Health services

Tender description

NHSBT have recently started a pilot undertaking the off-site sampling of potential donors, using third party vendors, to help identify suitable candidates for collection of convalescent plasma. There are plans to scale up the pilot to collect up to c7 500 units/week or up to c180 000 units over a period of 6 months. The off-site sampling pilot includes collecting samples in existing community-based healthcare facilities (e.g. pharmacies) and posting home antibody testing kits to potential donors. A collection from home service has been considered but is not being trialled as yet. It is anticipated that the results from the off-site sampling pilot will validate the value of the off-site sampling service. This PIN advises the market that NHSBT intends to run a tender process to engage partners to run the sampling process. Given the time pressure to scale collection and production of convalescent plasma, there is a need to seek external partners to support the collection of blood samples from potential plasma donors off-site, to test for SARs-COv-2 IgG antibody levels using a specific 3rd party test, and provide the results to NHSBT within an agreed timeframe. What we are looking for from a 3rd party provider. 1) Proven experience of coordinating logistics for obtaining blood samples: (a) at an existing community-based healthcare facility (such as a pharmacy); (b) via a postal home testing kit; (c) via a home collection service (to be validated) and transportation of samples to an approved testing site for processing; 2) Proven experience and expertise in the industry of testing blood samples using end-to-end CE marked sampling and testing methods; 3) Ability to test samples in accordance with in EI_2606-2G_A_UK_C01.docx Version: 2020-0430 - Anti-SARS-CoV-2-NCP ELISA. We will also consider the use of a similar antibody test that provides quantitative antibody titre level results (rather than simply positive or negative antibody results); 4) A digital service wrapper which would provide a secure means to share data (including patient data and test results), source and provide sms/email/postal integrations, a patient facing microsite to carry out pre-qualification, test type preference and data opt-in, a secure integration to enable test labs to record patient sampling results, a reporting dashboard with conversion insights, and integration with follow up donations and contact centre activities.