---
title: "Conversion of Automated Assembly Machinery"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02de95"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02de95"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02de95.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02de95.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE"
published: "2021-09-08"
---

# Conversion of Automated Assembly Machinery

Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02de95

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02de95)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02de95.json)

## Summary

The Department of Health and Social Care has successfully completed a procurement process titled "Conversion of Automated Assembly Machinery" aimed at modifying machinery for working with plastics. This project falls under the goods category and pertains specifically to the conversion of automated assembly machinery to fit 3mm strips instead of 5mm. The procurement method employed was a limited award procedure, and the contract, valued at £553,200, was signed on 11 August 2021. The machinery modification project was crucial for enhancing the UK's lateral flow test capacity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring urgent delivery in the UK.

This contract presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in machinery engineering, particularly those experienced in working with plastic conversion technology. Firms that can provide tailored solutions in machinery modification and have a strong supply chain for parts or related services would be particularly well-positioned to compete in similar future contracts. With the growing emphasis on public health and rapid testing capabilities, entities capable of swift adaptations in manufacturing processes are likely to find fruitful avenues for growth in this sector.

## Notice

Conversion of automated assembly machinery to allow the fitment of 3mm strips as opposed to 5mm strips.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Conversion of automated assembly machinery to allow the fitment of 3mm strips as opposed to 5mm strips.

### Procurement Information

The machinery was designed by and manufactured by Huxley Bertram Engineering Ltd. Therefore, the most viable supply decision was to instruct Huxley Bertram to carry out this work which consists of modifying the machinery to use 3mm test strips as opposed to the 5mm strips.1. The COVID-19 outbreak is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern as declared by the World Health Organisation on 30 January 2020. The WHO Director General characterised COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020.2. A key element of ensuring an effective response to the pandemic is ensuring that there is adequate testing. Therefore, ensuring surge LFT capacity, including sufficient availability of Lateral Flow Tests, is critical. 3. Mass testing of the UK Population is a key step in bringing the Pandemic under control. (Lateral Flow Tests produce quicker results than the current PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test, and do not require a lab processing step.) LFT tests have only recently become viable as a means of testing, with multiple tests being progressed through to certification and approval. This was unforeseen by the DHSC and outside its control.4. DHSC's market analysis data demonstrates that the global market for LFT is volatile and highly competitive. Global manufacturing capability is limited to circa 120m units per day. Demand often outstrips supply. DHSC requirement is driven by the progress of the pandemic (including emerging variants), the changing efficacy of available LTF products and the severity of the second wave/national R-number. That requirement means that the UK must make substantial purchases of tests during a short manufacturing window.5. DHSC has been tasked with ensuring security of supply of a critical consumable asset (Lateral Flow Antigen tests) in a volatile and competitive global marketplace. This manufacturing contract pursues that mandate by guaranteeing that DHSC is able to receive a stable supply of completed lateral flow test devices manufactured by a diagnostics tests manufacturing specialist, within the urgent timeframes required by the project and VFM cost.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022310-2021 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| 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 | 8 Sep 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Aug 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 | £553,200 |

## 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 | HUXLEY BERTRAM ENGINEERING |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 42 - Industrial machinery

### Codes

- 42994200 - Machinery for working plastics

## Release History

- 8 Sep 2021 at 15:12 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022310-2021

## 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-02de95. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02de95.json.