---
title: "Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) Managed Service"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b094"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b094"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b094.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b094.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) (\"NSS\")"
published: "2025-10-20"
---

# Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) Managed Service

Buyer: THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) ("NSS")  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b094

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## Summary

The procurement process initiated by The Common Services Agency, more commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), involves a managed service for Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and the Welsh Blood Service. This tender, identified as project NSS003724, seeks services under the CPV classification 50421000, which focuses on the repair and maintenance services of medical equipment. The procurement method is an open procedure covered by the GPA. The procurement, still in the active tender stage, is set to conclude the tender period on 29 November 2024. The contract, which may be extended, is initially set for a period of 2520 days and includes a renewal option, offering significant business opportunities in Edinburgh, the primary location for delivery.

This tender presents substantial growth opportunities for businesses experienced in managing and servicing microbiology systems, particularly those that can provide a comprehensive suite of services including equipment supply, maintenance, consumables, and spare parts. It is especially suited to companies capable of handling large-scale repair and maintenance within the healthcare sector, equipped to meet the stringent technical and quality criteria laid out in the procurement process. Such businesses have the opportunity to secure a long-term contract with the NHS, enhancing their profile and potentially expanding their service offerings across the UK healthcare market.

## Notice

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and Welsh Blood Service all require a fully integrated microbiology managed service system for NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing). This includes equipment, maintenance, consumables, spare parts, upgrades, training, clinical education material, remote diagnostics, reporting and supports all to deliver a final result to the Authority's information management system. Mandatory assays include the ability to detect HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/serum samples from blood donors and HCV RNA, HIV RNA, HBV DNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/ serum samples from tissue and stem cell donors.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and the Welsh Blood Service each require a fully integrated microbiology managed service system for NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing). This includes equipment, maintenance, consumables, spare parts, upgrades, training, clinical education material, remote diagnostics, reporting and supports all to deliver a final result to the Authority's information management system. Mandatory assays include the ability to detect HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/serum samples from blood donors and HCV RNA, HIV RNA, HBV DNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/ serum samples from tissue and stem cell donors. The Authorities currently have the ability to detect Hepatitis C (HCV) ribonucleic acid (RNA), Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA and Hepatitis B (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors. Tissue and stem cell donations may only be tested as individual donations for HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA. SNBTS test various tissue and stem cell blood samples as singletons but do not carry out any testing on non-heart beating donations. An approximate indication of volumes for this testing is 1500 samples per annum. The Authorities currently have the ability to detect Hepatitis E (HEV)) in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors. The successful Bidders system must be capable of detecting HEV RNA. (95% of donations will be tested in pools, 5% as ID NAT). SNBTS currently have the ability to detect B19 DNA and HAV RNA in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors. If screening is performed in minipools, B19 testing must ensure that B19 DNA can be detected at a level that will ensure less than 104 IU/mL of B19V DNA in homogenous plasma pools. WNV Testing is currently performed as a discretionary test by SNBTS and WBS and will possibly be introduced during the lifespan of the contract by NIBTS. The routine screening period for WNV RNA commences each year on 1st May and ends 31st December however there is still a requirement to undertake a limited amount of screening in the intervening period. The requirements for WNV RNA testing are reviewed annually. The Authorities uses a combination of Serum, EDTA plasma and EDTA gel collection tubes for all microbiological screening and the successful Bidders system must therefore be validated for both sample types.

Options: The Authority shall be entitled, at its option, to continue this Agreement beyond the Initial Term for three (3) twelve (12) Contract Month periods subject to giving not less than nine (9) Contract Months' notice to the Contractor.

Renewal: The Authority shall be entitled, at its option, to continue this Agreement beyond the Initial Term for three (3) twelve (12) Contract Month periods subject to giving not less than nine (9) Contract Months' notice to the Contractor.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/066855-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 29 Nov 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Oct 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £7,300,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) ("NSS") |
| Additional buyers | NORTHERN IRELAND BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE; WELSH BLOOD SERVICE |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH12 9EB |
| Country | Wales |
| ITL 1 | TLL Wales |
| ITL 2 | TLL5 South East Wales |
| ITL 3 | TLL51 Central Valleys and Bridgend |
| Local authority | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Electoral ward | Brynna and Llanharan |
| Westminster constituency | Pontypridd |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 50 - Repair and maintenance services

### Codes

- 50421000 - Repair and maintenance services of medical equipment

## Release History

- 20 Oct 2025 at 15:43 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/066855-2025
- 23 Oct 2024 at 14:33 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034339-2024

## Notice URLs

- http://www.nss.nhs.scot/browse/procurement-and-logistics
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000780835
- https://nibts.hscni.net/
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA11883
- https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- https://www.welsh-blood.org.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-04b094. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b094.json.