Provision of Lateral Flow Test Device Vision Reader

Concepts

• lateral flow device
• information technology
• test results
• covid-19 testing
• computer vision technology
• test analysis
• provision of lateral flow test device vision reader
• strategic end state
• letter of intent
• proof of concept work

Location

London

Description

The strategic end state for Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Covid-19 testing is one where citizens can test themselves using LFDs and report results without professional assistance with either the swabbing or the test analysis. This letter of intent is for proof of concept work to demonstrate computer vision technology that will automatically analyse test results from photos captured by the users.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

1) On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared a Covid-19 pandemic with the associated serious risk to life. The UK Government’s response to the national emergency posed by Covid-19 includes the putting in place by it of arrangements for large-scale testing in respect of Covid-19 on an urgent basis. 2) As part of those arrangements, DHSC needs to acquire products in order to implement the large-scale antigen testing programme necessary to build a profile of the spread of Covid-19 and to prevent further loss of human life and to allow the population to return to work safely. A part of its procurement strategy is the procurement of technology which enables citizens to test themselves using lateral flow devices and report results to test and trace without professional assistance. 3) DHSC is satisfied that the tests permitting use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii)) are met because: A. The works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator as competition is absent for technical reasons: The proof of concept work being carried out by the supplier is to demonstrate, refine and retrain specialist software and algorithms which are protected by IPRs held solely by the supplier. No other supplier is capable of providing the same software, technology and algorithm in the short time frames required for the pilot phase of the proof of concept which is a pre-condition to the roll out of the technology to NHS professionals and in time the general public. B. No reasonable alternative or substitute exists: there is no reasonable alternative operator who can provide the technology, software and algorithms to run the proof of concept and pilot the expanded testing capabilities without interruption at this stage. The imperative of innovation and the need to rapidly expand the scope and capacity of testing services is critical to England’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak and the significant benefits of successful containment of the spread of the virus is self-evident. If DHSC is unable to continue with its investigations into innovative solutions that could rapidly increase testing capacity and speeds, this may have a catastrophic impact on its strategy and could result in further spreading of the virus due to difficulties in testing and isolating those who have tested positive. C. The absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement: this procurement is part of a procurement strategy by the UK government to increase testing capacity exponentially to meet demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.