Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Long Read Instruments & Consumables

Concepts

• laboratory reagents
• medical consumables
• existing sequencing technologies
• sufficient sequencing instruments
• whole genome sequencing
• long read instruments
• long read
• necessary consumables
• whole
• instruments

Location

London

Description

The supply of instruments and consumables that provides a solution to enable investigations into methylation (5mC,5hmC), structural variant calling, copy number variant analysis and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) detection, using native DNA sequencing for 1000 Cancer participant samples.

Total Quantity or Scope

Genomics England continues to explore long-read and methylation sequencing in cancer within the NHS and accurately to sequence genomes of under-represented and diverse ancestries with a view that this novel technology could open opportunities to identify not only known genomic features and aberrations but also those that are currently unidentifiable using existing sequencing technologies. This could facilitate immediate returns in diagnostic value to the NHS and reaping more meaningful rewards in the near future through more thorough analysis of the whole genome. Long-read analytical methods are still in their infancy, Genomics England is building a knowledge hub around the trusted research environment for individuals to train their methods; in turn these methods feed into the clinical pipeline of the future. Nurturing the research environment will permit the discovery of new diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as potential new targets for drug discovery to benefit patients in the future. Genomics England has a requirement to continue to purchase Long Read sequencing technology to fulfil its needs in relation to its Cancer Programme. The requirement is to provide sufficient sequencing instruments and necessary consumables and kit to meet the forecasts for the 3rd year of the Cancer programme through FY24/25. The requirement also includes appropriate support & maintenance and licenses required for operation. This relates to 1000 Cancer participant samples in this period. The requirement relates to continuing to purchase Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) PromethION Flowcells to continue the study using the same technology.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 33696500 - Laboratory reagents
• 33140000 - Medical consumables
• 33190000 - Miscellaneous medical devices and products
• 33696200 - Blood-testing reagents

Indicators

Legal Justification

The Contracting Authority (i) has a legal personality; (ii) is mainly funded by the Department of Health and Social Care; and (iii) has been established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest and does not have an industrial or commercial character and therefore meets the definition of a "body governed by public law" under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("PCR"). The PCR covers "public contracts" which means contracts for pecuniary interest which have as their object the execution of works, the supply of products or the provision of services. The Contract is a goods or services contract under PCR, therefore, caught by the PCR and bound to follow public procurement rules. Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) PCR describes the single operator exclusion and is the premise for this award without prior publication. This specific exclusion relates to a demonstration that only Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC could deliver the goods and services described for technical reasons and reasons of scalability, where the goods and services cannot be obtained from any other economic operator to continue to deliver the programme using the same long read whole genome sequencing technology. The scope of requirements in this notice are the basis for this assessment. For technical reasons, it has been determined that Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC are the only provider able to meet the justified requirements set out. Furthermore, they are also the only organisation able to deliver the requirement at the scale specified. Further details are provided within this notice and should be read in conjunction with this explanation. The Contracting Authority will enter into a contract with Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited following the conclusion of a minimum 10-day standstill period from the date of issue of this notice. The 10-day standstill period will end on Tuesday 28th May 2024 at 11.59pm GMT, enabling a contract to be signed on Wednesday 29th May 2024.