Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
The Common Services Agency (more commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland) ("NSS")
Gyle Square (NSS Head Office), 1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB
UK
Contact person: Gordon Dickson
Telephone: +44 1313145522
E-mail: gordon.dickson@nhs.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.nss.nhs.scot/browse/procurement-and-logistics
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA11883
I.1) Name and addresses
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
Belfast
BT9 7TS
UK
E-mail: roisin.mcdonald@hscni.net
NUTS: UKN06
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://nibts.hscni.net/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=
I.1) Name and addresses
Welsh Blood Service
Pontyclun
CF72 9WB
UK
E-mail: rachel.evans41@wales.nhs.uk
NUTS: UKL
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.welsh-blood.org.uk/#
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
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
Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) Managed Service
Reference number: NSS003724
II.1.2) Main CPV code
50421000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and Welsh Blood Service all require a fully integrated microbiology managed service system for NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing). This includes equipment, maintenance, consumables, spare parts, upgrades, training, clinical education material, remote diagnostics, reporting and supports all to deliver a final result to the Authority’s information management system. Mandatory assays include the ability to detect HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/serum samples from blood donors and HCV RNA, HIV RNA, HBV DNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/ serum samples from tissue and stem cell donors.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
7 300 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
50421000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and the Welsh Blood Service each require a fully integrated microbiology managed service system for NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing). This includes equipment, maintenance, consumables, spare parts, upgrades, training, clinical education material, remote diagnostics, reporting and supports all to deliver a final result to the Authority’s information management system. Mandatory assays include the ability to detect HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/serum samples from blood donors and HCV RNA, HIV RNA, HBV DNA, HEV RNA, B19V DNA and HAV RNA in plasma/ serum samples from tissue and stem cell donors.
The Authorities currently have the ability to detect Hepatitis C (HCV) ribonucleic acid (RNA), Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA and Hepatitis B (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors.
Tissue and stem cell donations may only be tested as individual donations for HCV RNA, HBV DNA, HIV RNA. SNBTS test various tissue and stem cell blood samples as singletons but do not carry out any testing on non-heart beating donations. An approximate indication of volumes for this testing is 1500 samples per annum.
The Authorities currently have the ability to detect Hepatitis E (HEV)) in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors. The successful Bidders system must be capable of detecting HEV RNA. (95% of donations will be tested in pools, 5% as ID NAT).
SNBTS currently have the ability to detect B19 DNA and HAV RNA in donations from blood, tissue and stem cell donors. If screening is performed in minipools, B19 testing must ensure that B19 DNA can be detected at a level that will ensure less than 104 IU/mL of B19V DNA in homogenous plasma pools.
WNV Testing is currently performed as a discretionary test by SNBTS and WBS and will possibly be introduced during the lifespan of the contract by NIBTS.
The routine screening period for WNV RNA commences each year on 1st May and ends 31st December however there is still a requirement to undertake a limited amount of screening in the intervening period. The requirements for WNV RNA testing are reviewed annually.
The Authorities uses a combination of Serum, EDTA plasma and EDTA gel collection tubes for all microbiological screening and the successful Bidders system must therefore be validated for both sample types.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 20
Price
/ Weighting:
80
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
The Authority shall be entitled, at its option, to continue this Agreement beyond the Initial Term for three (3) twelve (12) Contract Month periods subject to giving not less than nine (9) Contract Months’ notice to the Contractor.
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
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2024/S 000-034339
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: NSS03724
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
17/10/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
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: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Roche Diagnostics Ltd
Charles Avenue
Burgess Hill
RH15 9RY
UK
Telephone: +44 1444256000
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 7 300 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(SC Ref:808450)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Court of Session
Parliament House, Parliament Square
Edinburgh
EH1 1RQ
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
20/10/2025