---
title: "Contract for sample tracking system for NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing Service"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) (\"NSS\")"
published: "2021-06-02"
---

# Contract for sample tracking system for NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing Service

Buyer: THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) ("NSS")  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501

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## Summary

The Common Services Agency (commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland, or NSS) is initiating a procurement process for the "Contract for sample tracking system for NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing Service." This procurement falls within the healthcare industry and is planned to be conducted in Edinburgh, Scotland. This tender is currently at the planning stage, with key documents outlining requirements already available. Interested parties should note that there is a future notice date set for July 9, 2021, also relevant for understanding timelines associated with this opportunity. The procurement process is classified under goods and employs an open tendering method.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in software solutions for healthcare processes, particularly those that have expertise in automating laboratory workflows. Given the increasing capacity needs for Whole Genome Sequencing, suppliers capable of providing robust sample tracking systems that integrate with various laboratory instruments and can manage high-volume processing are well-positioned to compete. Businesses with experience in healthcare IT and those that offer innovative technological solutions aimed at improving operational efficiencies in clinical settings could find this opportunity particularly lucrative.

## Notice

Software solution to track clinical samples through the end to end process of the NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing from sample reception to sequencing raw data output. The system will be required at two sites, one in the east and one in the west of Scotland, and work across these as one. The solution will require track samples through multiple different laboratory instruments.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The NHS in Scotland is setting up a National Sequencing Services to carry out Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) as part of the development of this Service the need for a sample tracking system has been identified, to ensure a managed, quality assured automated service is delivered with a high sequencing capacity. Initial focus on the service will be to increase SARS-CoV-2 WGS capacity to approximately 5k samples per week, delivered in 2 NHS Laboratories, from 2 separate Health boards by end of September 2021. The Service will be delivered though the adoption of automation for key process steps for sample processing as the current WGS laboratory process includes manual steps, and a mixture of systems are used across the 2 sites to document the processing of the samples. IT systems are in place to facilitate the logistics of submission of samples, and subsequently to manage the raw data outputs for subsequent bioinformatics analysis and ultimate result reporting. This contract notice is for a sample tracking system to facilitate sample management and tracking within the WGS process only. The requirement covers the workflow after documented receipt of the sample in the WGS processing laboratories until the point of generation of raw sequencing data. The automation of the processing of the samples will be delivered by liquid handling systems (which may be from multiple suppliers), these are yet to be configured. Detailed below is the potential steps (although not exclusive) that we will require data acquisition by the sample tracking system include: a) Liquid handler cDNA preparation (automated in 96 well plate, sample and well ID from NPex, plate identifier, time stamp, reagent batches, operators and instruments used). b) Liquid handler for PCR amplification (sample/well ID, plate identifier, time stamp, reagent batches, operators and instruments used). c) Liquid handler for DNA quantitation (e.g. fluorimeter or bead based quantitation for concentration measurement for each sample recorded in WGS LIMS, and automated concentration adjustment if not bead based). d) Possible repeat of steps 3 and 4 above, with new concentration measurements and automated calculation of water quantities added for each well if fluorimeter based). e) Liquid handler for tagmentation (sample/well ID, plate identifier, time stamp, reagent batches, operators and instruments used). f) Liquid handler for Library amplification (sample/well ID, plate identifier, assignment of indices, time stamp, reagent batches, operators and instruments used) g) Liquid handler Library clean up (Beads) sample/well ID, plate identifier, time stamp, reagent batches, operators and instruments used) h) Liquid liquid handler Library quality check (Bioanalyzer/Tapestation - connected as needs to communicate with WGS LIMS re library quality) i) Liquid handler Normalise libraries (bead based or fluorimetric quantitation as above) j) Liquid handler for library pooling. k) Sample sheet generation for Sequencer

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN416990 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F1 - Prior Information 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 | 2 Jun 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 9 Jul 2021 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| 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 | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE COMMON SERVICES AGENCY (MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND) ("NSS") |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH12 9EB |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | Drum Brae/Gyle |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh South West |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48180000 - Medical software package
- 48814000 - Medical information systems
- 48814400 - Clinical information system

## Release History

- 2 Jun 2021 at 00:00 - Planning - OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN416990

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=JUN416990&idx=1
  22nd June 2021 - Please return competed Questionnaires to david.taggart@nhs.scot and copy in Nicole.semple@nhs.scot
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN416990
  Contract for sample tracking system for NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing Service - Software solution to track clinical samples through the end to end process of the NHS Scotland Whole Genome Sequencing from sample reception to sequencing raw data output. The system will be required at two sites, one in the east and one in the west of Scotland, and work across these as one. The solution will require track samples through multiple different laboratory instruments.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.nss.nhs.scot/browse/procurement-and-logistics
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=655501

## 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-r6ebe6-0000655501. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000655501.json.