Published date: 7 August 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: 18 August 2023, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Blood analysis services - 85111810

Location of contract

CO4 3SQ

Value of contract

£900,000

Procurement reference

6d815278-1aa1-4448-a66a-48d9e862f2ce

Published date

7 August 2023

Closing date

18 August 2023

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

6 November 2023

Contract end date

5 May 2026

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Other

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION AND IS FOR SOFT MARKET TESTING PURPOSES ONLY. A FULL TENDER PROCEDURE WILL BE CONDUCTED IN FUTURE**

University of Essex is seeking to engage with a supplier to support our plans to analyse blood from members of a general population sample of the UK.
The basic requirements are that the supplier:

1. Receives a weekly secure data-flow from Kantar Public, containing the name, address, and a unique identifier of a participant of Understanding Society, who has agreed to have this information passed on.

2. Posts out a kit to eligible participants, with a unique barcode, to enable them to take a capillary blood sample, and to return it to the laboratory through the post. The recipients will be based across the UK. The outer packaging will have a clearly identifiable UN Hazard Logo (UN3373). The kit should contain everything needed to collect the capillary blood samples. It should also include instructions, a covering letter from the study, and the necessary packaging to return the sample through the post. The number of participants will vary each week, depending on uptake rates, but we estimate around 10,000 kits will be sent out across the 30 months of the project. Interviews numbers are higher in the first year of the project with a mop up period in the 3rd year. Given this, we estimate 950 kits may be required per month at the start of the project and only 60 in the last few months.

3. Analyses the blood to provide a range of analytes. Provides to industry standards, and provides information on the quality of the samples and results.

4. Uploads to a secure portal the results of the blood analysis connected to the unique identifier of the participant. Turnaround time between receiving the sample and uploading the results should be no longer than 2 weeks.

5. Aliquots and freezes blood for transfer to long term storage.

More information

Links

About the buyer

Contact name

Aston Baker

Address

University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park
, ,
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
UNITED KINGDOM

Telephone

01206 872779

Email

ab17001@essex.ac.uk