National Drug Testing on Arrest (and/or charge) Equipment and Services Framework.

Descriptions

The procurement is being led by the Home Office, who will be the main Contracting Authority and framework administrator acting on behalf of other contracting authorities in putting in place a National Framework for use by UK public sector bodies identified at VI.3 (and any future successes to these organisations), which include all territorial and spcialist forces in England, Wales, N.Ireland, Scotland and Channel Islands, including SOCA/National Crime Agency, College of Policing and other law enforcement agencies, all Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Authorities in the UK, NHS England and all local authorities in the UK.The Home Office will enter into a framework agreement called the National Drug Testing on Arrest (and/or charge) Equipment and Services Framework Agreement with the winning bidder and the Contracting Authorities will call off their requirements using the terms and conditions under the Framework. The Framework agreement is for a period of 26 months (until November 2015) with a 12 month extension option (until November 2016).There is no guarantee of volumes of work under this Framework, local areas will decide whether to conduct testing on arrest and, if so, whether they wish to draw equipment and or services from this Framework. Bidders will need to be prepared to meet all costs associated with bidding, including the submission of technical documentation, the provision of equipment and access to laboratory facilities to enable a robust evaluation, and any other reasonable requests to expediate the submission and evaluation of bids. Bidders will need to respond to Home Office requirements to provide 8 sets of drug screening equipment for preliminary testing, plus additional sets of drug screening equipment to field test the end-to-end drug testing process - including the screening equipment and laboratory processes as part of the evaluation process.The procurement is for the drug testing equipment and associated services (including confirmatory laboratory testing) needed primarily by police forces to operate Drug Testing on Arrest (and/or change) (under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) in police custody (but not limited to this purpose). The equipment and services will need to meet a Home Office technical specification; enabling fast and accurate screening (of oral fluid) for the presence of the specified Class A drugs - currently heroin and cocaine / crack - with flexibility to include other drugs if the list of specified drugs changes. The technical specification is available to all bidders expressing an interest in this procurement activity.