Weqas Protective Packaging Solutions for EQA Material

Concepts

• cardiff
• laboratory tool carriers
• vale university local health board
• eqa material
• supply of protective packaging
• protective packaging solutions
• range of protective packaging solutions
• majority of weqas
• leak-proof secondary packaging
• weqas

Location

Wales: Cardiff and Vale UHB

Description

The NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, hosted by Velindre NHS Trust are acting on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board who are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified supplier to supply a range of protective packaging solutions for EQA material for the Welsh External Quality Assurance Service (Weqas).

Total Quantity or Scope

Weqas is one of the largest External Quality Assessment providers in the UK, with over 50 years of experience in delivering global Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine. Weqas operates as an independent organisation, hosted by Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board, based at Unit 6, Parc Ty Glas, Cardiff. Supplying to more than 35,000 sites per month, Weqas provides over 40 EQA Programmes, including external audit, performance analysis and an educational advisory service. The majority of Weqas' EQA material is manufactured in-house, and Weqas wish to award a two year with an option to extend for up to a further two years for the supply of protective packaging. The requirement is for a complete packaging solution to ship EQA material across the UK and overseas (including transporters, cold packs, outer envelopes). All products will be recyclable or made from sustainable material where possible. The specimen transporters must meet international transport regulations as a leak-proof secondary packaging for Exempt and Category B Biological Specimens.

Award Detail

Renewal Options

The Health Board is including up to two years extension option in this contract.

CPV Codes

• 42671100 - Laboratory tool carriers

Indicators

• Options are available.

Legal Justification

MedDX Solutions are the only company that are able to supply specimen transporters that are specifically designed to hold the required combination of Weqas unique vial sizes for distribution of their EQA material. The packaging solutions are required to be rigid and offer a high level of protection to the primaries. Each primary must be in contact with sufficient absorbent material to absorb the entire contents of the container. The absorbent material needs to be laminated / secured to the rigid material. Primary containers must be held securely in place so that they do not move during transport, to reduce potential for breakages. When closed the secondary packaging must be leak-proof. Both leak-proof and drop test certification is required to support the performance features of the component. The packing of the primaries into the secondary packaging must be quick and easy. This should be reflected when unpacking and primary containers must be visible through the packaging. MedDX offer a patented leak-proof clamshell with internally laminated Super Absorbent. The transporter packaging is efficiently moulded to separate and hold bespoke primary containers. They are simple and intuitive to pack/close and un-pack. In addition, they deliver an efficient packaging experience in terms of time to pack; no extra absorbent material needs to be added. The transporters offer excellent protection to the Weqas vials. They meet international transport regulations as a leak-proof secondary packaging for Exempt and Category B Biological Specimens. All PE envelopes supplied are fully recyclable and the transporters and envelopes are printed with the Weqas logo as part of the requirement. On the basis of the above, the Health Board are issuing this notice to the market and applying a 10 day standstill period prior to awarding the two year contract which will include an option to extend for up to two further years.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** (WA Ref:112934)