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DNA, Anthropology & Genealogy Services

Ministry of Defence

Buyer Contact Info

Buyer Name: Ministry of Defence

Buyer Address: Imjin Barracks, Innsworth Lane, Gloucester, UKK13, GL3 1 HW, United Kingdom

Contact Email: DefComrcl-HOBP4Team@mod.gov.uk

Status
active
Procedure
open
Value
416666.67 GBP
Gross: 500000 GBP
Published
13 Nov 2025, 16:48
Deadline
17 Feb 2026, 10:00
Contract Start
n/a
Contract End
n/a
Category
services
CPV
71900000 - Laboratory services
Region
n/a
Awarded To
n/a
Official Source
Open Find a Tender

Description

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), Commemorative casework team are responsible for co-ordinating efforts to establish the identity of historic human remains recovered from battlefields and aircraft crash sites involving British service personnel and arranging a fitting burial. Anthropology and DNA analysis may be required to assist with confirming the identities of the remains where other methods have proved inconclusive. Genealogy services may also be required to assist in the identification process. Key Requirements The Contractor must be compliant with the Forensic Science Society or other appropriate industry standards including ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories) and IS09001:2000 (Quality Management Systems). The Contractor will be required to obtain DNA profiles from both human remains (teeth or bone samples) and individuals who volunteer to provide a comparison sample. The Contractor must be able to undertake DNA profiling of the Y chromosome, to access the paternal lineage and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to determine the maternal lineage of human remains such a as bone and/or tissue samples (within 1 month of receiving a sample for Y and 2 months for mtDNA). The Contractor must have the resources and expertise to process and obtain DNA profiles for the Authority and produce a report within the time frames specified. (Whilst the number of profiles required will vary depending on casework volumes the estimated requirement will be for comparison tests on between 10 and 100 sets of remains per year): The Contractor must be able to visit any global location deemed safe to travel to by FCDO, to undertake either a basic or full anthropological, osteological and genetic analysis of remains within 2 months of requesting. If the remains are co-mingled, the contractor will be expected to sort the skeletons into individuals, where possible, to make identification easier. The Contractor must be able to obtain the most effective DNA sample typically from teeth or long bones from recovered remains. The number of cases will vary depending on the number of remains recovered and therefore it is not possible to say how many cases the Authority will require the Contractor to undertake, however as a guide there have been 15 cases in the last 12 months. The contractor will be requested to undertake cases as required on a call- off basis. No business whatsoever is guaranteed under any resulting framework agreement or contract indeed there is no guarantee that any framework agreement or contract will be put in place in relation to this notice. No compensation etc. will be paid if a tender or resulting framework agreement is withdrawn for any reason. Bidders should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position.

Linked Documents

No linked documents found for this notice.

Opportunity Context

More Information Links

External Link: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073712-2025

Link Description: Tender notice on Find a Tender

Lots

Lot 1 Status: active

Lot 1 Has Options: Yes

Lot 1 Options: In this contract there will be 2x1 year extension options where the Authority can enact at their discretion.

Lot 1 Value: GBP 416,666.67

Lot 1 Value (Gross): GBP 500,000

Lot 1 Contract Start: 2026-05-01T00:00:00+01:00

Lot 1 Contract End: 2028-04-30T23:59:59+01:00

Lot 1 SME Suitable: Yes

Lot 1 Award Criterion (cost): Value for Money Index

Documents

Document Description: Not published

Document Description: Tender notice on Find a Tender

Raw Notice JSON

Expand raw payload
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    "description": "The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), Commemorative casework team are responsible for co-ordinating efforts to establish the identity of historic human remains recovered from battlefields and aircraft crash sites involving British service personnel and arranging a fitting burial. Anthropology and DNA analysis may be required to assist with confirming the identities of the remains where other methods have\nproved inconclusive. Genealogy services may also be required to assist in the identification process.\nKey Requirements\nThe Contractor must be compliant with the Forensic Science Society or other appropriate industry standards including ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories) and IS09001:2000 (Quality Management Systems). \nThe Contractor will be required to obtain DNA profiles from both human remains (teeth or bone samples) and individuals who volunteer to provide a comparison sample.  \nThe Contractor must be able to undertake DNA profiling of the Y chromosome, to access the paternal lineage and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to determine the maternal lineage of human remains such a as bone and/or tissue samples (within 1 month of receiving a sample for Y and 2 months for mtDNA).\nThe Contractor must have the resources and expertise to process and obtain DNA profiles for the Authority and produce a report within the time frames specified. (Whilst the number of profiles required will vary depending on casework volumes the estimated requirement will be for comparison tests on between 10 and 100 sets of remains per year):\nThe Contractor must be able to visit any global location deemed safe to travel to by FCDO, to undertake either a basic or full anthropological, osteological and genetic analysis of remains within 2 months of requesting. If the remains are co-mingled, the contractor will be expected to sort the skeletons into individuals, where possible, to make identification easier. The Contractor must be able to obtain the most effective DNA sample typically from teeth or long bones from recovered remains.\nThe number of cases will vary depending on the number of remains recovered and therefore it is not possible to say how many cases the Authority will require the Contractor to undertake, however as a guide there have been 15 cases in the last 12 months. The contractor will be requested to undertake cases as required on a call- off basis. No business whatsoever is guaranteed under any resulting framework agreement or contract indeed there is no guarantee that any framework agreement or contract will be put in place in relation to this notice. No compensation etc. will be paid if a tender or resulting framework agreement is withdrawn for any reason. Bidders should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position.",
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