Official UK procurement notice
CT-Guided Biopsy Diagnostic Capacity Support Service
Authority: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionEast Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust intends to award a contract for the provision of additional CT-guided biopsy capacity to support timely diagnosis and treatment pathways.
The service includes CT-guided biopsy procedures, consultant-led intervention, histopathology support and associated diagnostic services.
The Trust has undertaken the Most Suitable Provider Process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 and has identified the provider as the most suitable provider having regard to the key criteria.
This notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process.
CPV: Hospital and related services · Medical imaging services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust intends to award a contract under…Awarded
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust intends to award a contract under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 using the Most Suitable Provider Process.
The contract is for the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy capacity to support respiratory, lung cancer and diagnostic pathways.
Services include consultant-led CT-guided biopsy procedures, imaging support, sedation where clinically indicated, biopsy acquisition, histopathology processing and associated administration arrangements.
The service will be delivered by HCA International Ltd. through London Bridge Hospital.
This is a new diagnostic capacity arrangement intended to support patients requiring specialist CT-guided biopsy procedures where additional capacity is required.
The provider has offered a fully outsourced walk-in, walk-out package inclusive of consultant radiologist fees, sedation, intraoperative imaging support and histopathology services.
The immediate requirement relates to an initial cohort of approximately 15 patients requiring CT-guided biopsy procedures.
The Trust may require additional activity during the contract period to support respiratory and lung cancer diagnostic pathways, waiting list management and diagnostic recovery requirements.
The contract has therefore been structured to provide access to additional capacity should further referrals be required during the contract term.
The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £250,000 excluding VAT.
The initial service period is anticipated to run from contract award until 31 March 2027.
This notice constitutes an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process. Additional information: The Trust identified HCA International Ltd as the most suitable provider. The service will be delivered through London Bridge Hospital, providing access to specialist CT-guided biopsy expertise and additional diagnostic capacity.
The provider demonstrated the ability to provide consultant-led CT-guided biopsy procedures, associated pathology services and access to specialist facilities capable of supporting the Trust's respiratory and lung cancer diagnostic pathways.
The Trust considered clinical capability, patient outcomes, quality, operational capacity, service continuity and value in reaching its decision.
The provider demonstrated the ability to mobilise rapidly and support diagnostic pathway resilience where additional CT-guided biopsy capacity is required.
Whilst the immediate requirement relates to approximately 15 patients, the Trust anticipates that further activity may be required during the contract period and has therefore included flexibility within the proposed arrangement to support future pathway demand.
Having regard to the statutory key criteria, HCA International Ltd. was assessed as the most suitable provider capable of delivering the required specialist service within the required timescales.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 26 Oct 2026, 16:20 GMT
- Last source update
- 26 Oct 2026, 16:20 GMT
- Authority reference
C485757- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-101211- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-079089Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice.
The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has undertaken a Most Suitable Provider Process in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 for the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy services.
The Trust has identified HCA International Ltd as the most suitable provider having regard to the statutory key criteria, including quality and innovation, value, integration and collaboration, improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating patient choice, and social value.
The service is required to support respiratory and lung cancer pathways through the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy capacity. The Trust determined that the immediate requirement was for CT-guided biopsy services and did not proceed with the previously considered Ion Navigation Bronchoscopy pathway.
HCA International Ltd demonstrated specialist clinical capability, consultant-led CT-guided biopsy services, imaging infrastructure, pathology support, available capacity and the ability to mobilise within the required timescales. The provider was assessed as capable of supporting timely diagnosis and improving pathway resilience for East Kent patients.
The immediate requirement relates to approximately 15 patients; however, the Trust anticipates that additional activity may be required during the contract period. The proposed arrangement therefore provides access to additional specialist capacity should future demand arise.
The Trust concluded that HCA International Ltd represents the most suitable provider to deliver the required service and intends to award the contract following completion of the applicable Provider Selection Regime standstill period.
The standstill period begins on the day after publication of this notice.
Representations by providers must be made to the decision makers by 10 November 2026.
This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the Provider Selection Regime.
- Review procedure
The provider selection process has been conducted in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
Representations relating to this intended award must be submitted in writing during the standstill period specified in this notice. Representations should be addressed to the contracting authority using the contact details provided within this notice.
Publisher note: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made by 10 November 2026. Representations should be submitted in writing to: ekh-tr.procurement@nhs.net This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Decision-makers: • Managing Director of Diagnostics, Cancer and Buckland Care Group • Head of Operations - Radiology • Senior Category Manager - Corporate Services acting on behalf of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust • Appropriate Trust approving officers in accordance with the Scheme of Reservation and Delegation Conflicts of Interest: No conflicts of interest were declared by the decision-makers. Any identified conflicts have been reviewed and managed in accordance with the Trust's Conflicts of Interest Policy. Relative importance of the key criteria: • Quality and Innovation - High • Value - High • Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice - High • Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability - High • Social Value - Medium Rationale for provider selection: The Trust identified HCA International Limited as the most suitable provider following assessment against the statutory key criteria under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The service is required to support timely diagnosis within respiratory and lung cancer pathways by providing additional CT-guided biopsy capacity. The Trust considered and discounted progression of the Ion Navigation Bronchoscopy pathway and determined that the immediate requirement was for CT-guided biopsy capacity. HCA International Ltd. demonstrated specialist CT-guided biopsy capability, consultant-led clinical services, imaging infrastructure, pathology support and available capacity to support the Trust's requirements. The provider demonstrated the ability to mobilise rapidly and provide a fully outsourced diagnostic service supporting timely intervention and diagnosis. The Trust considered quality, patient outcomes, available capacity, specialist expertise, operational delivery, service continuity, patient access and value in reaching its decision. The provider offers an established specialist service with access to consultant radiologists, supporting timely diagnosis for patients requiring CT-guided lung biopsy procedures. The immediate requirement relates to approximately 15 patients. However, the Trust anticipates that additional activity may be required during the contract period to support respiratory, lung cancer and diagnostic pathways. The proposed arrangement therefore provides access to additional capacity should future demand arise. Having regard to the statutory key criteria, HCA International Ltd. was assessed as the most suitable provider capable of delivering the required specialist CT-guided biopsy service within the required timescales.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hca International LimitedSubcontracting: Histopathology, diagnostic reporting or associated specialist support services may be delivered through approved subcontracting arrangements operating under the provider's clinical governance framework. | £250,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
CT-Guided Biopsy Diagnostic Capacity Support Service · Hca International Limited
- Signed
- 26 Oct 2026
- Value
- £250,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids · 1 electronic | 0 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- The High Court of JusticeReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- HCA International LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.