---
title: "BLC0300 - Merseyside Police - Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Services - Market Engagement Notice"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR MERSEYSIDE AND CHIEF CONSTABLE FOR MERSEYSIDE"
published: "2025-10-09"
---

# BLC0300 - Merseyside Police - Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Services - Market Engagement Notice

Buyer: POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR MERSEYSIDE AND CHIEF CONSTABLE FOR MERSEYSIDE  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c

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## Summary

The Police & Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, in collaboration with the Chief Constable for Merseyside, is currently in the planning stage of a public procurement process to engage with the market concerning forensic toxicology laboratory services. This process includes the Northwest Regional Toxicology Facility collaboration, covering areas such as Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria, and Lancashire. The engagement meetings are scheduled to take place via Teams on 16th October 2025, for which suppliers must express their interest by 14th October 2025. The engagement is classified under public authority - sub-central government, focusing on laboratory, police, and investigation services.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses with expertise in forensic toxicology, particularly those experienced in achieving and maintaining UKAS accreditation. Entities well-suited for this engagement would possess capabilities in delivering operational models for laboratory management, including the acquisition and accreditation of facilities. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) might find this opportunity especially beneficial due to its design to support a transition in governance and risk management, resource planning, and commercial structuring. The engagement aims to explore various delivery models and solutions prior to formulating a detailed procurement strategy.

## Notice

Merseyside Police, on behalf of the Northwest Regional Toxicology Facility (NW RTF) collaboration (Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria & Lancashire) are exploring options for the future operation of its forensic toxicology laboratory. The current laboratory does not currently hold appropriate UKAS accreditation but does have qualified and experienced staff in post. The lab will provide evidential analysis and reporting under the Road Toxicology Act Section 5a. This preliminary market engagement aims to understand interest, capability and explore potential delivery models, including purchase of the facility to support the transition, accreditation and ongoing operation of the laboratory. Merseyside Police, on behalf of the NW RTF collaboration invites interested parties to this event and are particularly interested in exploring the following areas: Relevant experience in achieving and maintaining accreditation Proposed delivery models and approach to transition Indicative timelines and key milestones Governance and risk management approach Resource plan Commercial structures and models Demand and cost analysis This engagement process does not constitute a call for competition or a commitment to proceed with procurement and is being used solely to explore potential delivery models and inform procurement strategy. Please ignore the contract start and end dates. These are mandatory fields but are not applicable at this stage.

### Planning Information

Engagement meetings will be held with each supplier individually who wishes to discuss this in more detail. The meetings will take place via teams on Thursday 16th October. 
Please visit https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/home to register on the BlueLight Commercial e-tendering platform.
Once registered, please navigate to Portals in the top right of the screen and log in to BlueLight Commercial Portal. Then search for BLC0300.
If you would like to attend a meeting please send a message via the correspondence option on In-Tend by close of play Tuesday 14th October.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063891-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| 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 | 9 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 16 Oct 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| 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 | POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR MERSEYSIDE AND CHIEF CONSTABLE FOR MERSEYSIDE |
| Additional buyers | BLUELIGHT COMMERCIAL LIMITED |
| Locality | LIVERPOOL |
| Post town | Liverpool |
| Postcode | L3 3AN |
| 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 | TLI32 Westminster |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 71900000 - Laboratory services
- 75241100 - Police services
- 79700000 - Investigation and security services

## Release History

- 9 Oct 2025 at 15:35 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063891-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063891-2025
  9th October 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.bluelightcommercial.police.uk/
- https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/home
- 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-05ac0c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05ac0c.json.