Blood analysis services

Tender description

As part of the UK Government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic it required a provider of laboratory testing services over and above those able to be supplied by NHS laboratories; four Lighthouse Labs were established across England and Scotland to meet this need. A provider of an analysis platform to support the Covid-19 testing services to be provided by the Lighthouse Labs was sought by way of an initial tender process which is currently subject to legal challenge; This Interim Contract is a short term stop gap measure pending resolution of the Court proceedings. An initial tender process was undertaken by Medicines Discovery Catapult Ltd (MDC) supported by UK Biocentre Ltd (UKBC) for a provider of an analysis platform to support the Covid-19 testing services to be provided by the lighthouse labs; the original award of a contract pursuant to that process was challenged by another provider, Diagnostics.AI Ltd, and remains subject to Court proceedings in the High Court (Claim No. HT-2020-000180) which are understood to be likely to be concluded by October 2020. As an interim and urgently needed solution in order to enable sufficient testing capacity to be available in the system in the UK during the pandemic it was agreed that MDC be permitted to enter into a short term (6 month) Interim Contract with UgenTec NV for these services, pending determination of the Court proceedings in England pursuant to the provisions of Reg 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The value of the services over the contract term (6 months) is expected to be in the region of EUR 840 000.