Find a TenderPast planning noticePipeline notice
Published 26 Sept 2025, 10:43 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Primary Blood Bags, Ancillary Packs, Additive Solutions and Automated/Semi-Automated Blood Processing Technology

Official notice

Authority: NHS Blood and Transplant (Central government)

Framework agreementGoodsCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Sectors: Medical Devices & Pharma (33) Delivery listed: Ireland (IE)Ireland (IE0)New Zealand (NZ)
+4 moreUKWales (UKL)Scotland (UKM)Northern Ireland (UKN)
Planned pipeline value£950,833,333pipeline notice, not a live tender · 1 value update
Tender notice expected 1 Jul 2026from the planned procurement notice
Framework period 8 yrsends 31 Oct 2035 · starts 1 Nov 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This is a pipeline notice in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2024 and associated regulations and is for information only - it is NOT a call for competition.

Collaborating Blood Establishment / Participating Authorities "the Authorities":

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT),

Welsh Blood Service (WBS),

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS),

Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS),

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (ARCL);

New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS);

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is looking to establish a Framework Agreement for primary blood packs, ancillary blood processing packs, sample pouches, additive solutions and automated/semi-automated blood processing technology to commence in 2027.

The 8-year Open Framework Agreement ceiling value is £1,141,000,000, this being the maximum spend over the term.

The Framework will be between NHS Blood and Transplant and the awarded Suppliers. Call-off Contracts will be between the individual blood establishments and the Supplier.

The anticipated Lot Structure for this procurement is set out as follows:

Lot 1: Blood Packs

*Primary Whole Blood Collection

Lot 2: Ancillary Blood Processing Systems

*Ancillary Blood Processing Systems for component development

*Sample Pouch for Quality Monitoring of components

Lot 3: Additive Solutions

*For the suspension of pooled and apheresis platelets (Platelet Additive Solution)

*For the washing and re-suspension of ‘washed’ platelets

*For the washing and storage of red blood cells

Lot 4: Automated or Semi-Automatic Blood Processing

CPV: Blood bags

How this framework works

From the published notice
Framework period
8 yrs from 1 Nov 2027

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Planned 8 yrsSMEVCSE
Contract period: 1 Nov 2027 – 31 Oct 2035 (8 yrs)
Delivery listed: Ireland (IE), Ireland (IE0), New Zealand (NZ), UK, Wales, Scotland, Northern IrelandEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible

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
What this means for your bid
  • “Primary Blood Bags, Ancillary Packs, Additive Solutions and…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.

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
Past planning notice
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Who may use this agreement
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
26 Sept 2025, 10:43 BST
Last source update
31 Mar 2026, 14:59 BST
Authority reference
C389590
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-029809
Latest notice
Pipeline notice (UK1)
Classification (CPV)
Blood bags
Delivery area in notice
Ireland (IE)Ireland (IE0)New Zealand (NZ)UKWales (UKL)Scotland (UKM)Northern Ireland (UKN)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a2e4 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Appointment period ends
—

Timeline

26 Sept 2025 → 1 Nov 2027 · 5 dates
  1. Planning notice published400 days ago
    26 Sept 2025, 10:43 BST
  2. Market engagement354 days ago
    10 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT

    Ongoing Market Engagement:

    *Commercial Supplier RFI response to be sent to Authority by 22 January 2026 @17:00

    *Commercial Supplier Meetings - week commencing 2 Feb 2026

    *Outcome/Summary of Preliminary Market Engagement issued to Suppliers w/c 2 March 2026.

  3. Latest notice published214 days ago
    31 Mar 2026, 14:59 BST
  4. Tender notice expected121 days ago
    1 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Today
    31 Oct 2026
  6. Contract startsin 365 days
    1 Nov 2027

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 26 Sept 2025
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    26 Sept 2025, 10:43 BST
    UK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    16 Dec 2025, 09:04 GMT
    UK2
  3. Pipeline notice published
    31 Mar 2026, 14:59 BST
    UK1
  4. Published value updated to £950,833,333
    31 Mar 2026, 14:59 BST
    was £800,000,000
  5. Status changed to planned
    31 Mar 2026, 14:59 BST
Published amendments (1)

Updated to reflect ongoing market engagement activities, description of current approach, planned engagement activities and procurement timetable.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Pipeline notice
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NHS Blood and Transplant

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PDBY-6395-VWBP 500 North Bristol Park, Bristol, South West, BS34 7QHContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure