The contracting authorities are looking to award contracts (including, a framework agreement for "send away" tests i.e. where not carried out "on the customer's site") for the provision of pathology services, which may involve multiple contracts (for example for specific elements of pathology services and/or separately for analytics and managed laboratory services).

The current expectation is that the pathology services will need to cover the full range of pathology disciplines (although potential bidders should be aware that not all contracting authorities will necessarily look to procure services in respect of all of these disciplines and that the scope of the pathology services will be subject to change to reflect changes in test repertoires and the introduction of new test types).

For further information relating to this tender opportunity, bidders must access the full documentation set within the Delta Tenderbox. Please follow the instructions within this notice.

This procurement is being led by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust on its own behalf and on behalf of the following contracting authorities: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, NHS South East London Commissioning Alliance (Bexley CCG, Bromley CCG, Greenwich CCG, Lambeth CCG, Lewisham CCG and Southwark CCG) (the "Core Contracting Authorities") and other NHS bodies (the "Additional Contracting Authorities"), Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The total activity per annum for the Core Contracting Authorities is approximately 34 million tests.

The range of pathology services required includes: Blood Sciences (including 24/7), Immunology, Infectious Sciences (including On-call), Cellular Pathology, Specialist Hematology, Specialist Chemistry, Genomics, Specialist Services, Central Specimen Reception, Phlebotomy, Anti-Coagulation Clinic, Patient Service Reception, Mortuary, Clinics, A&E, and POCT. Refer to Briefing Pack for further information.