---
title: "Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT"
published: "2022-08-26"
---

# Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT)

Buyer: NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6.json)

## Summary

The NHS Blood and Transplant is planning a procurement process for Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) medical equipment valued at £55,000,000. The tender aims to consult the market for high throughput blood donor nucleic acid testing systems. Interested parties must express their interest by 12 September 2022, with Supplier Engagement likely to be held virtually in late September 2022.

This opportunity presents potential for business growth for companies involved in medical equipment, diagnostics, and pathology services. Businesses capable of providing end-to-end integrated solutions for high throughput automated NAT screening systems, meeting specific requirements, and ensuring CE/UKCA marking compliance would be well-suited to compete in this tender process.

## Notice

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is separate to any tender opportunity and its purpose is to consult the market to improve NHSBT's knowledge of current assays and high throughput blood donor nucleic acid testing systems available in the marketplace and gauge market interest. It is the intention of NHSBT to further consult those organisations who express an interest to identify preparatory work which may need to take place ahead of any future tendering opportunities.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

NHSBT requires a direct contractual relationship with either the manufacturer or any other economic operator for a complete end-to-end integrated solution, which must include all the necessary equipment, installation, maintenance, consumables, reagents, software, including an inter-operability provision with NHSBT's existing IT infrastructure, and an overall on-going support mechanism that may be required to carry out the necessary testing as stated below. All in vitro diagnostic medical devices, for example, instruments, consumables, and reagents must be CE/UKCA marked. Great Britain (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) without the need for changes to PULSE.

NHSBT are looking for a fully integrated, high throughput, automated Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) screening system which can detect HBV DNA, HIV-1 RNA, HIV-2 RNA, HCV RNA, HEV RNA, WNV RNA, HAV RNA, Parvovirus B19 in EDTA plasma samples from blood and non-blood (e.g. stem cell, tissue) donors. The NAT system must support various pool sizes and also be able to test individual donations. An automated liquid handler to create the pools must be part of the overall solution.

Approximately 1,600,000 donations are tested per annum, across two testing sites, in Bristol and Manchester. 

It is important that interested parties respond to this PIN, as prior KEG approval will be a mandatory requirement for any associated future tender opportunity, in-line with the requirements of the Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom (Red Book - https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/red-book). 

NHSBT will seek to understand the status of assays which would be offered with regards to NHSBT's Kit Evaluation Group (KEG). Further details on KEG and the process will be provided during Supplier Engagement.

The format of Supplier Engagement will be communicated to those organisations that respond to this PIN; however, this is likely to be virtual meetings conducted via Microsoft Teams during the second half of September 2022.

Expressions of interest should be e-mailed to daniel.kirkbride@nhsbt.nhs.uk by 1200hrs on 12 September 2022.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024049-2022 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| 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 | 26 Aug 2022 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Oct 2023 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £55,000,000 |
| 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 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

- 33100000 - Medical equipments
- 33124000 - Diagnostics and radiodiagnostic devices and supplies
- 85111800 - Pathology services

## Release History

- 26 Aug 2022 at 15:45 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024049-2022

## Notice URLs

- https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- 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-0363b6. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0363b6.json.