Official UK procurement notice
Pathology Storage and Scanning Solutions Tender Notice
Authority: Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)·On behalf of: HealthTrust Europe LLP
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionHealthTrust Europe is seeking to establish a framework agreement with suitably qualified providers for the provision of pathology storage, scanning, and associated management solutions, as detailed within this contract notice. The framework will support Participating Authorities by offering comprehensive services for the storage, retrieval, management, and processing of pathology materials, associated records, and digital outputs.
The Framework Agreement will be structured into four Lots, each comprising core and, where applicable, optional requirements. Suppliers may bid for one or multiple Lots, including an aggregated offering.
Lot 1: Storage, Retrieval and Management of Pathology Samples
This Lot covers physical storage and lifecycle management of pathology materials and associated documentation. Core requirements include: physical storage and management of pathology samples and records; retrieval and transportation; inventory management; and destruction of pathology samples.
Optional requirements include: provision of consumables associated with storage, handling, and transport.
Lot 2: Pathology Slide Scanning Services and Solutions
This Lot focuses on the digitisation of pathology materials and the management of resulting digital assets. Core requirements include: offsite slide scanning services to generate Whole Slide Images; electronic retrieval of digital images; and physical retrieval and transport of pathology samples. Optional requirements include: inventory management; virtual storage solutions; image management systemsand ; provision of consumables; destruction of pathology samples; and deletion of digital images and associated records.
Lot 3: Specialised Stem Cell Storage
This Lot provides specialised storage services for stem cells requiring controlled environmental conditions. Core requirements include: compliant physical storage and management of stem cells and associated records; retrieval and transportation under appropriate conditions; inventory management; and destruction of stem cells.
Lot 4: Aggregated Lot
This Lot enables suppliers to offer a combined solution across two or more of Lots 1–3 under a single agreement.
CPV: Archiving services · Pathology services · Storage and retrieval services · Storage and warehousing services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Framework period
- 2 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 7 Sept 2026
- Scheme runs until
- 7 Sept 2034
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- 2% of call-off value · 2% across all lots.
Who may buy through it
The framework will be open to all UK contracting authorities as defined in Section 1 of the Procurement Act 2023. In particular, entities of a health and/or social care nature listed in the spreadsheet at www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classifi… ↗ are envisaged as users.
This includes each organisation’s successors, assigns, equivalents, and associated bodies formed through organisational changes. The framework is open to: any UK health/social care bodies; organisations with similar procurement needs; and UK central government authorities listed in Annex I of Directive 2014/24/EU, where still relevant under retained EU law and consistent with the Procurement Act 2023.
Published description of the framework
Suppliers will be ranked based on their technical and commercial scores at award stage of this Framework.
Call Off contracts will then be awarded via Direct Award or through further mini-competition with awarded suppliers under the applicable Lots. Specific technical and/or commercial elements will be awarded, scored and fed back on for all suppliers at framework award stage. Due to the unique nature of these services, they may align to a customers requirements in these areas. These unique requirements and service offerings will be differentiators at any call off stage, as well as any specific technical or commercial requirements presented by suppliers on the public sector landscape.
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value · same conditions of participation on every lot · same evaluation weights on every lotEvery one of these 2 lots carries the same published figure, £40,000,000: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Storage, Retrieval and Management of Pathology SamplesRenewalceiling above
Core requirements: Physical storage and management of Pathology Samples and associated records, retrieval of Pathology Samples and transportation, inventory management, destruction of Pathology Samples.
Optional requirements: provision of consumables associated with the Core requirements.
- Technical & professional ability
As per Attachment 1 "ITT Guidance - Framework - Pathology Storage and scanning Solutions" and PSQ requirements.
Lot #2Pathology Slide Scanning Services and SolutionsRenewalceiling above
Core requirements: Off Site Pathology slide scanning to generate Whole Slide Images, electronic retrieval services Whole Slide Images and retrieval of Pathology Samples and transportation.
Optional requirements: Physical storage and management of Pathology Samples and associated records, inventory management, Virtual Storage Solutions, Image Management Systems and AI solutions, provision of consumables associated with the Core requirements, destruction of Pathology Samples, deletion of Whole Slide Images and associated records.
- Technical & professional ability
As per Attachment 1 "ITT Guidance - Framework - Pathology Storage and scanning Solutions" and PSQ requirements.
Lot #3Specialised Stem Cell StorageRenewalPublished value£8,333,333
Core Requirements: Physical storage and management of stem cells in appropriate conditions and associated records, retrieval of stem cells and transportation in appropriate conditions, inventory management, destruction of stem cells.
- Technical & professional ability
As per Attachment 1 "ITT Guidance - Framework - Pathology Storage and scanning Solutions" and PSQ requirements.
Lot #4Aggregated LotRenewalPublished value£31,666,667
Aggregation of Lot option (1-3) is designed to accommodate suppliers who can offer more than one lot service provision, combining them under a single agreement. This approach ensures that the Participating Authorities have access to a variety of services either from a single supplier or a cooperative of suppliers, enhancing the convenience and adapting a solution to their needs.
- Technical & professional ability
As per Attachment 1 "ITT Guidance - Framework - Pathology Storage and scanning Solutions" and PSQ requirements.
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 (Including 10% Social Value): 70%
- Commercial: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical (Including 10% Social Value)
- Commercial
- Technical & professional ability
As per Attachment 1 "ITT Guidance - Framework - Pathology Storage and scanning Solutions" and PSQ requirements.
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Pathology Storage and Scanning Solutions Tender Notice” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use this agreement
- The framework will be open to all UK contracting authorities as defined in Section 1 of the Procurement Act 2023. In particular, entities of a health and/or social care nature listed in the spreadsheet at https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/economicstatisticsclassifications/introductiontoeconomicstatisticsclassifications are envisaged as users. This includes each organisation’s successors, assigns, equivalents, and associated bodies formed through organisational changes. The framework is open to: any UK health/social care bodies; organisations with similar procurement needs; and UK central government authorities listed in Annex I of Directive 2014/24/EU, where still relevant under retained EU law and consistent with the Procurement Act 2023. · open scheme: new suppliers can join during the term
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 6 May 2025, 12:01 BST
- Last source update
- 15 May 2026, 13:46 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 7 Aug 2026
- Authority reference
PR-4691- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-044925- Accelerated
- Qualifying planned procurement notice
- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-050cfdFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 18 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 8 Jun 2026, 15:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · 2% of call-off value · 2% across all lots.
Timeline
6 May 2025 → 7 Sept 2026 · 8 dates- Planning notice published6 May 2025, 12:01 BST
- Market engagement20 Jun 2025, 23:59 BST
HTE plans to conduct engagement through meetings/in-person discussions/telephone discussions with potential suppliers who are able to provide Slide Storage Services.
This engagement exercise aims to establish -
- A suitable procurement procedure and award criteria to align to the market;
- Specification development and understanding of solutions available in the market;
- Identify all potential suppliers of this requirement (including SMEs and VCSEs) and give them the opportunity to be awarded to the Framework;
- Understanding commercial structure that aligns to the market expectations and will meet the requirements of any Contracting Authorities; and
- Notifying the market and building capacity to prepare for the procurement and contract award.
Interested parties please reach out to Eman Majid ([email protected]) at HealthTrust Europe to schedule engagement meeting.
- Next notice expected350 days ago10 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Tender notice published165 days ago15 May 2026, 13:46 BST
- Clarification questions by141 days ago8 Jun 2026, 15:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends131 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown18 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by80 days ago7 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts50 days ago7 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
10 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 6 May 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published6 May 2025, 12:01 BSTUK2
- Pipeline notice published22 May 2025, 09:24 BSTUK1
- Status changed to planned22 May 2025, 09:24 BST
- Planned procurement notice published13 Oct 2025, 08:28 BSTUK3
- Procurement method changed13 Oct 2025, 08:28 BST
- Deadline published: 26 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT13 Oct 2025, 08:28 BST
- Tender notice published15 May 2026, 13:46 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £120,000,00015 May 2026, 13:46 BSTwas £100,000,000
- Status changed to active15 May 2026, 13:46 BST
- Deadline moved to 18 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST15 May 2026, 13:46 BST+204 days · was 26 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-05: 1 release · 6 May 2025
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- HealthTrust Europe LLPProcess contact pointProcuring entityOn 11th August 2021, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSE) published a contract notice for procurement partner services. HealthTrust Europe LLP (HTE) was selected to provide these services under the MSE Framework, including access to HTE's public sector frameworks. HTE is now conducting this procurement exercise as part of its services to the Customers under the MSE Framework.
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender