IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Tender description

NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) Health Board's Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has a requirement for a replacement Tissue and Cell Management System and related Services. The software will be a largely off-the-shelf application that has been built on a modern technical platform with the ability to respond and keep pace with changing regulatory and business requirements. The system should have a proven customer base and must have the ability to manage multiple tissues and diverse business rules. The contract will be for the provision of software and ongoing support and maintenance of the service. The supplier will be responsible for the installation, monitoring, repair and maintenance of the software. It is intended that software will be hosted and managed by NSS IT. However, NSS may consider other hosting solutions. The solution should have a development roadmap to support requirement changes and allow SNBTS to plan strategic system upgrades to support business development or take advantage of technological advances. Tissues and Cells Services is an operational department within SNBTS and is the preferred supplier of tissue products to NHS Scotland clinical users and cellular products to a number of clinical programmes. These products are obtained by either live or cadaveric donation following authorisation from the donor or donor family member as appropriate. The retrieved materials are further processed and manipulated prior to storage and distribution. All donors are tested for a range of microbiological markers. The products produced and processes used are regulated by the Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency and the Human Tissue Authority within the UK to ensure compliance at all stages of the process. A robust, safe and secure electronic tissue management system is necessary to control the linkage and identities between donors, testing, products and patients to ensure and maintain the ability to produce safe, clinical products that are clearly traceable at all stages of their lifespan following donation. The in-house developed Tissue System has reached the end of viable life. Continuation of system developments to introduce additional tissues or meet with new legislation and guidelines is no longer considered a viable option. A replacement system is required to ensure the on-going operations of Tissue and Cells Services within SNBTS and allow decommissioning of the legacy system. The system will require to integrate/ interface with existing and future SNBTS test analysers used to blood group or test for viruses and bacteria and other systems including, but not limited to, the Mak-System blood and clinical management systems, international tissue donor registers, various health board information systems and internal data management information systems. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) will establish an initial 7 (seven) year contract with a primary service provider with options for annual support extensions beyond the Initial Term.