UK Biobank Ltd

1-2 Spectrum Way, Adswood

Stockport

SK3 0SA

UK

Contact person: Andrea Howard

Telephone: +44 1614755386

E-mail: andrea.howard@ukbiobank.ac.uk

NUTS: UKD3

Internet address(es)

Main address: http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA25607

II.1.1) Title

Reference number: UKBB010

II.1.2) Main CPV code

33141000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

II.1.4) Short description

UK Biobank (‘UKB’) is conducting a study of seroprevalence of Covid-19 in the population of up to 20 000 of its participants and their adult children and grandchildren (the ‘Study’). The study (which is funded for an initial period of 6 months by the Department of Health and Social Care) aims to collect blood samples from study participants each month for an initial period of 6 months and measure these samples to assess the extent of previous infection with the SARS CoV 2 coronavirus (by measuring blood antibodies) in different locations and age groups across the UK. In order to enable the Study, UKB needed a supplier to provide testing kits which could be mailed to study participants and safely returned to UKB’s laboratory in Cheadle before testing. There was an urgent need to secure supply of kits (which are globally in high demand) to enable the study to go ahead without delay. Med DX were identified as a supplier who were able to provide these kits to enable the Study to commence within the required urgent timeframe.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement

Value excluding VAT: 474 000.00  GBP

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition

Justification for selected award procedure:

Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the Directive

Explanation

UKB has relied on Regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to make a direct award due to extreme urgency. In relying on this ground UKB has considered the guidance set out in the Cabinet Office information note ‘Procurement Policy Note – Responding to Covid-19 Information Note PPN 01/20 (March 2020)’. The Covid-19 pandemic is so novel that the consequences were unforeseeable. Securing a supply of testing kits therefore became urgent given the current high global demand and limited supply, requiring UK Biobank to act with ‘extreme urgency’. Confirmation that the Study would be funded was only received on 23 April 2020. This urgency did not provide UKB with sufficient time to comply with the usual/accelerated timescales in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The urgency UKB is responding to could not have been foreseen and is not due to UKB’s delay in acting. Reliance on Regulation 32(2)(2)(c) was imperative to secure the commitment from a supplier as soon as possible as otherwise UKB could have lost the source of supply, resulting in the study being delayed. It was not practical to consider entering into a very short term supply contract whilst a competitive accelerated process was run for the remainder of the study as this would risk losing the source of future testing kits due to the very high global demand and limited supply.

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

MedDX

Unit 3, Skylon Place, Hursey Road

Rotherwas

HR2 6NX

UK

Telephone: +44 1432850910

NUTS: UKG11

Internet address(es)

URL: http://www.meddxsolutions.co.uk/

The contractor is an SME: Yes

VI.4.1) Review body