Defra Group Commercial

17 Nobel House

London

SW1P 3JR

UK

E-mail: melanie.swain@defra.gov.uk

NUTS: UK

Internet address(es)

Main address: www.defra.gov.uk

II.1.1) Title

Reference number: 28709

II.1.2) Main CPV code

85200000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

Provision of veterinary diagnostic and surveillance services, namely Post Mortem Examination (PME) (supported by laboratory testing), as part of an integrated network alongside the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA's) own PME sites (the Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs)), for farm animals in England and Wales.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement

Value excluding VAT: 1 250 000.00  GBP

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

It is APHA’s understanding that no reasonable or alternative substitute exists that could provide suitable service provision to meet the requirements of these contracts. Therefore, the justification is made under regulation 32.2 (b) (ii).

1) Expertise and Resource:

1.1 Providers' staff must be registered with RCVS and meet the following competencies:

(a) Competence and experience in large animal veterinary practice; specifically differential diagnosis for common disease presentations, disease investigation and diagnosis, including the ability to use multiple sources of information as part of these investigations;

(b) Competence and experience or qualification in gross pathology of Farm Animals;

(c) Knowledge of the most common diseases in Farm Animals, an awareness of the clinical signs and pathology of notifiable diseases and an ability to recognise new or re-emerging disease threats (NRT);

(d) Good knowledge of the farming industry in Great Britain;

1.2 Qualified veterinary surgeons are required to be available at all times of the working day so that Post Mortem Examinations (PME) are conducted for Private Veterinary Surgeons (PVS) within the required timescales. It is essential that sufficient qualified staff are available to cover other work priorities of the Provider's organisation.

1.3 Providers are expected to demonstrate capability of managing the risks associated with carrying out the services, including notifiable disease and NRT.

1.4 Providers are expected to conduct internal peer review audits of reports that ensure quality of service.

2) Facilities:

2.1 Providers' PME facilities are required to be either purpose-built or converted to function as a PME facility. The environment is required to support uncontaminated samples for bacteriology that will contribute to the surveillance for bacterial diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance, evidenced by successful isolation of bacteria from diagnostic samples taken at PME.

2.2 The facilities are required to be able to handle Carcases from multiple species, up to and including large adult bovines, and will be available to examine any Carcase material safely, particularly with regard to zoonotic infection.

2.3 The providers' facilities are required to have an onsite bio secure cold store or access to a bio secure cold store with sufficient capacity to facilitate storage of animals of at least 250kgs. Storage will have surfaces that are sealed and can be cleaned and disinfected. The store will be able to be locked if outside a secure area.

3) Standards and Regulations:

3.1 Significant assurance that key standards and regulations will be met and complied with are required for these services. These include:

(a) Biosecurity measures (equivalent of Defra and Welsh Government standards);

(b) Compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002;

(c) Removal, transport and disposal of carcases in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 and The Animal By-Product (Enforcement) Regulation;

(d) Access to UKAS accredited testing for the purpose of achieving a Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (VIDA) diagnosis;

(e) Percentage of carcase PMEs with a valid diagnostic VIDA code shall be 80 % (as a minimum);

(f) Evidence of facilities and working practices that are aligned to ABP biosecurity regulations.

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number in the OJ S:

2020/S 227-560743

Royal Veterinary College

Hawkshead Lane

North Mymms

AL9 7TA

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

University of Bristol

Langford

BS40 5DU

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

University of Surrey

School of Veterinary Medicine, Francis Crick Road

Guildford

GU2 7AQ

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

Wales Veterinary Science Centre/Iechyd Da

Y Buarth

Aberystwyth

SY23 1ND

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: Yes

SAC Commercial Ltd

Greycrook, St Boswells

Roxburghshire

TD6 0EQ

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

University of Liverpool

Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road Neston

Neston

CH64 7TE

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

University of Cambridge

Madingley Road

Cambridge

CB3 0ES

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

University of Nottingham

Sutton Bonington Campus

Sutton Bonington

LE12 5RD

UK

NUTS: UK

The contractor is an SME: No

VI.4.1) Review body

VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures