Official UK procurement notice
Standalone Non-Imaging Vibration-Controlled Ultrasound System
Authority: SUPPLY CHAIN COORDINATION LIMITED (Public body)·Consortium: 2 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNHS Supply Chain intends to launch a National Framework Agreement for the provision of Ultrasound System to Quantify Liver and or Spleen Stiffness and Measure Liver Steatosis that includes the following:
- The ability to measure liver stiffness to quantify fibrosis and cirrhosis.
- The ability to measure fatty liver to quantify steatosis non-invasively.
- The functionality of Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) technology.
- The ability to allow any clinical practitioners to use the system rather than a trained sonographer only.
For the avoidance of doubt consumables will only be in scope of the proposed Framework if purchased alongside the types of equipment, as stated in any subsequent specification.
Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of £17,500,000 in the first year of this Framework Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Framework Agreement. The estimated value over the total Framework Agreement term (including any extension options) is anticipated to be in the region of £35,000,000.
NHS Supply Chain engaged with suppliers that can provide a Standalone Non-Imaging Vibration-Controlled Ultrasound System to Quantify Liver and or Spleen Stiffness and Measure Liver Steatosis. The PIN 2024/S 000-039307 intended to identify such providers with a view to ultimately align this solution within the scope of Endoscopy and Ultrasound Framework which is due for renewal in November 2026. Suppliers capable of delivering such a solution were invited to submit proposals to provide a route to market that enables access for the NHS during the interim period until the award of the new framework on 2nd November 2026.
CPV: Medical equipments
How this framework works
From the published notice- Bids received
- 1 bids received · 1 suppliers appointed
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Following the publication of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) NHS Supply Chain is…Awarded
Following the publication of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) NHS Supply Chain is entering into a Framework Agreement for the provision of a Standalone Non-Imaging Vibration-Controlled Ultrasound System to Quantify Liver and or Spleen Stiffness and Measure Liver Steatosis that includes the following:
- The ability to measure liver stiffness to quantify fibrosis and cirrhosis.
- The ability to measure fatty liver to quantify steatosis non-invasively.
- The functionality of Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) technology.
- The ability to allow any clinical practitioners to use the system rather than a trained sonographer only.
NHS Supply Chain intends to enter into a Framework Agreement with 1 available supplier. The term of this Framework Agreement is anticipated to be up to the end date of 10 November 2026, will the option to extend for up to 12 months.
The Framework Agreement will be between NHS Supply Chain and the Supplier, however 1) NHSSC, 2) any NHS Trust; 3) any other NHS entity; 4) any government department, agency or other statutory body and/or 5) any private sector entity active in the UK healthcare sector will be able to enter into a direct contract with the Supplier for any of the supplies and/or services under the Framework. Electronic ordering will be used and electronic invoicing will be accepted and electronic payment will be used. For the avoidance of doubt and
notwithstanding the estimate indicated at II.1.7, NHSSC does not guarantee any level of purchase through the framework. Any agreement entered will be considered a contract made in England according to English law and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- 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
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 5 Dec 2024, 16:09 GMT
- Last source update
- 28 Jul 2025, 12:23 BST
- Authority reference
Project_1490- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-043420- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04c2b8Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
There was only 1 supplier in the market that met all the requirements following the publication of a PIN.
- Review procedure
Appeals to be logged in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended)
Publisher note: NHS Supply Chain have a mandate from DHSC to drive the availability of innovative products to the NHS. NHS Supply Chain believe the product sourced by this contract (which is not covered by any of its current Framework Agreements) falls within this remit as a “disruptive” innovative product and has been identified to provide enhanced patient benefits. This product will be utilised within the community allow more people to be accurately diagnosed with liver fibrosis and cirrhosis due to an increase in people either attending a scan at their GP surgery or because the system will be available “on the road” which may reduce health inequalities for people from disadvantaged or high-risk communities. The aim to bring liver scanning into GP settings also decreases the amount of in hospital needed care. This will proactively stop further hospital appointments and ultimately any long-term hospitalisation. There will also be a reduction in initial referrals and assessment appointments with hepatology allowing providers to use resources more efficiently. NHS Supply Chain intends to enter into a Framework Agreement (FAG) with an identified supplier of these products/services alongside the existing framework previously mentioned in ‘II.1.4) short description’ above) following a 10 calendar day publication of this notice should there only be only 1 available supplier using procedure 'Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition' as the procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Public Contracts Regulations. The Term of this Framework Agreement is anticipated to be 22 months. As part of its strategy, NHSSC anticipates engaging with suppliers of these products/services with a view to ultimately align this solution within the scope of Endoscopy and Ultrasound framework, which is due for renewal in November 2026. The Framework Agreement will be between NHS Supply Chain and the Supplier, however 1) NHSSC, 2) any NHS Trust; 3) any other NHS entity; 4) any government department, agency or other statutory body and/or 5) any private sector entity active in the UK healthcare sector will be able to enter into a direct contract with the Supplier for any of the supplies and/or services under the Framework. Electronic ordering will be used and electronic invoicing will be accepted and electronic payment will be used. For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding the estimate indicated at II.1.7, NHSSC does not guarantee any level of purchase through the framework. Any agreement entered will be considered a contract made in England according to English law and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- —
Timeline
28 Jul 2025 → 2 Nov 2026 · 2 dates- Notice published28 Jul 2025, 12:23 BST
- Today28 Oct 2026
- Next notice expectedin 4 days2 Nov 2026
Notice history
3 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 21 Feb 2025- Status changed to complete21 Feb 2025, 16:58 GMT
- Procurement method changed21 Feb 2025, 16:58 GMT
- Buyer details updated28 Jul 2025, 12:23 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast2 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
All 2 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £35,000,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Standalone Non-Imaging Vibration-Controlled Ultrasound System
- Signed
- 20 May 2025
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Contract 007019-2025-1
- Signed
- 21 Feb 2025
- Value
- ceiling above
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids · 1 electronic | 1 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- NHS Supply ChainContracting authorityNational or federal agency/officeHealth
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Not ApplicableReview body
- n/aReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
2 commercial parties on the notice- Echosens UK LimitedFramework contractor
- Echosens UK LimitedFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.