--- title: "Community Testing: Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Testing" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "CORNWALL COUNCIL" published: "2021-05-07" --- # Community Testing: Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Testing Buyer: CORNWALL COUNCIL Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44.json) ## Summary The procurement process is led by Cornwall Council for the tender titled "Community Testing: Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Testing", classified under miscellaneous health services. This complete procurement was initiated to address an urgent Covid-19 requirement for community testing facilities in Cornwall, allowing businesses to book LFD tests for their employees. The procurement method was limited, based on extreme urgency owing to the unforeseen need for large-scale testing related to the new variant of coronavirus. The contract was signed on 1st March 2021, following restricted timeframes, with a focus on efficiency to mitigate transmission during the pandemic. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses, particularly those in the health services sector, to engage in the provision of testing services. Companies that focus on healthcare solutions, logistics, or medical supplies would be well-positioned to compete. The fast-paced nature of this procurement indicates a demand for innovative solutions and partnerships, especially as local authorities continue to adapt to the evolving public health landscape. ## Notice Urgent Covid-19 response requirement for Community Testing to conduct Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing services at a number of testing centres across Cornwall in order to allow businesses to book LFD tests for their employees. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Urgent Covid-19 response requirement for Community Testing to conduct Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing services at a number of testing centres across Cornwall in order to allow businesses to book LFD tests for their employees. ### Procurement Information 1. There are genuine reasons for treating this contract with extreme urgency. The Government asked local authorities to provide a testing service for people who have to go to work during the current lockdown. 2. The events that have led to the need for extreme urgency were unforeseeable. The need for large scale LFD testing could not have been predicted as it relates mainly to the increased infectivity of the new variant of coronavirus. 3. It is impossible to comply with the usual timescales in the PCRs. The Council could conduct an accelerated procurement under the open procedure (15 days). Standard procedure with accelerated timescales of 15 days could have a significant impact on covid transmission and also business continuity at this difficult phase in the pandemic. The programme is due to run until 31st March (but may be extended). Therefore 15 days is a significant proportion of the programme timescale. 4. The situation is not attributable to the contracting authority.. Previously community testing (known as DPH led testing) was only available to LAs in Tier 3 and above restriction levels so not available to Cornwall. Most learning has come from urban models such as Liverpool. Therefore, we have no local experience and very little experience from rural areas to draw on. Since the announcement on 10th January we have been developing a workplace based model that will be run using Council staff working with local businesses to set up their own programme. This is because the need to travel to a community testing site twice weekly for testing will be considerable barrier to taking part in this scheme for many workers in our rural county. It was previously proposed that home based testing would be authorised by MHRA and previous communication from DHSC suggested this may be from 18th January. On this basis we also worked up a home testing proposal with Devon and Cornwall Police but we have now been informed that home based testing will not be authorised for this programme. On January 18th the Government announced asymptomatic testing for primary schools and nurseries. On January 21st it was confirmed that private, voluntary and independent providers would not be included and there was an expectation that these settings and childminders would be covered by LA community testing programmes. At this point the delivery model had to be revised to include some community testing sites as workplace based testing could not cover this cohort. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009939-2021 | | 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 | 7 May 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 1 Mar 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 | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | CORNWALL COUNCIL | | Locality | TRURO | | Post town | Truro | | Postcode | TR1 3AY | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | | ITL 3 | TLK30 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | | Local authority | Cornwall | | Electoral ward | Truro Boscawen & Redannick | | Westminster constituency | Truro and Falmouth | | Delivery location | TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | CORNWALL AMBULANCE SERVICE | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services ## Release History - 7 May 2021 at 10:10 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009939-2021 ## Notice URLs - http://www.cornwall.gov.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-02ae44. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02ae44.json.