Published date: 21 June 2023

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 5 July 2023, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Automated swab test kits - 38912000

Location of contract

SW1P 3HX

Value of contract

£400,000

Procurement reference

CF-1666900D0O000000rwimUAA

Published date

21 June 2023

Closing date

5 July 2023

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 August 2023

Contract end date

31 July 2026

Contract type

Supply contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is planning to award a contract via 2020/S 217-533940: UKHSA National Microbiology Framework Lot 1- Diagnostics to Medical Wire & Equipment CO. (Bath) Limited for the provision of liquid swabs for Kiestra automation for use in its Bristol Microbiology Laboratories. The consumables covered by this contract will include dry swabs, wood stick swabs, Transwab products (including swabs and mediums), VCM sigma swabs and Virocult swabs.

The swabs are integral for use our 'BD Kiestra' automation system, which is used for the processing of wound, STI and MRSA screening samples and subsequent identification of bacterial pathogens. Approximately 2000 swab samples are processed on the Kiestra system each day.

UKHSA believes that Medical Wire & Equipment CO. (Bath) Limited is the only supplier capable of providing the consumables we require for our critical screening services. Validation of the consumables took approximately 9 months to complete. During this time, extensive work was undertaken by BD engineers as part of the validation to ensure that the swabs were compatible with the complex automated parts of the Kiestra system, and MWE also modified the swab container lids to create a bespoke product that ensures perfect compatibility with the Kiestra robotics. The Kiestra system and MWE swabs are now perfectly configured to work in synergy without the risk of, for example, jamming swabs or dropping lids, which ensures an efficient and constant flow of samples through the laboratory.
If you have a solution which you believe could meet our requirements, please send a copy of your quote and information about the consumables you can provide to science.cph@ukhsa.gov.uk by no later than 12pm on 5th July 2023.

About the buyer

Contact name

Scientific Procurement

Address

Nobel House, 17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3HX
United Kingdom

Email

science.cph@ukhsa.gov.uk