---
title: "Fortress Testing"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT, BRISTOL"
published: "2025-03-20"
---

# Fortress Testing

Buyer: NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT, BRISTOL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd

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## Summary

NHS Blood and Transplant, based in Bristol, is planning a procurement process for the supply of antibody assays used in the detection of HEV IgG, HEV IgM, and Treponemal pallidum haemagglutination and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) for Syphilis. This procurement, titled "Fortress Testing," falls under the medical consumables industry category. The pre-procurement market engagement meetings are scheduled remotely between 1st April 2025 and 15th April 2025, with interested suppliers required to submit expressions of interest by 31st March 2025. The procurement phase is currently at the planning stage with a final due date for engagement set for 20th April 2025.

This tender creates significant opportunities for businesses that supply medical laboratory goods, particularly those capable of meeting NHSBT's stringent criteria, including supply chain reliability and compliance with ISO standards. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) with the ability to provide validated assays and maintain required temperature controls and turnaround times would be well-suited to participate. Engaging in this tender not only opens potential supply contracts but also extends prospects for managed service solutions and future collaborative frameworks with the NHS and other health authorities.

## Notice

Supply of specified antibody assays for the detection of HEV IgG, HEV IgM and Treponemal pallidum haemagglutination and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) for Syphilis.

### Planning Information

Supply of specified antibody assays for the detection of HEV IgG, HEV IgM and Treponemal pallidum haemagglutination and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) for Syphilis. NHSBT Microbiology Services Laboratory Virology (MSLV) is responsible for the confirmation of reactivity in samples from blood and non-blood donors referred to the laboratory following screening for mandatory and discretionary markers of transmissible infection through transfusion or transplantation. The assays required have been validated by MSLV for the above purposes and must be from the following manufacturer – Fortress Diagnostics. NHSBT now wishes to commence a formal procurement process and is seeking to engage with suppliers and understand the market. Business Requirements • The Supplier MUST be able to provide the required assays as detailed by MSLV • The Supplier MUST be able to ensure the supply of assays when ordered • The Supplier MUST be able to ensure there is a supply chain in place to include ordering processes and delivery of orders with appropriate temperature controls and turnaround times. • The Supplier MUST comply with NHSBT Supplier management requests • The Supplier MUST be certified to the relevant ISO standard and provide evidence • Detailed specification will be shared while scheduling the premarket engagement call. It is NHSBT's intention to hold pre-procurement supplier engagement meetings the week of 1st April 2025 to 15th April 2025. The meetings will be held remotely, the dates are to be confirmed. To enable NHSBT to finalise arrangements (e.g., send meeting details and agree time slots) for the meeting’s, interested organisations are required to send an expression of interest via email to Sahithi Bandi sahithi.bandi@nhsbt.nhs.uk by no later than 17:00 hrs (GMT) on 31st March 2025. This should include a list of your potential attendees and a brief overview (or a website link) of the Goods / Services which might be offered. Please include options, if available, for a managed service contract. No business whatsoever is guaranteed under any resulting framework agreement or contract, and there is no guarantee that any framework agreement or contract will be put in place in relation to this notice. No compensation etc. will be paid if a tender or resulting framework agreement is withdrawn for any reason. Bidders should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position. It should be noted that this procurement exercise may allow other Health authorities to use any agreements awarded.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010420-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Dynamic |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Mar 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 30 Apr 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 19 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £120,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT, BRISTOL |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS16 7FG |
| 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 | Emersons Green |
| Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

### Codes

- 33140000 - Medical consumables

## Release History

- 20 Mar 2025 at 14:25 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010420-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010420-2025
  20th March 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.nhsbt.nhs.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-04efbd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04efbd.json.