Supply and Maintenance of Blood Component Transportation Containers

NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) are seeking to engage with suppliers of blood component transport containers via an early market engagement exercise.<br/><br/>NHSBT require these containers to maintain strict temperature control and the protection of precious blood components (red cells, platelets and frozen material) during transit from our distribution sites to hospitals or internally between NHSBT’s 14 sites across England. All of these journeys will be over either long or short distances. This potential requirement is anticipated to be for supply and maintenance of these containers along with the maintenance of the existing NHSBT fleet.<br/><br/>The requirement for the containers is likely to include the following:<br/><br/>

• Construction must be strong, robust, durable and tamper proof, made from lightweight and impermeable material that is resistant to weather such as heat, cold and rain.<br/>
• Must maintain the surface temperature of various blood component types at 2-6°C (red cells, 20-24°C (platelets) ≤ -30°C (frozen components) for transport journeys up to 9 hours, 8 hours and 11 hours respectively.<br/>
• The use of temperature stabilisation material is permitted to assist temperature control, such as phase change material or dry ice.<br/>
• The containers must be able to be used for all three component types with an external label pocket to allow switching of component labelling to enable multi-use<br/>
• The containers must be available in at least two sizes, small (capacity 1-6 units) and large (capacity 1-12 units).<br/>
• The container must comply with all health and safety regulations in both its construction and use with handles at both sides (not shoulder straps) to enable a safe one-person load with the weight not exceeding 13Kg when fully laden.<br/>
• Any proposed new solution must be cost effective, simple, safe, and space saving with excellent temperature control performance, and must be conducive to our current operational requirements.<br/><br/><br/>As part of the early market engagement exercise, NHSBT would like to discuss our requirement with suppliers to gain an understanding of current innovation and development of existing products which are available within the market or, the possibility of creating a bespoke product should an existing product not meet our requirements of temperature control, capacity, health and safety and construction. It is also our intention to discuss the potential of maintenance of our existing containers and the supply and maintenance of new containers during the exercise.<br/><br/>It should be noted that other health authorities may be permitted to use any agreements awarded. <br/><br/>It is NHSBT's intention to hold the early market engagement exercise supplier meetings the week of 25th November 2024 (note: dates are subject to change). The meetings will be held remotely. To enable NHSBT to finalise arrangements (e.g. send meeting details and agree time slots), interested organisations are required to send an expression of interest via email to james.marshall2@nhsbt.nhs.uk by no later than 17:00 hrs (GMT) on Tuesday 12th November. This should include a list of your requested attendees and a brief overview (or a website link) of the Goods / Services which might be of interest to NHSBT in relation to this requirement. Please include options, if available, for a managed service contract.<br/><br/>There is no guarantee that a formal procurement process will be launched as a result of this early market engagement exercise, nor that any contract(s) will be placed. No remuneration or compensation etc will be paid to organisations who take part in this early market engagement exercise. Suppliers should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position.