715975483 Transparency Notice UK5
Awarded
Key facts
- Closing date
- Not stated by the buyer
- Buyer's estimated value
- Not stated The buyer's own estimate, not income to you.
- Procedure
- Direct award
- Notice type
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Suitable for SMEs (per buyer)
- Yes
Decision brief
Taken from the buyer's published notice (shown as written, shortened where long). Tenderpatch has not added to or interpreted it. Always read the official documents before bidding.
- How bids will be scored
- Not stated in the notice.
- Conditions of participation (what you must show)
- None published in the notice. They may be in the tender documents.
- Contract length and extensions
- Period not stated.
- How to submit
- Not stated in the notice.
- Tender documents
- No document links in the notice. Use the official notice link.
New to public tenders? Plain-English guide to this page
- Framework
- An agreement that sets terms for work the buyer may order later, often from several suppliers. The value shown usually covers the whole agreement, not one job.
- Open for bids / closing date
- You must submit by the closing date and time, normally through the buyer's own online portal. Late bids are normally refused.
- Clarification questions
- A deadline for asking the buyer questions about the tender. It is earlier than the closing date.
- Conditions of participation
- What the buyer asks suppliers to show before they can be considered, such as experience, insurance or accreditations.
- Bids are scored on
- How the buyer will compare bids, usually a split between price and quality. A 60/40 split in favour of quality means the cheapest bid will not necessarily win.
- Lots
- A tender can be split into parts. You can often bid for only the lots that suit you.
- Area (ITL)
- The buyer names an official statistical area for where the work is, not a street address. Check the tender documents for the actual sites.
- UK4 and other notice codes
- Official codes for the type of notice. A "tender notice" means bids are being invited.
General explanations written by Tenderpatch, not part of this notice.
Description
The Counter CBRN Delivery Team, part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), intends to award a contract to BBI Solutions for the continued manufacture and supply of the currently fielded Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs). The contract will be for a period of 4 years followed by two one-year option years. The value of the contract including the option years will be approximately £41M excluding VAT. The contract will provide continuity of supply whilst the Authority undertakes and completes a full open commercial competition for the longer-term provision of this capability.
The LFDs form a critical component of the MOD's biological detection and identification capability and are employed to support operational readiness and defence outputs. Any interruption to the manufacture and supply of these devices would present a significant risk to capability availability, training activities, stock sustainment and operational preparedness.
It is considered that the direct award of this interim contract is lawful in accordance with Section 41(1) of the Procurement Act 2023 and Schedule 5 for technical reasons. BBI is currently the sole organisation possessing the necessary technical knowledge, manufacturing processes, quality assurance arrangements, validated production methods, intellectual property, specialist reagents and approved supply chain required to produce the extant LFDs to the required specification.
The existing LFD design, manufacturing process and associated technical data have been developed, qualified and proven through BBI's established production arrangements. Transitioning manufacture to an alternative supplier before completion of a competitive procurement activity would necessitate technology transfer, revalidation of manufacturing processes, qualification testing, quality assurance approvals and regulatory assurance activities. These activities cannot be completed within the timescales required to maintain uninterrupted supply.
The Authority has determined that no reasonable alternative exists that could provide the required products in the necessary timeframe, quality standard and technical configuration without generating disproportionate technical, schedule and operational risk. Consequently, BBI is presently the only supplier capable of meeting the Authority's immediate requirement.
This proposed direct award is intended solely as an interim measure to ensure continuity of supply and sustain operational capability until a full and open competition can be conducted. The Authority remains committed to undertaking a competitive procurement exercise to determine the longer-term provision of this requirement.