Official UK procurement notice
Red Cell Genotyping (PA2023)
Authority: NHS Blood and Transplant (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) and Scottish National Blood Transfusion (SNBTS) Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI) departments are awarding a supplier of red cell genotyping methods.
The RCI laboratories in NHSBT and SNBTS provide a range of reference services to hospitals, focusing on ensuring safe and effective blood transfusions by diagnosing and managing complex issues related to red blood cells. For some patients, the red cell phenotype cannot be determined due to prior transfusion, treatment with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, or autoimmune conditions. For these patients, the selection of safe compatible blood for transfusion relies on red cell genotyping, a molecular method of determining blood groups. Blood is often required urgently with increased risk to the patient if this is not met. RCI reference services in NHSBT are provided from Barnsley, Birmingham, Colindale, Filton (Bristol), Liverpool, Newcastle, and Tooting. RCI reference services in SNBTS are provided from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, although red cell genotyping is only performed on the Glasgow site.
NHSBT and SNBTS have now completed a tender and shall award based on the following:
- Extended red cell genotype (blood groups).
- Weak and Partial Rh D.
- Either closed or open system.
- Processing batches, but also capable of processing smaller numbers with minimum wastage.
- Less than 24-hour TAT, including DNA extraction to results.
- Quality requirements (such as CE marked)
The framework shall be utilised by NHS Blood and Transplant, Welsh Blood Service,, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the Northern Ireland
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 27 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT.
- How the procedure runs: Stage 1 - Compliance with Specification Stage 2 - Validation
CPV: Medical equipments · Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- every call-off is a further competition among the appointed suppliers
- Places
- up to 2 suppliers · 4 bids received (2.0 per place) · 1 appointed
- Framework period
- 7 yrs from 1 Jul 2026, capital investment
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- N/A
Who may buy through it
The framework shall be utilised by NHS Blood and Transplant and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
Published description of the framework
Direct Award
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£2,000,000
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)
- Quality: 40%
- Cost: 60%
Published award criteria (2)
- Cost
- Quality
- Price carries 60 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 6 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Red Cell Genotyping (PA2023)” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 2 suppliers, not a single contract: each call-off is a further competition, so the pricing contest starts after appointment.
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
- Framework agreement
- Who may use the vehicle
- The framework shall be utilised by NHS Blood and Transplant and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 27 Feb 2026
- First published
- 22 May 2025, 15:42 BST
- Last source update
- 10 Jul 2026, 16:13 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Jan 2026
- Authority reference
C375232- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-045100- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-051ec0Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
30 days payment terms
- How it runs
Stage 1 - Compliance with Specification
Stage 2 - Validation
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 29 Aug 2025, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 21 Aug 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · N/A
Timeline
22 May 2025 → 10 Jul 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published22 May 2025, 15:42 BST
- Tender notice published1 Aug 2025, 10:51 BST
- Clarification questions by21 Aug 2025, 17:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown29 Aug 2025, 17:00 BST
- Next notice expected372 days ago8 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent316 days ago4 Dec 2025
- Standstill ends304 days ago15 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Award decision expected by287 days ago1 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts107 days ago1 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published98 days ago10 Jul 2026, 16:13 BST
Notice history
10 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 May 2025- Pipeline notice published22 May 2025, 15:42 BSTUK1
- Tender notice published1 Aug 2025, 10:51 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active1 Aug 2025, 10:51 BST
- Procurement method changed1 Aug 2025, 10:51 BST
- Deadline published: 29 Aug 2025, 17:00 BST1 Aug 2025, 10:51 BST
- Contract award notice published4 Dec 2025, 12:38 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete4 Dec 2025, 12:38 GMT
- Contract signature expected22 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Contract details notice published18 Feb 2026, 12:59 GMTUK7
- Contract details notice published10 Jul 2026, 16:13 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2025-08: 1 release · 1 Aug 2025
- 2025-05: 1 release · 22 May 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSSEX BIOLOGICALS LTDSMERed Cell Genotyping1 Feb 2026 – 31 Jan 2033 | £1,586,933 | 3 Dec 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Red Cell Genotyping
- Signed
- 1 Feb 2026
- Value
- £1,313,000
- Period
- 1 Feb 2026 – 31 Jan 2033
- Status
- active
Red Cell Genotyping · SUSSEX BIOLOGICALS LTDSME
- Signed
- 22 Jan 2026
- Value
- £1,585,933
- Period
- 1 Feb 2026 – 31 Jan 2033
- Status
- active
1 agreed KPI: Response Time Critical Equipment Failure
- Response Time Critical Equipment Failure, Cases logged with the supplier technical support team response within 3 hours (Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00)
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4final-stage tenders | 2 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
1 commercial party on the notice- Sussex Biological LimitedFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- 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
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender