--- title: "Co-Developing the 'Digestive Disease Centre' at University Hospital Southampton, Hybrid Procurement and Sponsorship Opportunity" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "University Hospital Southampton" published: "2026-09-08" --- # Co-Developing the 'Digestive Disease Centre' at University Hospital Southampton, Hybrid Procurement and Sponsorship Opportunity Buyer: University Hospital Southampton Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e.json) ## Summary University Hospital Southampton is exploring a strategic partnership to co-develop a purpose-built regional diagnostic endoscopy centre near Southampton General Hospital. The centre would support a population of more than 3 million and provide diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, motility services, workforce training, technology trials and new technique development. The scope may include supplying endoscopy equipment for NHS clinical activity, innovation testing and training; designing and constructing the centre; co-locating hospital staff, clinicians, data and patients with an industry partner; and developing a live NHS test bed for technologies such as artificial intelligence diagnostic tools and ergonomic solutions. The partnership could also include commercial sponsorship, value-in-kind goods or services, and agreed recognition and collaboration benefits. The category is endoscopy equipment, innovation and specialist training services. This procurement is at the planning and preliminary market engagement stage; it is not an invitation to tender or a current bidding opportunity. Interested parties are expected to register by 6 October 2026 to receive a questionnaire. A virtual engagement webinar is planned for mid-October 2026, followed by optional one-to-one discussions. The buyer expects any future contract to run from 1 September 2027 to 30 August 2037, with a possible extension to 31 August 2037. The indicative budget for designing and constructing the centre is £20m–£25m. Existing endoscopy equipment valued at approximately £8m–£10m would need refreshing throughout the contract. The future procurement is being developed as a hybrid partnership and sponsorship model, with supplier-neutral specifications and the formal procedure still to be refined. The engagement will suit established endoscopy equipment manufacturers, healthcare technology businesses, construction and design partners, innovation organisations, training providers and consortia able to combine these capabilities. Relevant suppliers should be able to support a regional clinical facility, provide and refresh specialist endoscopy equipment, and work with NHS clinicians in a live diagnostic environment. The buyer is particularly interested in partners able to develop and test new technologies and techniques, including artificial intelligence diagnostic tools, ergonomic designs and other emerging solutions. Experience of clinical research, data-rich test beds, workforce development, knowledge sharing and intellectual property arrangements would be valuable. The model also allows for SME and voluntary, community or social enterprise participation in research and innovation, alongside potential sponsorship and value-in-kind contributions. ## Notice UHS is seeking to engage with interested parties to discuss and refine an opportunity to become a strategic endoscopy partner to the Trust. UHS provides a regional endoscopy service to a population of 3m+, offering a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Following a fire earlier this year, UHS has reviewed its long-term endoscopy requirements and is considering a new purpose-built regional diagnostic endoscopy centre situated close to the main hospital. UHS has existing endoscopy equipment to the value of approximately PS8-10m. This will need to be refreshed throughout this contract. UHS has an indicative budget of PS20-25m for the design and construction of the new centre. This will be designed to meet current and projected future endoscopy and motility needs, 'a one-stop-shop' and be an important centre to both trial new technology and techniques and provide training for the next generation of the endoscopy workforce. This opportunity is to explore and discuss how a partnership approach may drive better outcomes for patients, for innovation, for UHS clinicians, and for the partner[S(1.1][L(1.2]. This opportunity may include, but not necessarily be limited to: 1: Provision of endoscopy equipment to a new offsite location, both for the use of clinicians undertaking NHS clinical activity, and for use as a test bed for innovation and new technique development, and for use within a training environment. 2: Regional Training Centre: The physical co-location of experienced UHS staff, clinicians, data, patients with an industry partner seeking to promote best practice and create future workforce. 3: Joint Innovation Deal & Test Bed: The provision of a live, data-rich NHS environment to validate new technology, and techniques, for example artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tools and ergonomic designs and potentially the exploitation of emerging shared Intellectual Property. This would also include SME and VCSE participation for research and innovation. 4: Commercial Sponsorship Opportunity with Associated Rights and Benefits: In addition to the core procurement opportunities above, there is potential to explore a complementary commercial sponsorship arrangement, which may include the provision of value-in-kind goods and/or services that support contract delivery. This strategic partnership approach would identify and agree a range of associated rights and benefits for suppliers who also become sponsors. These may include appropriate sponsor recognition, opportunities for collaboration and innovation, shared learning, thought leadership engagement, and other mutually agreed activities that support the objectives of all parties. UHS, with support from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), is trialling the integration of commercial sponsorship into this procurement opportunity to explore how strategic partnerships can deliver additional value while supporting the successful delivery of contract outcomes. Whilst this notice is not intended to create a commitment to a contract, it is running alongside a live funded NHS capital project to develop designs and take forward the concept of a regional endoscopy centre. This hybrid procurement and sponsorship model is being piloted by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and UHS, offering potential suppliers a unique opportunity to play an active role in delivering a best-in-class new facility for patients: supporting improved care, championing innovation and delivering lasting benefits for all parties. To ensure fair and open competition in any future procurement, the developing design and specification will remain supplier-neutral and will not be tailored to any specific manufacturer, supplier or solution. ### Planning Information The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is to explore market capability, test risk-allocation boundaries, understand vendor constraints regarding intellectual property and funding, and refine outcome-based specifications. This engagement is conducted under Sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023. Participation is voluntary and will not advantage or disadvantage any operator in the subsequent formal tender procedure. The value is shown as £0, as value of the future contract is yet to be decided upon by the Contracting Authority and will be shared with the market at a later date. The PME will be formed of: 1.Interested Parties email. CommercialOpportunities@uhs.nhs.uk to register their interest and receive a high-level questionnaire to complete. 2.On return of a completed high-level questionnaire, a link to a virtual PME webinar will be shared. 3.The webinar will take place on virtually in mid-October and will allow the Contracting Authority to explain the requirements in more detail. 4.Optional 1-2-1 follow on conversations will take place with interested parties. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084898-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | 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 | 8 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 6 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Sep 2027 - 30 Aug 2037 | | 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 | University Hospital Southampton | | Locality | SOUTHAMPTON | | Postcode area | Southampton | | Postcode | SO16 6YD | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight | | ITL 3 | TLJ32 Southampton | | Local authority | Southampton | | Electoral ward | Shirley | | Westminster constituency | Southampton Test | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 33168000 - Endoscopy, endosurgery devices - 33168100 - Endoscopes - 73120000 - Experimental development services - 80510000 - Specialist training services ## Release History - 8 Sep 2026 at 13:49 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084898-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084898-2026 8th September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement 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-06f48e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f48e.json.