Laboratory services

Tender description

The medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency is in the process of reviewing the risk assessment associated with the use of UK plasma for the production of plasma derived medicines, including the production of hyperimmune immunoglobin (IG) for Covid-19 patients. NHSBT wishes to understand in more detail the implications for its processes and systems were NHSBT required to supply convalescent plasma for the production of Covid-19 hyperimmune IG, or to supply domestic UK plasma for the fractionation supply chain more widely. NHSBT is seeking a more detailed understanding of the current requirements on the part of both fractionators and regulators in order to plan appropriately, were it necessary to supply UK plasma for the production of plasma derived medicines. Should the outcome of the review result in NHSBT to be in a position to supply domestic UK plasma for the fractionation supply chain, then additional nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) testing could be required, specifically hepatitis A (HAV) and human parvovirus B19 (B19V). NHSBT would like to engage with the marketplace to understand if there are any establishments who would be able to undertake such volumes of work on their premises on behalf of NHSBT. This PIN is purely an information gathering exercise and is separate to any tender opportunity, its purpose is to consult the market to improve NHSBT’s knowledge and gauge market interest. NHSBT would require: • an annual volume of 1.4 million samples would require HAV and B19V testing. This may be by individual donation testing or by pools; • an ability to receive and test samples 5-6 days per week; • turnaround time of results would be 24 hours from receipt of samples. Results must be returned to NHSBT electronically via a data file expressions of interest should be e-mailed to rosalind.gill@nhsbt.nhs.uk by no later than 12.00 on Tuesday 29 September 2020. With your expression of interest, please include: • NAT testing platform; • assay details; • individual donation testing or testing of pools and pool sizes available; • details of proposed testing facilities (e.g. location and number of testing sites); • confirmation of your ability to meet the above criteria. If NHSBT wishes to tender for a contact, a further PIN and subsequent contract notice relating to a future tender will be submitted for publication. All interested parties should also respond to the future notices.