Supply of Proprietary Consumables and Reagents for IDEXX Quanti Tray™

The proposed direct award to IDEXX Laboratories Limited is justified under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, as IDEXX is the only supplier capable of meeting UKHSA's technical and operational requirements for E. coli and Coliform water testing.

FWEMS uses the proprietary IDEXX QuantiTray™ system, which is only compatible with IDEXX consumables and reagents. The current testing method is UKAS accredited (ISO 17025) and validated using these products. Introducing alternative consumables would invalidate the accredited method and require extensive revalidation and reaccreditation, resulting in significant cost, delay, and service disruption.

The direct award is compliant with Section 41 PA 2023 because competition is absent for genuine technical and compatibility reasons, and IDEXX is the only supplier able to ensure the continued provision of accredited water testing services.