Find a TenderAwarded
Published 2 Feb 2023, 16:22 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Pathology Service Joint Venture

Official notice

Authority: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)·Consortium: 2 public authorities

ServicesCompetitive dialogue
Published value£240,000,000published on the single lot · exc. VAT
Submissions closed 27 Nov 2023awarded 12 May 2025
Awarded to SYNLAB5 awards

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Trust has worked with a commercial partner in a joint venture (JV) arrangement to deliver a comprehensive pathology service for the last 10 years. Building on this knowledge and experience, the Trust was looking for a new partner that matches its ambitions.<br/>The initial term of the pathology service JVwill be for a period of fifteen (15) years with an option to extend by up to five (5) years.<br/>The Trust was looking for a partner that will;<br/>

  • Provide an exceptional, high-quality service that meets the specialist needs of a<br/>comprehensive cancer centre;<br/>
  • Provide investment for the provision of world class infrastructure;<br/>
  • Embrace the exciting opportunities presented with the co-location of a world leading<br/>oncology research centre; and<br/>
  • Provide expert guidance along with the creativity and drive to deliver a modern, thriving,<br/>truly exceptional pathology service for patients.

CPV: Blood analysis services · Hospital and related services · Pathology services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1The current pathology service provides routine and specialist pathology services with…AwardedRenewalPublished value£240,000,000

The current pathology service provides routine and specialist pathology services with c100 dedicated staff on The Christie Hospital site. The service includes translational biomarker development and supports the Trust’s ambitious Research and Innovation (R&I) programme and clinical trials portfolio.<br/><br/>Demand for testing is increasing year on year reflecting the Trust’s oncology case load. The Trust sought a JV pathology partner who is able to deliver the Trust’s strategic ambitions, including accommodation of projected testing growth demand and flexible options for the development of facilities, estate, technology, and changes in clinical pathways.<br/><br/>Vision<br/>To provide a world leading comprehensive pathology service that supports timely and highquality<br/>delivery of patient care - regionally and nationally - and develops an internationally recognised workforce who, with academic and industry partners, deliver a pioneering<br/>programme of research and innovation.<br/><br/>Principles/Objectives<br/>The Future Pathology Service should reflect the following principles/objectives:<br/><br/>

  • Safe, effective, and responsive to the diversity of patient and clinical needs and offers the specialist and integrated pathology services needed to support a regional tertiary cancer centre.<br/>
  • Delivery of a sustainable future pathology workforce<br/>
  • alignment with the Trust’s Vision and Values and the objectives of Greater Manchester Cancer.<br/>
  • Commitment to working as part of Greater Manchester ICS in the delivery of the Core20PLUS5 programme to support the reduction of health inequalities at both national and system level.<br/>
  • Enabled by a strong digital infrastructure and capability. Adopting digital opportunity and technology advances to deliver more efficient and scalable pathology services.<br/>
  • A service model that considers The Trust’s local, regional national and international partnerships, including engagement with the Greater Manchester Pathology Network to<br/>explore opportunities to support system requirements.<br/>
  • Delivered through a partnership that has a strategy for profitable growth through expanding test repertoire and customer base.<br/>
  • Builds upon the Trust’s reputation as an international leader in research and innovation, which is further strengthened by being a partner in the Manchester Cancer Research Centre<br/>(MCRC) and Health Innovation Manchester.<br/>
  • A service with capital investment to provide best in class facilities.<br/>
  • A service that has education at its core.<br/><br/>The Future Operating Model for Pathology must include:<br/><br/>
  • An end-to-end comprehensive pathology service<br/>
  • Blood sciences including haematology, blood transfusion, clinical biochemistry and immunoassay<br/>
  • On-site essential services laboratory to support time critical and pathway critical services<br/>
  • Histopathology (including immunohistochemistry and receptor analysis)<br/>
  • Stem Cell Laboratory<br/>
  • Point-of-Care Testing<br/>
  • A future-proof design with activity growth in service expectation factored in – including expansion of on-site and off-site facilities to meet projected demand;<br/>
  • An agile approach that can respond to evolving technology and operational requirements and provide improvements to the Trust Pathology Estate;<br/>
  • Training, Development and Education, Research and Innovation<br/>
  • Positive workplace culture<br/>
  • IT infrastructure and digital enablement (including Digital Histopathology)<br/>
  • Best in class equipment and instrumentation
Delivery: North West
Extensions: The proposed contract is to be let for an initial term of 180 months. There is also an option to extend the Contract by up to a further 60 months following the initial term.Second stage: up to 3 candidates invited to tenderVariant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids were scored
Quality: 60%Price: 30%Social value: 10%
Published sub-criteria (11)
  • Clinical / Operational: 13%
  • Quality and Safety: 5%
  • Implementation: 4.8%
  • Future-proofing: 4.8%
  • Research & Innovation: 4.2%
  • Workforce: 8%
  • I&MT: 8%
  • Strategy, Risk & Governance: 7.2%
  • Legal: 5%
  • price: 30%
  • Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (11)
  • Clinical / Operational: 13
  • Quality and Safety: 5
  • Implementation: 4.8
  • Future-proofing: 4.8
  • Research & Innovation: 4.2
  • Workforce: 8
  • I&MT: 8
  • Strategy, Risk & Governance: 7.2
  • Social Value: 10
  • Legal: 5
  • Price: 30
Conditions of participation1
  • Technical & professional ability

    Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession

Successive reduction
Candidates will be reduced successively across stages
What this means for your bid
  • 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 · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Competitive dialogue
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
2 Feb 2023, 16:22 GMT
Last source update
12 May 2025, 15:18 BST
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-020567
Classification (CPV)
Blood analysis servicesHospital and related servicesPathology services
Delivery area
North West (UKD)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03a281 Find a Tender

Publisher note: The proposed contract is to be let for an initial term of 180 months. There is also an option to extend the Contract by up to a further 60 months following the initial term.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Atamis legacy domain (health-family.force.com) · Who buys & how to bid on Atamis
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Legacy Salesforce domain still used in notices — use the current Atamis portal · this portal address is a legacy domain; the operator has migrated

Tender documents are also served through a separate tool: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome ↗

Submission deadline
27 Nov 2023, 16:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission","written"}
Accepted languages
en
Bid validity
360 days from the deadline
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

1 May 2023 → 12 May 2025 · 4 dates
  1. Next notice expected
    1 May 2023, 00:00 BST
  2. Submission deadline
    27 Nov 2023, 16:00 GMT
  3. Invitations to tender expected
    11 Dec 2023
  4. Notice published
    12 May 2025, 15:18 BST

Notice history

5 events · 8 releases on Find a Tender · since 26 Oct 2023
  1. Status changed to active
    26 Oct 2023, 16:22 BST
  2. Procurement method changed
    26 Oct 2023, 16:22 BST
  3. Deadline published: 27 Nov 2023, 16:00 GMT
    26 Oct 2023, 16:22 BST
  4. Buyer details updated
    26 Oct 2023, 16:22 BST
  5. Status changed to complete
    12 May 2025, 14:58 BST
Published amendments (1 · 0 deadline changes)
WhenWhatBeforeAfterShift
—TextDescription of the procurement · II.2.4The new partnership will need to provide the following: • A Blood Sciences Essential Services Laboratory (ESL) to achieve rapid turnaround time necessary for clinical pathways and patient flow, ideally on site to facilitate tight turnaround times, and; • Core Clinical Biochemistry, immunoassay and haematology testing within the ESL to be fully automated, enabling rapid turnaround of test results t…The new partnership will need to provide the following: • A Blood Sciences Essential Services Laboratory (ESL) to achieve rapid turnaround time necessary for clinical pathways and patient flow, ideally on site to facilitate tight turnaround times, and; • Core Clinical Biochemistry, immunoassay and haematology testing within the ESL to be fully automated, enabling rapid turnaround of test results t…

1 amendment published without a description.

Routine re-releases (8)
  • 2025-05: 2 releases · 12 May 2025, 12 May 2025
  • 2023-10: 1 release · 26 Oct 2023
  • 2023-02: 2 releases · 2 Feb 2023, 6 Feb 2023

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 5
Awarded value £200,000,0001 contract exc. VAT · 4 repeated publications of the same award counted once
Bids received 1
Contracts signed 5latest 12 May 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
SYNLABSME£200,000,000 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded
SYNLABSME£200,000,000 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded
SYNLABSME£200,000,000 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded
SYNLABSME£200,000,000 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded
SYNLABSME£200,000,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 020538-2025-1 · SYNLABSME

    Signed
    12 May 2025
    Value
    £200,000,000
    Status
    active
  • Contract 020539-2025-1 · SYNLABSME

    Signed
    12 May 2025
    Value
    £200,000,000
    Status
    active
  • Contract 020542-2025-1 · SYNLABSME

    Signed
    12 May 2025
    Value
    £200,000,000
    Status
    active
  • Contract 020560-2025-1 · SYNLABSME

    Signed
    12 May 2025
    Value
    £200,000,000
    Status
    active
  • Contract 020567-2025-1 · SYNLABSME

    Signed
    12 May 2025
    Value
    £200,000,000
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1bids · 1 electronic———

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentBody governed by public lawHealth The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, North West, M20 4BXContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • The High CourtReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • SYNLABAwarded supplier03216065 Francis House, 9 King's Head Yard, London., London, London, SE1 1NAContact email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria