Supply of Foetal Bovine Serum

Concepts

• laboratory reagents
• seradigm ultimate grade foetal bovine serum
• foetal bovine serum
• bovine viral diarrhea
• bovine serum
• seradigm ultimate grade foetal
• pcr-tested bovine viral diarrhea
• bovine
• foetal
• serum

Location

United Kingdom: APHA, Addlestone

Description

Supply of gamma irradiated, frozen, sterile, PCR-tested Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) free, filtered Seradigm Ultimate Grade Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Total Quantity or Scope

Defra (on behalf of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)) has entered into a contract with VWR International Ltd to purchase a batch of gamma irradiated, frozen, sterile, PCR-tested Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) free, filtered Seradigm Ultimate Grade Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS).

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 33696500 - Laboratory reagents

Legal Justification

Based on the information detailed below, and publication of a VEAT Notice on 20/11/2023, it was concluded that VWR is the only supplier able to provide this superior quality-certified product, in the required quantity, to APHA at this time.Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) is endemic in cattle globally, therefore it is extremely challenging to identify a source that is 100% free of the virus (i.e., most cattle herds are at risk of infection). The vast majority of the FBS produced world-wide will contain traces of BVD but for most laboratories this is not a problem (as it does not interfere with use for the serum). However, due to the unique nature of APHA’s work, diagnostic testing and research on BVD would be compromised if there was BVD (virus and antibodies) in the FBS product. The Defra veterinary pathway plans pledge to tackle BVD which costs UK industry between £14 to 36 million per year. To fulfil this objective, APHA must maintain testing capability of the highest quality in order to produce accurate disease management statistics to underpin this objective.• APHA previously conducted comprehensive in-house sample testing due to repeated quality issues with previous FBS batches (documented as BVD-free but subsequently found to contain small traces). Only one (1) supplier (VWR) met all the required criteria (including BVD-free and sourced from an approved USDA country which has no history of BSE).• APHA require the FBS from the same supplier (as the previous batch) because they have ongoing confidence in their ability to supply APHA with a high-quality standard reagent (FBS) that will not compromise onward testing capability.• Based on APHA’s extensive experience, due to the superior quality standards and the high volume of product required it is highly unlikely that another supplier would be able to meet this requirement at this time.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **