Courier Services for Blood, Blood Products and Tissues

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a Special Health Authority in England, with responsibilities across the United Kingdom for organ donation and transplantation. Our core purpose is to ‘save and improve lives’ through the provision of a safe and reliable supply of blood components, solid organs, stem cells, tissues and related services to the NHS, and to the other UK Health Services where directed. <br/>In performing this essential activity, NHSBT engages with millions of people throughout the country and connects directly with more people daily than any other single part of the NHS. In addition to supplying the lifesaving products that are needed by NHS patients we are proud that our activities support the incredible altruism and generosity of our donors and bring communities together across the country. In these respects, NHSBT is unique.<br/>We operate supply chains that are similar in nature to those found in the private sector but with characteristics which can only be found in other Blood services in other countries across the world. As a result, comparing and benchmarking our effectiveness with other national services is a fundamental part of our strategic process. Our ambition is simple - to be demonstrably the best service of our type in the world.<br/>NHSBT is a complex organisation with several distinct strategic operating units that include:  <br/>• Blood Components - To deliver a modern, world-class blood service that provides a sustainable and dependable supply of blood components that meet all safety, quality, compliance and service standards as effectively as possible. <br/>• Plasma for medicine - (PFM) is an exciting new type of donation which helps saves the lives of around 17,000 people in England a year.<br/>• Organ Donation and Transplantation - To increase organ donation and transplantation rates across the UK and match world-class performance within the field. <br/>• Tissues - To develop an ‘NHS Tissues’ organisation, for the overall benefit of the NHS, that can meet the present and future needs of NHS patients. <br/>• Diagnostic Services - To ensure the clinically effective use of blood, organs and stem cells through the provision of high-quality diagnostic services. <br/>• Stem Cells - To work with partners across the UK in the provision of an efficient and effective source stem cells for the treatment of UK patients and development of innovative cell therapies for NHS patients. <br/>• Specialist Therapeutic Services - To become the NHS preferred provider of high quality, cost effective therapeutic apheresis services. <br/>The supply chain within NHSBT is described as from ‘vein to vein’. Blood components are collected from donors (approx. 1.5 million whole blood donors and 10,000 platelet donors) through approximately 25 static national collection centres (Clinics) (primarily for platelets) and approx. 60 mobile donor teams. They collect each day across the country which results in 25-30,000 sessions per annum where the donations need to be collected and returned NHSBT main sites for processing, The blood components flow through manufacturing, stock holding units (SHUs) and to hospital blood banks, who are NHSBT’s end customers. <br/><br/><br/>NHSBT is seeking to deliver significant efficiencies in the transportation of donated blood, blood products and associated services throughout the supply chain.  The requirements are for a 3rd party carrier provision that will support this objective. Additional information: Initial Period of contract is 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2027, with the option to extend for a further 2 year period.<br/>3 years (+ 2 Year extension) Total potential 5 Years.<br/>Total Contract Value represents the total value over the total potential 5 year period.