Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Great Maze Pond
London
SE1 9RT
UK
Contact person: Simone Gelinas
E-mail: s.gelinas@nhs.net
NUTS: UKI44
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.lpp.nhs.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.lpp.nhs.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme to Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC
Reference number: C395947 (Ref # 5940-26)
II.1.2) Main CPV code
33190000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
The delivery of a National NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme to a network of 30 NHS sites across the UK.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
7 010 966.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
33140000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKI44
Main site or place of performance:
Guys and St. Thomas Hospital
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Direct Award. The Trust has been granted funding from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with oversight delegated to the Office of Life Sciences (OLS), for the delivery of the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme, in which GSTT will lead the development of a national clinical metagenomics pilot service by deploying NHS developed laboratory, bioinformatic and clinical protocols along with ONT developed sequencing technology to a network of 30 NHS sites across the UK for the dual benefit of patient care and bio-surveillance. <br/>The contract period is for Three Years and will expire on 20th November 2028. The approximate lifetime value of the contract is <br/>The contract will be grant funded from the DSIT award to GSTT for the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Expansion Programme.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation
Direct award justification<br/>Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights<br/>In accordance with Section 41 and Schedule 5 of the PA23, this direct award is to be<br/>made on the grounds of absence of competition for technical reasons as the products and<br/>services are subject to patented technology by Oxford Nanpore Technologies PLC. <br/>It is unique in that it is the only sequencing technology available on the market that enables<br/>direct, real-time analysis of short to ultra-long fragments of DNA/RNA, in fully scalable<br/>formats. No other provider is able to supply equivalent goods or services.<br/>• Additional Information - The contracting authority has concluded that the conditions for a<br/>direct award are satisfied due to their being no alternatives and an absence of competition<br/>due to patent status of the required products and services. A Contract Award Notice<br/>(UK6) will be published following the expiry of the standstill period.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
21/11/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
05386273
Gosling Building Edmund Halley Road, Oxford Science Park
Oxfordshire
OX4 4DQ
UK
Telephone: +44 7879896025
NUTS: UKJ14
Internet address(es)
URL: http://nanoporetech.com
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
Lowest offer:
7 010 966.00
GBP
/ Highest offer:
7 010 966.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The Trust has been in contract with Oxford Nanopore for a period of 1 year as part of the pilot programme for delivery of an initial pilot metagenomics service at 9 NHS sites in 2024/25. <br/>A number of collaboration agreements have existed between GSTT and ONT prior to this, under which the two institutions developed the joint elements of our respective components of the end to end workflow.<br/>Given the requirement to continue the pilot arrangements and the continuation of the grant funding from DSIT and OLS, it was necessary to engage in direct negotiations with Oxford Nanopore. In addition, the technology under development is patented and GSTT are working in collaboration with Oxford Nanopore to continue to develop the protocols and undertake the research activity.<br/>Under PA23 there are 2 relevant provisions for a direct award for patented technology covered under section 41, Schedule 5. (1) “a supplier is in possession of IP and there are no reasonable alternatives…”and (2) “the absence of competition for technical reasons”, both sectioned under “Single Suppliers” where a particular supplier owns the intellectual rights and is the only supplier able to provide that product / service.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Great Maze Pond
London
SE1 9RT
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
02/12/2025