COVID-19 Wastewater Analysis

Tender description

Introduction 45. Scottish Government requires to procure biostatistical analysis on wastewater testing for COVID-19 and support comparing this to data from human Covid-19 testing. This is to support the local and national response to Covid-19, help the Scottish Government, health boards and local authorities understand what wastewater data says about levels of COVID-19 both locally and on a national scale. The contract is designed to start as soon as possible and run until the 30th September 2022. The work was proposed by the Chief Scientific Advisor for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, and will be funded through RESAS – Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services. There has been a tender on a competitive basis: View Notice - Public Contracts Scotland. Which was an open tender and comes to an end on 31st March 2022. This tender will take the handover from the one prior. Background & Context 46. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak ongoing biostatistical support is required to integrate human testing data for SARS-COV-2 with wastewater data from SEPA, refine analytical methodology and explain wastewater findings. This information is used as an independent resource to further understand national and local prevalence levels and support outbreak response decisions. Currently the contract is held by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS). Scope /Statement of Requirement 47. This contract will supply integrative statistical support for the use in COVID-19 modelling. It covers the cost of using consultants to integrate SEPA wastewater testing data for SARS-Cov-2 with human testing data, in order to support health boards, local authorities and Scottish Government understand localised risk and identify prevalence in the population of the Coronavirus. 48. The supplier will produce local and national level estimates of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence based on population surveillance through integrating water-based samples from SEPA and NHS testing data from humans. Due to the dynamics of the pandemic, the supplier will also provide bespoke analyses, outputs or explanatory text when required. This will then be made available to Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and the Directors of Public Health in each local authority.