UKHSA Commercial and Partnerships
This guidance is designed to help UKHSA customers and partners to navigate engaging and working with us and to signpost upcoming events and opportunities.
About us
We deliver an end-to-end commercial service to support health security for the UK. This begins at the idea stage and then works through design, delivery, performance and exit so that UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) obtains maximum impact and value for money.
We procure, store and distribute vaccines and countermeasures. We drive value for public money through competition and ensure maximum impact from the services UKHSA provides. We ensure fairness and transparency in our use of public money.
Our teams specialise in procurement, contract management, business development, commercial strategy development, market engagement and analysis, and strategic relationship management.
How to engage with UKHSA
We are working to build an environment in which UKHSA and companies can work together effectively and exchange ideas, knowledge and skills.
We engage with industry in a variety of ways. Our events and activities provide opportunities for suppliers to establish productive relationships with industry experts, our programmes and delivery teams and members of the wider supply community.
We aim to run workshops throughout the year to share the plans and objectives of our programmes and to get feedback from industry on our approach and its impact on suppliers and the market. We will run working groups that contribute directly to our team’s work and will also run webinars and requests for information (RFI) because we understand that these help industries plan, prepare for potential opportunities and provide input into our products and services.
Marketing engagement events
We run webinars, open days and events that give insights into our work, opening doors and conversations with current and future partners.
The UKHSA Conference 2023 takes place on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 November, returning to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
This year’s conference promises to be a distinctive gathering of colleagues, experts, partners and stakeholders, as we continue working to deliver our mission of responding to health threats, saving lives and protecting livelihoods.
Across the 2-day programme, we will explore the latest advancements, strategies and innovations in health security and health protection, while demonstrating the unique impact of UKHSA through our scientific, academic and commercial offerings.
Small and medium enterprise (SME) consultation event
Tuesday 21 November 2023, from 10am to 11.30am, online.
Within UKHSA, over 80% of our spend is with our commercial partners and suppliers; nearly half of which are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To ensure we are building the right partnerships in the right way with our stakeholders and commercial partners, we are developing an SME Action Plan.
With these in mind, we are starting development by holding a consultation session for our SME suppliers and SME partners. We are keen to understand the barriers you face in partnering with UKHSA, how we can overcome these and how we can build strong collaborative partnerships going forward.
We also want to test our early thinking on our Commercial Strategy with you, getting your views on our objectives and priorities and how they would impact your organisation.
Strategies and guidance
UKHSA strategy
UKHSA strategic plan 2023 to 2026
Science strategy
UKHSA science strategy 2023 to 2033: securing health and prosperity
The commercial strategy is currently under draft and will be launched in 2024.
Commercial opportunities
UKHSA works with a wide range of commercial partners from early collaboration to buying finished products.
UKHSA buys a wide range of goods, services and works. Our areas of spend include:
- vaccines and countermeasures
- diagnostics tools
- technology and digital services
- resourcing and recruitment
- professional services
- laboratory infrastructure
- laboratory maintenance services
- laboratory equipment and consumables
- logistics
UKHSA’s commercial directorate’s vision is to provide best-in-class commercial expertise, which:
- delivers timely goods and services
- maximises value for money and impact
- is fully aligned to the UK government’s priorities
We tender contracts in accordance with UK procurement legislation that ensures open and fair competition between bidders. This means our contracts are competitively tendered following a set of standard processes.
The commercial function is measured against the government’s commercial operating standards, which assesses all government departments against a common set of standards and indicators.
UKHSA pipeline
Our pipeline provides a forward look at potential commercial activity within UKHSA.
This is the latest pipeline of activity, released in November 2023.
Led by our Commercial Directorate, UKHSA is developing the commercial programme pipeline for the financial year 2023 to 2024 and beyond, in line with departmental transformation. As a result, UKHSA is only able to publish known corporate commercial activity valued at over £2 million. Any significant future changes will be published iteratively.
UKHSA makes no commitment that the:
- requirements identified in these tables will be procured
- annual value of any contract will be as stated
- timing of any future procurement exercises will be as stated
- sourcing route for any subsequent procurements will be as stated
- published pipeline is comprehensive and includes all the UKHSA future commercial activity
UKHSA frameworks and dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
Lateral flow DPS – C22033
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
| DHSC has established the DPS to help fulfil its requirement for the ongoing supply of additional lateral flow testing (LFT) kits. DHSC is seeking applications from potential providers to be admitted to the DPS | The contract notice on the Find a Tender service: lateral flow – DPS. Potential suppliers in Atamis. |
5 March 2021 to 6 July 2022 |
Consumables reagents and equipment DPS – C23555
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
| DPS covering 5 categories of labs, consumables and equipment including PCR testing managed services and service and maintenance | The contract notice on the Find a Tender service: consumables reagents and equipment DPS. Potential suppliers in Atamis. |
26 April 2021 to 25 April 2025. |
Transparent face masks DPS – C31065
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
| DHSC has established the DPS for the provision of transparent face masks in three Lots | The contract notice on the Find a Tender service: transparent face masks DPS. Potential suppliers in Atamis. |
22 July 2021 to 9 March 2022. |
National microbiology framework – C39348
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
|
UKHSA has established a microbiology framework comprising of 4 distinct lots. This framework is open to a wide array of participating authorities with prior permission. This framework is closed and we cannot accept any further suppliers. |
There is no link to this as the framework is closed to any further suppliers. | Lot 1: 9 April 2021 to 8 April 2023. Lot 2: 23 April 2021 to 22 April 2023. Lot 3: 9 April 2021 to 8 April 2023. Lot 4: 22 March 2021 to 21 March 2023. |
Assisted testing framework contract – C50350
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
|
DHSC has tendered for a 4-year, UK-wide Framework to cover assisted testing requirements for the authority (DHSC and other contracting authorities). This framework is for the provision of assisted testing services (ATS) to support the authority with outbreaks of viruses or diseases that require a testing programme. As part of this framework, the government’s Test and Trace programme aims to deliver comprehensive ATS across all 4 nations. The fully managed ATS are for any type of test site or location across the UK allowing for any test devices or technologies. The services include, but are not limited to: • provision of ATS • training of own workforce or third parties • support of pilots and service evaluation of test devices • SOP development and deployment of the different roles individually |
DHSC assisted testing framework: Salesforce. | 5 March 2021 to 6 July 2022. |
Antibody testing DPS
| Description | Link | Contract duration |
|---|---|---|
| DHSC has established the DPS to help fulfil its requirement for the ongoing supply of additional LFT kits. DHSC is seeking applications from potential providers to be admitted to the DPS. | The contract notice on the Find a Tender service: lateral flow – DPS. Potential suppliers in Atamis. |
5 March 2021 to 6 July 2022. |
Historical tenders
Atamis is now UKHSA’s primary e-tendering portal. From 1 October 2020, invitations to tender expressions of interest will be published on Atamis. Search for UKHSA contract opportunities on Contracts Finder. You will also find details of contracts worth over £10,000 that UKHSA has awarded in the past.
If there is an UKHSA tender you want to take part in, register on the Atamis portal and read the opportunities section. This will show you the current UKHSA opportunities as well as some global opportunities across other government departments.
UKHSA and government procurement policy
Social value
This note sets out how to take account of social value in the award of central government contracts by using the Social Value Model. UKHSA will use this model to take account of the additional social benefits that can be achieved in the delivery of its contracts, using policy outcomes aligned with this government’s priorities.
Sustainability
We practice sustainable procurement to achieve value for money while minimising environmental damage and waste.
Integrity in business
UK companies that do business with integrity are better positioned to reduce risks and capitalise on commercial opportunities. This means complying with the UK Bribery Act and ensuring local partners, agents and distributors adhere to the same high standards. It also means being vigilant for modern slavery and other human rights abuses, both in operations and supply chains, in line with the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Companies that make integrity core to their business protect and strengthen brand reputation enjoy greater and more sustainable commercial success over the long-term, minimising the risk of prosecution.
Tackling bribery and corruption creates more prosperous and healthy communities and a better business environment. It also enables the UK to maintain its status as a global leader in the fight against corruption.
UKHSA staff engaged in procurement have a duty to act in a professional and impartial manner and to be mindful of the Bribery Act 2010. We expect our suppliers to act in accordance with this.
The Ministry of Justice has published extensive guidance on the Bribery Act. Transparency International has also published guidance for business on how to resist demands for bribes.
External collaborations
UKHSA’s business development team builds and supports ongoing and new partnerships with academia, industry and the wider health and science communities.
UKHSA works collaboratively with internal and external partners across a broad spectrum of research projects and offers access to a unique range of resources and capabilities. We also provide consultancy, technology licencing opportunities and accredited training.
Research at UKHSA
Scientific research is at the core of UKHSA’s mission to protect the public’s health from infectious disease and environmental hazards.
Products and services
UKHSA offers an extensive list of products and services. This includes UKAS-accredited clinical diagnostic testing laboratories, with linked whole genome sequencing and clinical reference services. Also, environmental sampling to identify levels of risk, such as radiation and chemical hazards and air pollution.
Consultancy
UKHSA can provide advice and guidance to support the establishment of public health systems domestically and internationally. The organisation boasts expertise in many areas, for example, the establishment of specialist laboratory systems (including quality assurance systems or accreditation), unique CL-4 facilities, radiation protection, and key capabilities in mass gathering medicine and diagnostics.
Licensing opportunities
UKHSA’s patent portfolio is available on request and is managed proactively by business development to ensure technologies developed by the organisation are translated into practical outcomes to benefit the public’s health. Organisations interested in similar health threats can licence these technologies and work with us.
Accredited training
UKHSA delivers a broad range of accredited training, from dental X-ray protection to laboratory biosafety. We can provide face-to-face and online training through our partnership with the Future Learn e-learning platform.
National Laboratory Alliance (NLA)
UKHSA is 1 of 10 UK public sector research establishments that work together to:
- share best practice
- collaborate on strategic activities
- optimise the use of members’ expertise and resources
- to increase the professional development opportunities of our staff
If you would like to partner or work with UKHSA on any of the above, contact business@ukhsa.gov.uk
Evaluation of lateral flow antigen tests
If you have a test that meets the prioritisation criteria for validation, visit Lateral flow validation prioritisation criteria for rapid diagnostic assays for specific SARS-CoV-2 antigens and submit details of the test via email to supplierengagement@ukhsa.gov.uk
Finance
How we pay supply partners
All central government departments are required to pay 90% of undisputed invoices within 5 days. You need to be aware of the prompt payment procedures to achieve this. This includes Procurement Policy Note 07/20, which sets out how payment approaches can be taken into account in the procurement of major government contracts.
From 1 October 2021, new purchase orders (POs) raised and uplifts to existing POs will bear the UKHSA logo and payment made accordingly by UKHSA.
Invoices
For invoices beyond 1 October 2021, ensure the details in the invoice contain the UKHSA-issued PO and are addressed as follows:
UK Health Security Agency
Accounts Payable
Manor Farm Road
Porton Down
Salisbury
SP4 0JG
VAT registration number: 888 851 648
Such invoices should be emailed to payables@phe.gov.uk
Our relationships with external suppliers in the UK and internationally are enormously important to us – should you have any queries on the information provided above, or in relation to invoicing UKHSA from 1 October 2021, email procuretopay@phe.gov.uk
Terms and conditions of business
UKHSA terms and conditions for the supply of goods and/or services
Contact us
For any queries relating to commercial aspects, email supplierengagement@ukhsa.gov.uk
Last updated 31 January 2024 + show all updates
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Added link to terms and conditions of business.
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Updated UKHSA pipeline section.
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Added more details about the UKHSA Conference 2023.
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Added link to 2023 UKHSA conference.
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Added link to UKHSA strategy and updated Market engagement events section.
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Updated information on evaluation of lateral flow antigen tests.
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Updated UKHSA pipeline section.
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Updated pipeline documents.
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Updated pipeline documents.
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Added information about events and commercial opportunities.
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First published.