---
title: "Microbiology Serology & Ancillary Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT"
published: "2022-03-09"
---

# Microbiology Serology & Ancillary Services

Buyer: NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c.json)

## Summary

The NHS Blood and Transplant authority is conducting an open procurement process for a Microbiology Serology Managed Service Contract, with a contract value of £150 million. This service will be delivered across multiple locations including Manchester, Filton, and Colindale. The tender period is set to close on 12 April 2022, with contract performance expected to commence by 31 March 2023 and concluding on 28 February 2048. This procurement involves the supply of diagnostic systems and ancillary services, classified under CPV code 33124110.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses in the healthcare and diagnostic sectors, particularly those specialising in microbiological cultures, diagnostic supplies, and laboratory reagents. Companies capable of providing complete, integrated solutions for serology testing and those with expertise in high-throughput automated systems would be well-placed to compete for this contract. Furthermore, the requirement for CE/UKCA marked in vitro diagnostic medical devices offers prospects for manufacturers and suppliers aiming to extend their reach into public health services.

## Notice

This Procurement is for a single provider of a Microbiology Serology Managed Service Contract to the Authority (NHS Blood and Transplant). The Service will be provided over a number of sites Manchester, Filton and Colindale. Further information can be found by downloading the associated ITT Documents from this portal.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

NHSBT requires a direct contractual relationship with either a manufacturer or any other economic operator for a complete end-to-end integrated solution for the Microbiology Serological and Ancillary Testing of blood and non-blood donations, which must include all the necessary equipment, assays, reagents, installation, maintenance (planned and un-planned), consumables, software including an inter-operability provision with NHSBT's existing IT infrastructure and overall on-going support mechanism that may be required to carry out the necessary testing as stated below for the duration of the Framework Agreement. All invitro diagnostic medical devices, for example, instruments, consumables and reagents must be CE/UKCA marked. GB will continue to recognise CE marking under the IVDD or IVDR until 30 June 2023 and from 1 July 2023 devices placed on the GB market must be UKCA marked under the UK MDR 2002 as amended. The end-to-end solution must be capable of producing test results in a format that can be utilised by NHSBT's host IT system (PULSE) (or any replacement system) without the need for changes to PULSE (or any replacement system). 

The current contract held with NHSBT for the Microbiology Serology Service includes the supply of the mandatory and selective serology assays, consumables, instrumentation, uninterruptable power supply and software required for result management and interface(s) with host systems; including servers to support the IT infrastructure.
Mandatory testing is undertaken on all blood and non-blood donations. The assays currently required include: Hepatitis B (HBsAg), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1&2 Ab/Ag), Hepatitis C (anti-HCV), syphilis antibodies, and anti-HBc for non-blood donations. These tests are undertaken on high throughput automated equipment. Additional discretionary testing is also undertaken on select donations. These include testing for human T- lymphotropic virus (anti-HTLV), cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV), malarial antibody (anti-malaria), Hepatitis B antibodies (anti-HBc & anti-HBs) and Trypanosome cruzi (anti-T. cruzi). Deceased (non-heart beating) donor screening is performed at Microbiology Services Laboratory (MSL), Colindale and the assays used in MSL Colindale must be suitable for deceased donor screening. This Framework Agreement will also cover any further, replacement or future Microbiology Serology and Ancillary Testing Service requirements for the duration of the Framework, including without limitation, Goods, Equipment and Software. 
The Successful Tenderer must be prepared to undertake a KEG Assessment (Kit Evaluation Group) of the assays prior to the award of the Framework Agreement and Contract.. 
There is a requirement for automated instrumentation to enable high throughput testing of mandatory and discretionary testing for blood and non-blood donors, archiving and long-term storage of plasma samples as part of this Framework Agreement. Instrumentation for sample sorting is also for consideration.
All Microbiology Serology testing requirements must be in accordance with the Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion service in the United Kingdom (https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/red-book) and rules and guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors from time to time in force.
NHSBT currently undertakes Microbiology Serology testing on approximately 1,500,000 donations per annum. The testing capacity is expected to grow over the course of the contractual term.
The Tenderer must be able to facilitate tests for other ancillary services that may be determined as Microbiology Serology from time to time. The Tenderer must also be able to accommodate technological and digital changes in the current and future such that NHSBT is able to access the state-of-the art digital developments and IT solutions in the diagnostics market.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006471-2022 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Mar 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Apr 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 30 Mar 2023 - 28 Feb 2048 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £150,000,000 |
| Lots value | £150,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT |
| Locality | 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
- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
- 33124130 - Diagnostic supplies
- 33141625 - Diagnostic kits
- 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
- 33698100 - Microbiological cultures
- 85111800 - Pathology services

## Release History

- 9 Mar 2022 at 14:58 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006471-2022
- 8 Mar 2022 at 19:49 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006371-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://health.atamis.co.uk
- https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals
- https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/
- https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/red-book

## 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-031f7c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031f7c.json.