--- title: "Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Outsourced Product Testing" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04c108" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04c108" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c108.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c108.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE" published: "2024-11-29" --- # Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Outsourced Product Testing Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04c108 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04c108) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c108.json) ## Summary The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has announced a planned procurement process titled "Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Outsourced Product Testing." This tender falls under the industry category of Technical testing, analysis, and consultancy services (CPV 71600000) and involves services. The procurement is in its Planning stage with DBT seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) by 10th January 2025. The contract will be a multi-year, multi-lot framework potentially covering construction product testing, general product safety testing, energy efficiency testing, chemical testing, and cyber security testing across the UK. DBT anticipates utilising the new Open Framework permissions, with a total estimated contract value of £35,000,000. Further details will be provided with the tender documents, with future meetings planned with interested suppliers. This tender creates significant opportunities for businesses specialised in technical and product testing. Companies with expertise in areas such as construction products' fire resistance, electrical equipment safety, energy efficiency, chemical, and cyber security testing would be well-suited to compete. The framework’s nature, encompassing multiple lots and an extended duration, provides substantial potential for long-term partnerships and business growth within the UK regulatory environment. Interested businesses are encouraged to engage early and submit their EOIs to shape the tender requirements to align with industry capabilities. This opportunity not only supports business expansion but also contributes to enhancing product safety and regulatory compliance across multiple sectors. ## Notice The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) expects to publish a contract opportunity relating to its requirement for outsourced product testing for the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). DBT intends to introduce a multi-year, multi-lot framework for the provision of various types of testing across multiple years. DBT are requesting Expressions of Interest ("EOI") pertaining to this requirement. Please email: commercialbpo@businessandtrade.gov.uk by 10th January 2025 in order to register your interest. At this stage, DBT wishes to understand the size and capability of the supply market. Information that it gathers will be used to refine requirements to ensure they are fit for suppliers to deliver against. Meetings will also be held directly with interested participants at a future date, subject to capacity. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The procurement is likely to entail a multi year contract opportunity relating to various categories of testing. At this stage, DBT cannot confirm the lotting structure in detail, but it is anticipated that the procurement will involve lots once defined. These will contain, but not necessarily be limited to: - Construction product testing including resistance and reaction to fire - Product safety testing in general covering testing of products such as electrical equipment, gas appliances, toys, furniture, PPE, batteries etc... - Energy efficiency testing covering Eco-design and noise. - Chemical testing including cosmetics and restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) - Cyber security testing covering Product Security and Telecommunication Infrastructure (PSTI) and Smart ChargePoint regulations. DBT is also considering the opportunity to use the new Open Framework permissions permitted by The Procurement Act 2023. At this stage, it is perceived that the framework could be opened at least one in the early years of up to an 8 year framework. If introducing an 8 year open framework, the value of the opportunity is estimated at PS35,000,000. The full specification shall be provided with the tender documents, and the intention of this Prior Information Notice is to help engage with suppliers in order to determine an appropriate approach before sharing. It should be noted that DBT makes no commitment to procure these services and may decide to not progress this any further following this engagement with the market. DBT reserves the right to change any information contained within the Early Engagement documentation at any time, and Potential Suppliers rely upon any information provided entirely at their own risk. Background The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is part of The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity, and growth. OPSS regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. OPSS works with local, national, and international regulators, with consumer representatives and with businesses to deliver effective protections and to support compliance. OPSS' mission is to be a trusted product regulator for the UK. This means protecting people and places, enabling business to thrive and empowering consumers to make good choices. OPSS will be a leader of good regulatory practice and a champion of local regulation. OPSS is: * the national regulator for all consumer products, except for vehicles, medicines, and food. * the national regulator for legal metrology, ensuring weighing and measuring instruments are accurate and reliable. * the National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP). Suppliers are strongly encouraged to read the text at the following link to gain a full understanding of the role of the enforcement services within Government: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-regulation-enforcement-services ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038553-2024 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | 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 | 29 Nov 2024 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 31 Mar 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £35,000,000 | | 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 | DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1A 2EG | | 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 | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services - 71632200 - Non-destructive testing services - 71900000 - Laboratory services - 73111000 - Research laboratory services - 73430000 - Test and evaluation ## Release History - 29 Nov 2024 at 10:19 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038553-2024 ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-and-trade - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-regulation-enforcement-services ## 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-04c108. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c108.json.