Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-09-22
Buyer: Procurement and Logistics Service
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
CPV classification: 33000000 | 33100000

Technical requirements: Lääketieteelliset laitteet, farmaseuttiset valmisteet ja henkilökohtaiseen hygieniaan liittyvät tuotteet
HLA molecular typing, antibody diagnostic screening and ID testing in Regional Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory of Northern Ireland
BSO Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS), on behalf of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust wish to issue a call for competition for the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning and maintenance of an end to end Managed Equipment Service (MES) for Processing HLA Molecular Typing and HLA Antibody Diagnostic Screening and Identification Testing. The Regional Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory of Northern Ireland provide HLA molecular and HLA antibody testing for renal, recipient and donors (living and deceased), liver, stem-cell, haematology, blood transfusion and disease association for diagnostic and monitoring testing services for clinical users across NI.
This MES covers the processing of patient samples from several sources (e.g. tissues (spleen, lymph nodes), bloods (EDTA, Clotted and Citrate), buccal/salvia, etc.) through nucleic acid extraction/cell culturing, processing (automatic or semi-automatic systems), dependent on testing requirements, and the testing processes required (HLA Molecular Typing, HLA Antibody Screening and Identification which can facilitate patient monitoring) along with all equipment, reagents and consumables (direct and peripheral) and all software provision required for analysis and interpretation of results, from the above processes, in preparation for reporting into MANZEN.
To extract DNA from several sources (e.g. tissues (spleen, lymph nodes), bloods (EDTA, Clotted and Citrate), buccal/salvia, etc.). The solution should if possible include a robotic/semi-robotic PCR setup depending on the system.
To be able to issue a valid result, from time of DNA extraction to final result available, within 2 hours for deceased donor HLA typing, as per the current system.
To assign the HLA type for an individual, with sufficient resolution to comply with the reporting requirements of NHSBT (formerly known as UKT) e.g. HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRB3/4/5, HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DPB1.
To be able to identify the following HLA loci in relation to HLA Antibody Screening and Identification: HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRB3/4/5, HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DPB1 and facilitate patient monitoring including sequential patient samples e.g. Cregs/epitope/eplets analysis/interpretation based on HLA Antibody Identification.
The solution should allow for materials management within the current LIMS system (MANZEN) and IT solutions to support enhanced patient management. The solution ideally should contain a back-up system, in the event of system failures for all of the testing repertoire.
N.B. NGS processing, analysis and reporting is not included in this process. It is the Intention of PaLS to go the marketplace during 2021.
The Belfast Trust wish to investigate what is currently available in the marketplace with regard to functional attributes and characteristics of current Processing HLA Molecular Typing and HLA Antibody Diagnostic Screening and Identification Testing and wish to ensure that any future Tender fully recognises existing and future operational opportunities. To this end an open invitation is being extended to all interested parties to declare their interest in participating in a product awareness session.
Product awareness session is scheduled to be via Video Conference on 11 November 2020. Specific appointment times will be issued to each supplier following deadline for Declaration of Interest. Only those companies who can confirm their ability to provide, demonstrate and support Processing HLA Molecular Typing, HLA Antibody Diagnostic Screening and Identification Testing will be invited to attend
Product awareness Session will be an opportunity for relevant suppliers to present to a panel of potential users. The presentation will be scheduled to last approximately 1 hour per presenting organisation and will be required to:
1) Provide a physical and practical working demonstration of their current solutions for ‘Processing HLA Molecular Typing and HLA Antibody Diagnostic Screening and Identification Testing’;
3) To be available to respond to questions or clarifications from attendees following demonstration and presentation covering all aspects of system functionality, installation, commissioning, training and after sales servicing.