Provision of an Official Veterinary Service for the Imported Food Office (LHR)

Tender description

The London Borough of Hillingdon (LBoH) is responsible for overseeing imported food and feed controls at its Imported Food Office (IFO) located at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The LBoH employ a number of officers to carry out import controls on products not of animal origin and fishery products arriving at LHR. The team are also responsible for issuing export certification for various products exiting the UK for destinations around the world. European Community legislation requires imports of Products of Animal Origin (POAO) to be introduced into the United Kingdom (UK) only via an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP). The BIP at LHR is an approved inspection facility for both products for human consumption and products not for human consumption. This BIP receives a variety of POAO including fishery products, meat and meat products, honey, blood products, semen and hunting trophies. The LBoH is looking for an OVS provider that can monitor the operations carried out at the BIP and carry out veterinary checks on the wide variety of POAO that arrive at LHR. Furthermore, when requested, assistance would be expected with the issuance of export certification. The supplier shall provide Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVS), each with current and ongoing membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, who will work exclusively at the Imported Food Office. The figures below provide an indication of the number of consignments examined by the OVS team for the previous three years: 1st January 2018 to 30th September 2018 = 2924 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2017 = 3845 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2016 = 4541 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2015 = 3296