---
title: "Provision of STI Test Kits"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05986a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05986a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05986a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05986a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUST"
published: "2025-09-11"
---

# Provision of STI Test Kits

Buyer: UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUST  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05986a

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## Summary

The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has awarded a contract for the provision of STI Test Kits within the Integrated Sexual Health Treatment & Prevention service, known as Umbrella, which aims to enhance the sexual health and wellbeing of residents in Birmingham and Solihull. The contract, with a gross value of £582,624, was awarded to Blue Step Solutions Limited and covers a procurement process under the direct award method. This initiative, categorized under the goods industry, signifies a collaboration involving several community organizations and health providers. The procurement stage is complete, with the contract set to commence on 1st October 2025 and conclude by 31st March 2027, spanning locations across various UK regions including Birmingham and Solihull.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses involved in the production and supply of healthcare and STI-related goods, particularly those specializing in customized testing kits and healthcare advisory services. SMEs capable of providing cost-effective and efficient health testing solutions are well-suited to compete in such procurements, especially considering the service uniqueness and demand for specialized testing capabilities. The direct award underscores the need for suppliers with a proven track record and specialized expertise in the sector, ensuring a competitive edge for businesses that can meet these stringent requirements effectively.

## Notice

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has established a new model of care for Integrated Sexual Health Treatment & Prevention for the population of Birmingham & Solihull, which includes clinic and postal self-test STI screening kits and follow up Health Advisory support. The service, Umbrella, is a partnership, led by University Hospitals Birmingham, consisting of several community-based organisations, charities and health service providers, with the aim of improving sexual health and wellbeing of the people of Birmingham and Solihull locality. STI Testing Umbrella offers: * At Clinic testing: o Sample is undertaken within the Clinic. o Posted to UHB Labs where testing is undertaken. o Results by phone or text. o If positive results, follow up care and support provided. * At Home testing: o Criteria: Aged 16 or over and living in Birmingham or Solihull. o Sample request is submitted and undertaken within home environment o Posted to UHB Labs where testing is undertaken. o Results by phone or text. o If positive results, follow up care and support provided. What they test for: * Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV and Syphilis. * For men who have (or have had) sex with other men, a test for hepatitis B is also included.

### Procurement Information

The existing supplier, Blue Step Solutions Limited, has been directly awarded this contract as they are the only provider able to fully meet the requirements, as established through previous procurements. The original contract, awarded in 2021 via an open tender under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), expired on 31 May 2025 after a two-year term with the option to extend for a further two years. Recent market testing with other STI kit providers confirmed that alternative suppliers are not viable. Competing providers were found to be at least 59% more expensive, with test prices ranging from PS5 to PS40 per kit, which presents a significant financial burden. In addition to the cost implications, these alternatives carry operational risks due to the niche and highly specialised nature of the service. Given the limited competition in this market, the substantial cost differential, and the risk to service continuity, a direct award to Blue Step Solutions Limited is the only option that ensures value for money and continuity of service provision.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055759-2025 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 Sep 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 30 Sep 2025 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £485,520 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUST |
| Locality | BIRMINGHAM |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode | B15 2WB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands |
| ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham |
| Local authority | Birmingham |
| Electoral ward | Edgbaston |
| Westminster constituency | Birmingham Edgbaston |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 2 |
| Supplier names | BLUE STEP SOLUTIONS; BLUESTEP SOLUTIONS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 22 - Printed matter and related products

### Codes

- 22000000 - Printed matter and related products

## Release History

- 11 Sep 2025 at 10:51 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055759-2025
- 11 Sep 2025 at 10:27 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055734-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055759-2025
  11th September 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055734-2025
  11th September 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-05986a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05986a.json.