---
title: "FS900109a Microbiological Testing for Northern Ireland 1-5"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-045a32"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-045a32"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-045a32.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-045a32.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY"
published: "2025-06-12"
---

# FS900109a Microbiological Testing for Northern Ireland 1-5

Buyer: FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-045a32

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-045a32)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-045a32.json)

## Summary

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), a UK ministry, is involved in overseeing and executing a public procurement process for microbiological testing services in Northern Ireland. Classified under laboratory services (CPV: 71900000), this procurement focuses on aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) programmes and supporting Northern Ireland's regulatory requirements. The FSA has proceeded through the open procurement procedure, initially opening tenders in May 2024, with a contracting period set from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2029. This process, now at the contract award stage, involves Sciensano as the selected supplier for the estimated contract value reaching up to £750,000, inclusive of VAT.

This contract offers significant opportunities for growth to businesses specialising in laboratory and microbiological services, particularly those that can provide robust research and compliance with EU regulations. Organisations capable of fostering effective communication and supporting regulatory compliance through training and advisory services would be particularly well-suited to engage in this tender. The Food Standards Agency's proactive encouragement of cross-border communication between Northern Ireland and Great Britain laboratories presents additional potential for expanding operational networks and strengthening collaborative projects within the laboratory services industry.

## Notice

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

### Lot Information

2. Lot 1 NRL for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

Renewal: The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information.

3. Lot 2 NRL for Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

Renewal: The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information.

4. Lot 3 NRL for Coagulase positive Staphylococci (including Staphylococcus aure

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

Renewal: The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information.

5. Lot 4 NRL for Escherichia coli, including Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

Renewal: The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information.

6. Lot 5 NRL for Foodborne Viruses (including bivalve molluscs)

The NI NRLs will deliver the OCR regulatory requirements for NI, aligning with European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) work programmes, wherever possible. They will build strong communication networks with NI Official Laboratories (OLs) designated within NI and across the EU, providing them with support, training and advice, where needed. Although there is limited ability to share EU-RL-related information between NI NRLs and NRLs in GB, FSA encourages communication between them, where this is beneficial to NRL functions. This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension.

This is a 4 year contract with an optional 2 year extension. The estimated value of the Contract is estimated to be between PS0 - PS750,000 (inc VAT) for the total duration, including the 2 year extension. The FSA is not required to take the extension.

Renewal: The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032022-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 17 Jun 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Mar 2025 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2025 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | The FSA is entitled to extend the Contract by 2 years subject to giving notice in accordance with the terms of the Contract. See the Award Form and Core Terms of the Contract for more information. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1 |
| Lots value | £1 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £534,939 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Active, Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1H 9EX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE21 York |
| Local authority | York |
| Electoral ward | Guildhall |
| Westminster constituency | York Central |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | SCIENSANO |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 71900000 - Laboratory services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73111000 - Research laboratory services

## Release History

- 12 Jun 2025 at 14:38 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032022-2025
- 16 May 2024 at 15:38 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015623-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.food.gov.uk/
- https://www.judiciary.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-045a32. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-045a32.json.