Contract for the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kit and associated supplies, which forms part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP).

Background and context to the procurement:

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands CSU (AGCSU) on behalf of the below listed five Bowel Cancer Screening Hubs (collectively referred to as the Commissioner(s)) invited suitably qualified and experienced providers to deliver the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) related services and supplies as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP). For further information relating to the FIT and BCSP, please see the service specification that was provided together with the tender documents:

— Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (Eastern Programme HUB),

— London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (London Programme HUB),

— University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (Midlands and North West Programme HUB),

— Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust (North East Programme HUB),

— Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Southern Programme HUB).

The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust acted as a lead and coordinating commissioner on behalf of rest of the four organisations listed above.

Quantity of requirements:

The contract required following volume of activities to be delivered.

Outbound activity 23 821 464 tests.

Inbound activity 15 424 846 tests.

Indication of needs and requirements:

The needs and the requirements identified as part of this process included:

— utilise Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and be part of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme’s pathway,

— provide analysers and their lifetime maintenance to five Bowel Cancer Screening Hubs that use Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT),

— manage the inventory/stock of all reagents/materials required to conduct Faecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT),

— send out the invitations to participants to the screening programme by sending them a FIT kit on behalf of 5 hubs,

— manage the logistics of sending out and returning FIT kits,

— ensure that test results have been securely transferred and received within the Bowel Cancer Screening System (BCSS),

— provide capacity for the test results to be reviewed and securely transferred/received by the National Bowel Cancer Screening System (BCSS),

— provide training to hub staff in using analysers and associated software.,

— provision of the FIT kits to those people who are eligible to receive them — i.e. people within the age range of 60-74 years.