Blood bags

Tender description

This procurement is for the supply of a cord blood collection system which allows for the collection of human umbilical cord blood. The basic requirement is for collection system to enable a collection volume of up to 200 ml ± 10 % and maintain the quality of the cord blood and viability/functionality of the stem/progenitor cells until processing commences. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a special health authority in the NHS and is responsible for the provision of blood components and a range of associated laboratory and patient therapeutic services to hospitals in England and North Wales. The NHS Cord Blood Bank collects umbilical cord blood from five NHS hospitals located in and around London; and is the fourth largest internationally accredited cord blood bank in the world. Cord blood (i.e. blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following birth of a baby) is rich in stem cells and can be used to treat patients who are suffering from life threatening diseases, including malignancies, bone marrow failure, Haemoglobinopathies, Immunodeficiencies and metabolic disorders. This procurement is for the supply of a cord blood collection system which allows for the collection of human umbilical cord blood. The basic requirement is for collection system to enable a collection volume of up to 200 ml ± 10 % and maintain the quality of the cord blood and viability/functionality of the stem/progenitor cells until processing commences. The collection system must be in compliance to the standards/regulations (detailed below) and ensure on-going compliance with the latest versions when updated: (i) NetCord-FACT International Standards for Cord Blood Collection, Processing and Release for Administration. Fourth edition (2010). (ii) Human Tissue (Quality and Safety of Tissues and Cells for Human Application) Regulations 2007, as updated by Directions 003/2010. Please note that NHSBT is currently drafting the user requirement specification and the above is subject to change. Interested organisations are required to express their interest to michael.o'neill@nhsbt.nhs.uk including a brief overview/web link what might be offered to meet the requirements above. If you do not respond you aren’t excluded from taking part in the forthcoming tender. Further information (e.g the draft technical specification, award criteria, timescales etc) may be released, for consultation purposes only, to organisations who express an interest. However, all final documentation will be provided as part of the procurement exercise.