Supply of Event-Based Blood Type Testing Kits & At-Home Blood Type Testing Kits

Descriptions

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is seeking to engage with the market to explore potential solutions for the supply of high-quality, user-friendly blood type testing kits. This initiative is a key component of NHSBT's strategy to enhance public engagement with blood donation and increase the number of individuals who become regular blood donors, with a particular focus on recruiting donors of less common blood types.

The anticipated scope of this procurement includes the provision of reliable blood type testing consumables suitable for:

• Event-Based Testing: The supply of easily transportable and manageable quantities of testing kits for use at public awareness events and bespoke organizational sessions across the UK. These kits must be suitable for rapid deployment and use by trained NHSBT staff or volunteers in non-clinical settings. Packaging should facilitate efficient transport and storage in small to medium volumes.

• Direct-to-Consumer Self-Testing: The provision of lightweight and robust blood type testing kits suitable for secure and efficient distribution via standard postal services (e.g., Royal Mail) or through partner distribution routes, directly to members of the public for self-administration in their homes. Kits must be designed for ease of use by individuals without medical expertise and must adhere to all relevant postal regulations.

NHSBT anticipates a potential annual requirement in the range of:

• 100-125k event-based kits supplied in component form

• 25-50k pre-assembled home testing kits

Suppliers should be able to demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of their testing methodologies, ideally holding relevant certifications such as CE marking for in vitro diagnostic medical devices. Kits must prioritize user safety, ease of interpretation of results, and have a suitable shelf life.

Interested suppliers are invited to provide information on their capabilities, including, but not limited to: product specifications, production capacity, packaging and logistics solutions, experience in supplying similar products (ideally within the healthcare sector), potential for innovative solutions, and indicative cost structures.

This Preliminary Market Engagement aims to inform NHSBT's procurement strategy and refine our requirements. Responses to this notice will be treated as preliminary market intelligence and will not constitute a formal tender process.

Next Steps: Following the review of responses, NHSBT may issue a Supplier questionnaire, hold supplier webinars or issue a formal contract notice.

Contact for Responses: Sahithi Bandi <sahithi.bandi@nhsbt.nhs.uk>