contract) will require HAV and B19V NAT testing * This may be by individual donation testing or by pooling donations * The ability to test a plasma sample stored frozen in a gel separated EDTA sample tube * If testing is undertaken in pools, resolution down to the individual reactive sample will be required * Confirmatory testing for screen reactive donations by an alternative assay is desirable * Transport of samples to your testing facility will take place approximately 5-6 days per week * Results will be expected to be returned to NHSBT electronically via a secure SFTP data file / transfer process * An initial contract term of 12 months It is NHSBT's intention to engage with the market to gather detailed information about the market's capabilities. The format for this will be communicated to those that respond to this PIN. Virtual Supplier engagement days will be two-fold with a Webinar for NHSBT to present the project (a copy of the presentation will be sent ahead of the Webinar) and individual supplier presentations to be held thereafter. If you are interested in this requirement, please email Rosalind.Gill@nhsbt.nhs.uk by no later than 1200 hours on Monday 12th April 2021. With your response, please include: * NAT testing platform to be used * Assay details (e.g. commercial, in-house) * Testing pool sizes and ability to resolve to individual reactive donation if testing in pools * Details of proposed testing facilities including location * Ability to test plasma samples that have been stored at ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004527-2021 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | 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 | 5 Mar 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 25 Apr 2021 | | 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 | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NHS BLOOD & TRANSPLANT | | Locality | FILTON, BRISTOL | | Post town | Bristol | | Postcode | BS34 7QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England | | ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire | | Local authority | South Gloucestershire | | Electoral ward | Filton | | Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products - 48 - Software package and information systems - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 33124000 - Diagnostics and radiodiagnostic devices and supplies - 33124110 - Diagnostic systems - 33124130 - Diagnostic supplies - 33141520 - Plasma extracts - 33141625 - Diagnostic kits - 33696200 - Blood-testing reagents - 33696500 - Laboratory reagents - 48921000 - Automation system - 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services - 71632000 - Technical testing services - 71900000 - Laboratory services - 85111810 - Blood analysis services - 85146000 - Services provided by blood banks ## Release History - 5 Mar 2021 at 22:56 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004527-2021 ## Notice URLs - https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ ## 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-029920. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029920.json.