Official UK procurement notice
Appt. of a Contract Manufacturing Organisation for Production of DST-F to GMP
Authority: ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY (Defra Network eTendering Portal)·On behalf of: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionA Contract Manufacturing Organisation (CMO) certified to EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards is required to work in partnership with the Authority to achieve UK Marketing Authorisation (MA) and, thereafter, for scaled up production of the DST-F product, a diagnostic skin test to Detect Infected among Vaccinated Animals (DIVA). This will involve the technology transfer of the research grade product from the current non-GMP provider and the production of consistency batches.
- Not divided into lots: Dividing the contract into separate lots has been considered not feasible due to the highly integrated nature of the required services, which include technology transfer, manufacturing, production of consistency batches, quality assurance and control, and regulatory support during the Marketing Authorisation submission process. Fragmentation would introduce significant coordination challenges, increase the risk of quality inconsistency, and complicate the management of interdependent activities. A single-source award is commercially more attractive, offering streamlined delivery, operational efficiency, and clear accountability across all stages of product development and supply.
- How the procedure runs: This procurement is being conducted as a Competitive Flexible Procedure in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Completion and submission of all documents will be conducted via the Authority's eSourcing system. As outlined in 'Part 2 - Procurement Specific Requirements of the Bidder Pack', the Authority reserves the right to conduct negotiations with all participating Tenderers following the completion of Stage 1 - Initial Tender Evaluation. However, Tenderers are strongly advised not to rely on the optional negotiation phase to clarify or introduce critical elements of their submission. Important Notice to Tenderers Initial tender submissions must be clear, complete, and comprehensive, including all relevant information, assumptions, and pricing. The Authority may choose not to proceed to the negotiation stage, and therefore, Tenderers should submit their best possible offer in the first instance. Stage 1 - Initial Tender Stage 1. Procurement Specific Questionnaire- Tenderers must complete a set of questions to enable the Authority to verify core supplier information, exclusions, and debarment status. Responses will be assessed to ensure compliance with all mandatory and discretionary requirements. 2. Conditions of Participation - Responses will be evaluated to confirm that Tenderers meet the minimum capability thresholds. Tenderers failing to meet the minimum capability requirement will be excluded from the procurement process. 3. Tender Evaluation - All compliant tenders will be evaluated in accordance with the scoring methodology detailed in this document and within the Authority's eSourcing platform. Stage 2 - Negotiation Stage (Optional) If the Authority elects to proceed with negotiations: • Tenderers will receive Initial Assessment Summaries, providing high-level feedback on their submissions. • The Authority will issue negotiation details and agenda. • Negotiations will be strictly limited to the topics specified in the Bidder Pack. Stage 3 - Final Tender Stage 1. Invitation to Submit Final Tenders - Following the conclusion of negotiations, Tenderers will be invited to submit their Final Tenders. 2. Clarification Period - A five (5) working day window from date of Invitation to Submit Final Tender will be provided for written clarification questions via Atamis. 3. Final Submission Window - Tenderers will have fourteen (14) working days to resubmit their final tender via Atamis. 4. Final Evaluation - Final tenders will be evaluated using the same Award Criteria. Technical and commercial scores will be combined to determine the Most Advantageous Tender. Tie-Breaker Procedure - In the event of a tie in total scores following evaluation of the Final Tenders, the Authority will apply a tie-breaker to award the contract. This process will only apply to the Tenderers who have the highest overall scoring tenders and will be applied in this listed order; 1) The Tenderer who gained the higher score for E01 'GMP Compliance' will be awarded the contract. 2) If the tie still endures after step 1 the Tenderer who gained the higher commercial score will be awarded the contract.
CPV: Pharmaceutical products
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£9,786,429
- Economic & financial standing
As set out in the Bidder Pack.
- Technical & professional ability
As set out in the Bidder Pack.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Technical: 70%
- Commercial: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical: As set out in the Bidder Pack.
- Commercial: As set out in the Bidder Pack.
- Economic & financial standing
As set out in the Bidder Pack.
- Technical & professional ability
As set out in the Bidder Pack.
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 2 Jun 2025, 14:52 BST
- Last source update
- 9 Jun 2026, 17:25 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Apr 2026
- Authority reference
C30459- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-072500- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-052ac4Find a Tender
- How it runs
This procurement is being conducted as a Competitive Flexible Procedure in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Completion and submission of all documents will be conducted via the Authority's eSourcing system.
As outlined in 'Part 2 - Procurement Specific Requirements of the Bidder Pack', the Authority reserves the right to conduct negotiations with all participating Tenderers following the completion of Stage 1 - Initial Tender Evaluation. However, Tenderers are strongly advised not to rely on the optional negotiation phase to clarify or introduce critical elements of their submission.
Important Notice to Tenderers
Initial tender submissions must be clear, complete, and comprehensive, including all relevant information, assumptions, and pricing. The Authority may choose not to proceed to the negotiation stage, and therefore, Tenderers should submit their best possible offer in the first instance.
Stage 1 - Initial Tender Stage
- Procurement Specific Questionnaire-
Tenderers must complete a set of questions to enable the Authority to verify core supplier information, exclusions, and debarment status. Responses will be assessed to ensure compliance with all mandatory and discretionary requirements.
- Conditions of Participation -
Responses will be evaluated to confirm that Tenderers meet the minimum capability thresholds. Tenderers failing to meet the minimum capability requirement will be excluded from the procurement process.
- Tender Evaluation -
All compliant tenders will be evaluated in accordance with the scoring methodology detailed in this document and within the Authority's eSourcing platform.
Stage 2 - Negotiation Stage (Optional)
If the Authority elects to proceed with negotiations:
- Tenderers will receive Initial Assessment Summaries, providing high-level feedback on their submissions.
- The Authority will issue negotiation details and agenda.
- Negotiations will be strictly limited to the topics specified in the Bidder Pack.
Stage 3 - Final Tender Stage
- Invitation to Submit Final Tenders -
Following the conclusion of negotiations, Tenderers will be invited to submit their Final Tenders.
- Clarification Period -
A five (5) working day window from date of Invitation to Submit Final Tender will be provided for written clarification questions via Atamis.
- Final Submission Window -
Tenderers will have fourteen (14) working days to resubmit their final tender via Atamis.
- Final Evaluation -
Final tenders will be evaluated using the same Award Criteria.
Technical and commercial scores will be combined to determine the Most Advantageous Tender.
Tie-Breaker Procedure -
In the event of a tie in total scores following evaluation of the Final Tenders, the Authority will apply a tie-breaker to award the contract. This process will only apply to the Tenderers who have the highest overall scoring tenders and will be applied in this listed order;
- The Tenderer who gained the higher score for E01 'GMP Compliance' will be awarded the contract.
- If the tie still endures after step 1 the Tenderer who gained the higher commercial score will be awarded the contract.
- Risks
Regulatory Risks
- Marketing Authorisation Refusal for the Cattle BCG Vaccine;
The Contracting Authority has submitted a Marketing Authorisation (MA) application to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for the Cattle BCG Vaccine, which is complementary to the DST-F reagent.
Likelihood: Medium
This may result in the deployment of DST-F being significantly delayed or no longer required.
- Marketing Authorisation Refusal for DST-F reagent;
Risk that the Marketing Authorisation is refused
Likelihood: Medium
This could impact contract viability and deployment timelines .
Policy and Political Risks
- Change in TB policy during contract term
Likelihood: Low
This may affect DST-F demand and contract scope
- Impact of Government Spending Review (2026/27 onwards)
Likelihood: Medium
This could affect affordability and budget availability
- Farm Trial Specificity Below Expectations
- Farm trials may indicate that product specificity is lower than expected. This would not constitute trial failure, but significantly low specificity would require the Authority to undertake a model reassessment and root cause analysis.
Likelihood: Low
This could affect the contract deployment timelines.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 12 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 15 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 15 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome ↗
Any questions, requests to participate or tender submissions must be submitted electronically via this portal.
If you need technical help with the Atamis system, either when registering, or when completing a tender, please contact the Atamis support team e-mail [email protected] or phone Tel: 029 2279 0052.
Timeline
2 Jun 2025 → 9 Jun 2026 · 12 dates- Planning notice published2 Jun 2025, 14:52 BST
- Market engagement16 Jul 2025, 23:59 BST
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on behalf of Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) wishes to inform potential suppliers of an upcoming procurement opportunity and to invite them to participate in early market engagement. The market engagement will consist of; 1. virtual Supplier Briefing Presentation, 2. the issuance of Information pack and Market Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ) and 3. 1:1 Supplier Feedback Sessions to discuss the information provided in the MEQ and further understand supplier capabilities with regard to this requirement. It is important to note that this is not a call for competition. Overview of Requirements: Defra is seeking to appoint a Contract Manufacturing Organisation who will work in partnership with the Authority to achieve UK Marketing Authorisation of the Diva Skin Test – Fusion (DST-F) and, thereafter scale up production for its supply. The services will include:
- Technical transfer of the DST-F product
- Production of consistency batches
- Support the Authority’s Marketing Authorisation submission
- Commercial manufacture and supply of DST-F to UK upon successfully obtaining Marketing Authorisation
- Prospective supply to rest of the world, subject to relevant marketing authorisations being achieved Supplier Briefing Presentation: We now invite potential suppliers to a briefing presentation, where we will provide a detailed overview of our requirements and the intended procurement process. This event will be an opportunity for suppliers to gain a better understanding of our needs and to engage with our team. Date: Friday 27th of June 2025 Time: 10:00am Location: Virtual Meeting via the Microsoft Teams Platform How to Participate: Interested suppliers are invited to register their interest in this opportunity via email to: [email protected] using the email title, ‘Contract Manufacturing Organisation for Production of DST-F to GMP Standards - Interested Supplier’. Upon registration, suppliers will receive further details about the Supplier Briefing Presentation Day. Please include the following information in your email:
- Company name
- Contact details – email address, preferred person to contact, role or position in company, telephone number
- Confirm whether you are a GMP manufacturer or not Information Pack and Market Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ): Shortly following the Supplier Briefing Presentation, we will issue an Information document and a Market Engagement Questionnaire to suppliers that registered interest. The purpose of this is to provide suppliers with the information of the upcoming procurement opportunity and invite them to:
- Provide feedback on Scope/Requirements
- Provide feedback on the Commercial approach
- Provide feedback on the proposed Terms and Conditions
- Provide input into the procurement process Please note due to the sensitive nature of the requirement, all interested suppliers will be required to sign and return an Authority provided Non-Disclosure Agreement in order to participate. The documents are designed to gather valuable input from interested suppliers to inform our procurement strategy and requirements. Timeline:
- Early Market Engagement Publication: Friday 6th June 2025
- Registration Deadline: 3pm on Tuesday 24th June 2025
- Supplier Briefing Presentation: Friday 27th June 2025
- Information Pack and MEQ Issuance: Monday 30th June 2025
- MEQ Submission Deadline: 3pm Monday 14th July 2025
- 1:1 Supplier Feedback Sessions: Wednesday 16th July 2025 Contact Information: For any queries related to this procurement, please contact: Name: Olubunmi Akinmade Position: Senior Commercial Officer Email: [email protected] Thank you for your interest.
- Next notice expected380 days ago6 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published345 days ago10 Nov 2025, 15:17 GMT
- Expressions of interest by343 days ago12 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification questions by310 days ago15 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline310 days ago15 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Assessment summaries sent211 days ago25 Mar 2026
- Award decision expected by203 days ago1 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Standstill ends197 days ago7 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts185 days ago20 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published134 days ago9 Jun 2026, 17:25 BST
Notice history
16 events · 8 releases on Find a Tender · since 2 Jun 2025- Pipeline notice published2 Jun 2025, 14:52 BSTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published6 Jun 2025, 12:35 BSTUK2
- Planned procurement notice published5 Sept 2025, 16:16 BSTUK3
- Published value updated to £9,786,4295 Sept 2025, 16:16 BSTwas £9,999,999
- Procurement method changed5 Sept 2025, 16:16 BST
- Planned procurement notice published5 Sept 2025, 16:28 BSTUK3
- Procurement method changed5 Sept 2025, 16:28 BST
- Deadline published: 12 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT5 Sept 2025, 16:28 BST
- Tender notice published10 Nov 2025, 15:17 GMTUK4
- Status changed to active10 Nov 2025, 15:17 GMT
- Deadline moved to 15 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT10 Nov 2025, 15:17 GMT+33 days · was 12 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
- Tender notice published13 Nov 2025, 12:39 GMTUK4
- Contract award notice published25 Mar 2026, 12:54 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete25 Mar 2026, 12:54 GMT
- Contract signature expected10 Apr 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published9 Jun 2026, 17:25 BSTUK7
Published amendments (2)
Submission Type : Tender not Requests to Participate
Estimated extension end date updated.
Routine re-releases (8)
- 2025-11: 1 release · 10 Nov 2025
- 2025-09: 2 releases · 5 Sept 2025, 5 Sept 2025
- 2025-06: 2 releases · 2 Jun 2025, 6 Jun 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Prionic Lelystad B.VAppt. of a Contract Manufacturing Organisation for Production of DST-F to GMP Standard20 Apr 2026 – 19 Apr 2033 · up to 19 Apr 2035Extensions: The Contracting Authority may extend the Contract by up to 24 months in 12‑month increments, with six months’ written notice. All terms remain unchanged unless agreed otherwise in writing. · Options: The Authority may grant the Supplier license DST‑F for Rest‑of‑World supply, expand services for extra Marketing Authorisation applications outside Great Britain, and increase DST‑F volumes if policy or budget changes. | £27,677,784same award published again · counted once | 24 Mar 2026standstill to 7 Apr 2026 | Standstill |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Prionic Lelystad B.V | £27,677,784 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Appt. of a Contract Manufacturing Organisation for Production of DST-F to GMP · Thermo Fisher Scientific Prionic Lelystad B.V
- Signed
- 5 Jun 2026
- Value
- £27,677,784
- Period
- 8 Jun 2026 – 7 Jun 2033 · up to 7 Jun 2035 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The Contracting Authority may extend the Contract by up to 24 months in 12‑month increments, with six months’ written notice. All terms remain unchanged unless agreed otherwise in writing.
- Options
- The Authority may grant the Supplier license DST‑F for Rest‑of‑World supply, expand services for extra Marketing Authorisation applications outside Great Britain, and increase DST‑F volumes if policy or budget changes.
3 agreed KPIs: KPI 1.2 - Project Delivery · KPI 1.4 - Consistency batches · KPI 1.5 - Marketing Authorisation Submission
- KPI 1.2 - Project Delivery, Project Management of technology transfer work including liaison with the Buyer (APHA) and Lionex. Regular reporting ensuring progress against milestones.
- KPI 1.4 - Consistency batches, Provision of 3 consistency batches and related quality processes i.e. bioassay. All batches received as detailed in planning timescale in the Project Plan
- KPI 1.5 - Marketing Authorisation Submission, Provision of required part 2 information for MA submission by the agreed delivery dates in Project Plan. Documentation as defined and within timescale agreed further to 1.4.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonThermo Fisher Scientific Prionic Lelystad B.V.
- did not winPirbright Innovations Limited · South East England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRSBeneficiary authority
- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRSProcess contact pointProcuring entityConducting the procurement exercise on behalf of Animal and Plant Health Agency
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- Pirbright Innovations LimitedBidder / tenderer
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Prionic Lelystad B.V.Awarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (9)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Signed contract Redacted contract
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender