Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (Environmental services) is the Lead commissioner for a contract for Public analyst services for the Greater Manchester Public protection partnership. The service supports Local Authority Trading Standards and Environmental Health Departments to enforce the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990, Agriculture Act, Consumer Protection Act 1987 and supplementary Regulations including air quality, contaminated land and water sampling.

The services required include the testing and analysis of goods and samples submitted by the Partner Authorities. The type of materials to be tested will include the following non-exclusive list:

— Food products for composition and presence of foreign bodies/material;

— Animal feed samples;

— The safety of consumer products;

— The safety of drinking water;

— Chemical and investigative analysis of polluted water; soils, vegetation and other materials;

— Bulk asbestos and asbestos in air sampling;

— Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) tubes and other gases/particulate matter;

— Heavy metals and other compounds in air;

— Low level Gamma radiation in foods and vegetation;

— Lead content of motor vehicle fuels;

— Toy safety.

— Fire safety to BS476.

— Any other sample consistent with the work of the Public analyst.

The provider is expected to supply the full range of tests required by the partner authorities in executing their enforcement duties as part of their official controls. Where the provider cannot provide these directly, or it is more cost effective and efficient to subcontract, the provider is expected to enter into and manage subcontracting arrangements to ensure that all required tests can be performed in a timely manner to the required standard.

Analysis of formal and informal (official) samples must be under the direction of a public analyst to fully comply with the requirements of the food safety act.

The provider will be responsible for the provision of Public analysts who will be appointed by the partner authorities to perform this role on their behalf.

All test performed will be under the supervision of suitably qualified staff.

All laboratories used must comply with relevant legislation and industry standards.