Official UK procurement notice
Pathology Services · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionProvision of Pathology Services
CPV: Pathology services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1In 2019 the NHS Long Term Plan set out the key ambition that all pathology services in…Awarded
In 2019 the NHS Long Term Plan set out the key ambition that all pathology services in England would be part of a pathology network by 2023 (now April 2025). In response to this the Cheshire & Merseyside Pathology Network developed an Outline Business Case which detailed an ambitious Target Operating Model which consists of developing 3 pathology hubs which would work together to make the best use of the assets and capabilities available, and to deliver on the benefits to patient care that are available by working more closely together. These three hubs cover the following geographical areas:
North Hub - Liverpool
East Hub - Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Warrington & Halton
South Hub - Cheshire West and the Wirral
To meet the National and Local ambitions Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts are seeking a provider to deliver the East Hub Pathology Service. This provider must be able to offer a single pathology service for the geographical area of the East hub (see table above) delivered through a hub and spoke model. The provider must be able to deliver a single pathology service which consists of a Central Hub, situated in the geographic area, and Essential Service Laboratories at Ormskirk Southport, St Helens, Warrington, and Halton hospitals. The provider must be able to deliver all aspects of: Cellular Pathology (Histopathology and Cytology), Mortuary Services, Blood Science (Chemistry, Haematology, and blood transfusion), Immunology and Microbiology pathology services within the Central Hub. The provider must be able to deliver Blood science (Chemistry, Haematology and blood transfusion) and a small number of Microbiology Screening (Blood Cultures and Cerebral Spinal Fluid) tests on site at the Essential Services Laboratories. To provide the service, all hospital sites will retain their current equipment from their current suppliers and so the provider will not be required to provide any equipment as part of this service.
It is the intention to award under the Most Suitable Provider Process. The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £75m. This a new service.
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
- 15 Jul 2025, 11:30 BST
- Last source update
- 15 Jul 2025, 11:30 BST
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-039877- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-055f30Find 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 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by Midnight on Monday 28 July 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR
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 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by Midnight on Monday 28 July 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Key Decision Makers Chief Strategy & Partnerships Officer Medical Director Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Chief Executive Deputy Director of Strategy & Partnerships Pathology Manager Associate Director of Finance There were no declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest Key Criteria as set under the Most Suitable Provider Process used to made the decision were as follows: Quality & Innovation 5% Value 20% Integration, collaboration and service sustainability 60% Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice 5% Social Value 10%
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS Mersey & West Lancashire NHS Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | £75,000,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 039877-2025-1 · NHS Mersey & West Lancashire NHS Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Signed
- 11 Jul 2025
- Value
- £75,000,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.