Provision of a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) on behalf of the Welsh Blood Service

Description

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership are seeking to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). The contract will be awarded for a period of up to 20 years.

Opportunity Context

More Information Links

External Link: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JAN582678

Link Title: Provision of a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) on behalf of the Welsh Blood Service

Link Description: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership are seeking to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). The contract will be awarded for a period of up to 20 years.

Lots

Lot Description: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership sought to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust, to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS), replacing their current BECS. WBS is responsible for the collection of blood in Wales, and for the distribution of blood products to hospitals, as well as other related functions. In common with the other UK Blood Services and other NHS diagnostic laboratories, the WBS faces significant challenges for the future, such as changing donor behaviours and demand for blood products, challenges in respect of the recruitment and retention of new donors, the need to develop a more individualised donor care package, as well as wider population and system challenges, including the need to deliver services in a challenging economic climate. A failure to recognise, understand and analyse these challenges, and to identify options for the future, could jeopardise the security of the blood supply and specialist services in Wales. WBS aims to collect in excess of 100000 donations each year, necessitating around 300 blood donations every day to meet patient need. Future demand for blood will be influenced by advances in cancer care, the changing population demographic with an ageing population and a more diverse case mix of patients. The UK ambition to increase self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines will further increase demand for donations. WBS currently work with 4000 community influencers to help promote the importance of donating and utilise over 200 locations across Wales by providing a community-facing blood collection service. As well as whole blood products the WBS also supply platelets, enabling patients to help fight chronic diseases, cancers and to aid recovery from traumatic injuries. WBS aims to collect around 11000 platelet donations each year for transfusion into NHS Wales patients, of which around 40% come from apheresis donation. In the future, WBS plans to introduce additional apheresis services to collect approximately 30,000 donations of plasma per year for the manufacture of medicines, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry (fractionation partner). WBS also supports transplantation services in Wales, via the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry (WBMDR) and the Welsh Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (WHAIS) Services. The WBMDR and WHAIS enable solid organ, bone marrow and peripheral stem cell transplantation by supporting the matching of potential donors to transplant recipients, as well as providing testing services to confirm a donor/patient matching. These services interact with the wider WBS blood supply chain via its BECS platform. BECS is a business-critical system and is the enabler for the delivery of key service and business objectives identified within the Welsh Blood Service 5-year ‘Blood and Transplant Services for the Future’ strategy. A central pillar of that strategy is an ambition to “deliver a more person-centred service and experience for our donors”, to provide individualised and tailored services to our users. The BECS will provide the Welsh Blood Service with a future-proof system, which allows for progressive and iterative change, in accordance with regulatory and statutory guidelines and the ever-evolving opportunities provided through the adoption of new and innovative digital technologies.

Lot 1 Status: complete

Lot 1 Has Options: Yes

Lot 1 Options: The contract has been awarded for a period of 10 years with the option to extend for a further 10 years in two 5 year tranches.

Lot 1 Award Criterion (quality): Quality

Documents

Document Title: Provision of a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) on behalf of the Welsh Blood Service

Document Description: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership are seeking to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). The contract will be awarded for a period of up to 20 years.

Full Notice Text

Full notice text Contract award notice Results of the procurement procedure Section I: Contracting entity I.1) Name and addresses Velindre University NHS Trust Unit 2 Charnwood Court, Heol Billingsley, Parc Nantgarw Cardiff CF15 7QZ UK Telephone: +44 2921501377 E-mail: Gemma.Roscrow@wales.nhs.uk NUTS: UK Internet address(es) Main address: http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/ Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221 I.2) Joint procurement The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body I.4) Type of the contracting authority Body governed by public law I.5) Main activity Health Section II: Object II.1) Scope of the procurement II.1.1) Title Provision of a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) on behalf of the Welsh Blood Service Reference number: VEL-FTS-57060 II.1.2) Main CPV code 48000000 II.1.3) Type of contract Supplies II.1.4) Short description NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership are seeking to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). The contract will be awarded for a period of up to 20 years. II.1.6) Information about lots This contract is divided into lots: No II.1.7) Total value of the procurement Value excluding VAT: 6 493 564.00 GBP II.2) Description II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s) 72212100 II.2.3) Place of performance NUTS code: UKL Main site or place of performance: Welsh Blood Service, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales II.2.4) Description of the procurement NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership sought to appoint a strategic partner on behalf of Velindre University NHS Trust, to deliver and maintain a Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS) for use by the Welsh Blood Service (WBS), replacing their current BECS. WBS is responsible for the collection of blood in Wales, and for the distribution of blood products to hospitals, as well as other related functions. In common with the other UK Blood Services and other NHS diagnostic laboratories, the WBS faces significant challenges for the future, such as changing donor behaviours and demand for blood products, challenges in respect of the recruitment and retention of new donors, the need to develop a more individualised donor care package, as well as wider population and system challenges, including the need to deliver services in a challenging economic climate. A failure to recognise, understand and analyse these challenges, and to identify options for the future, could jeopardise the security of the blood supply and specialist services in Wales. WBS aims to collect in excess of 100000 donations each year, necessitating around 300 blood donations every day to meet patient need. Future demand for blood will be influenced by advances in cancer care, the changing population demographic with an ageing population and a more diverse case mix of patients. The UK ambition to increase self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines will further increase demand for donations. WBS currently work with 4000 community influencers to help promote the importance of donating and utilise over 200 locations across Wales by providing a community-facing blood collection service. As well as whole blood products the WBS also supply platelets, enabling patients to help fight chronic diseases, cancers and to aid recovery from traumatic injuries. WBS aims to collect around 11000 platelet donations each year for transfusion into NHS Wales patients, of which around 40% come from apheresis donation. In the future, WBS plans to introduce additional apheresis services to collect approximately 30,000 donations of plasma per year for the manufacture of medicines, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry (fractionation partner). WBS also supports transplantation services in Wales, via the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry (WBMDR) and the Welsh Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (WHAIS) Services. The WBMDR and WHAIS enable solid organ, bone marrow and peripheral stem cell transplantation by supporting the matching of potential donors to transplant recipients, as well as providing testing services to confirm a donor/patient matching. These services interact with the wider WBS blood supply chain via its BECS platform. BECS is a business-critical system and is the enabler for the delivery of key service and business objectives identified within the Welsh Blood Service 5-year ‘Blood and Transplant Services for the Future’ strategy. A central pillar of that strategy is an ambition to “deliver a more person-centred service and experience for our donors”, to provide individualised and tailored services to our users. The BECS will provide the Welsh Blood Service with a future-proof system, which allows for progressive and iterative change, in accordance with regulatory and statutory guidelines and the ever-evolving opportunities provided through the adoption of new and innovative digital technologies. II.2.5) Award criteria Quality criterion: Quality / Weighting: 55 Quality criterion: Social Value / Weighting: 10 Price / Weighting:  35 II.2.11) Information about options Options: Yes Description of options: The contract has been awarded for a period of 10 years with the option to extend for a further 10 years in two 5 year tranches. II.2.13) Information about European Union funds The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No Section IV: Procedure IV.1) Description IV.1.1) Type of procedure Open procedure IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes IV.2) Administrative information IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure Notice number in the OJ S: 2024/S 000-032873 Section V: Award of contract Contract No: VEL-FTS-57060 A contract/lot is awarded: Yes V.2 Award of contract V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract 14/01/2026 V.2.2) Information about tenders Number of tenders received: 4 Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0 Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 3 Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1 Number of tenders received by electronic means: 4 The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor GPI Spa Via Ragazzi del'99 13 38123 Trento Italy IT NUTS: IT The contractor is an SME: No V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT) Total value of the contract/lot: : 6 493 564.00 GBP V.2.5) Information about subcontracting Section VI: Complementary information VI.3) Additional information (WA Ref:160502) VI.4) Procedures for review VI.4.1) Review body High Court Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand London WC2A 2LL UK Telephone: +44 2079477501 VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice 29/01/2026