Purchase of Bio-containment Caging System

Tender description

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is looking to purchase a Bio-containment caging system for their Biological Services Division (BSD) at The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC). NIBSC is a global leader in the characterisation, standardisation and control of biological medicines. NIBSC plays a major role in assuring the quality of biological medicines worldwide through the provision of biological reference materials, by testing products and carrying out research. To fulfil this role the BSD requires the capability to house small rodents under ACDP Biological Containment Level 3 conditions when working with infectious agents. We are looking to obtain 1 small isolating caging system including an air handling unit. This equipment must protect the animals from external contaminants and cross contamination, provide protection to operators from infectious agents and enable several small studies to run simultaneously. This would, in turn, ensure accurate scientific results, prevent the need for repetition of experiments resulting from poor data or inadequate bio-containment and ultimately reduce the numbers of animals used. This solution would therefore meet the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures Act) 1986 and demonstrate the agency's commitment to the 3R's (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) framework for humane animal research. The purchase of this equipment would ensure the agency is able to continue its role supporting world class research at NIBSC.