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Request for Information - Containment Level 3 (CL3) UK Capacity

Tender Overview

LOCATION

United Kingdom, United Kingdom

VALUE

£1

DEADLINE

February 02, 2026 at 00:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

71900000

REFERENCE

004522-2026

Project Timeline

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Contact Information

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View Original

Original Tender Description

Instructions: 1. The purpose of this document is to enhance the Authority’s understanding of the marketplace and its options for sourcing for a potential future requirement. 2. The issuance of this request for information (RFI) does not constitute a sourcing exercise nor will the Authority pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this RFI. 3. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) key objectives for this RFI are: a. understand the ability of the marketplace to fulfil its requirements; b. refine the scope of the requirements to best align to the marketplace; and c. inform the Authority’s chosen route to market to best enable competition. 4. The key dates for this RFI are as follows: 1. RFI Published: 19th January 2026 2. RFI Response 2nd February 2026 5. Should you have any questions or queries relating to this RFI, please use the Atamis portal’s messaging centre to direct your questions to us for a response. 6. If a response is not received by the RFI response deadline this will have no impact on your ability to tender for the opportunity in the future. UKHSA will not enter into contracts on the basis of replies to this RFI. Description of Scope of Requirements: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is exploring opportunities to supplement its existing Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory capacity through collaboration with operational CL3 facilities across the UK. This Request for Information (RFI) seeks to understand the capabilities, readiness, and interest of organisations that currently operate CL3 laboratories and may be able to support UKHSA's public health mission during surge periods or emergencies. Objectives - Identify operational CL3 laboratories with spare capacity or surge readiness. -Assess technical, digital, and governance capabilities for collaboration. - Explore commercial models for potential engagement with UKHSA. This RFI is intended for organisations that currently operate CL3 laboratories in the UK. Responses should focus on existing facilities and capabilities that could be mobilised to support UKHSA's laboratory operations, particularly during public health emergencies or periods of high demand. Should you wish to respond to this Request for Information, please complete and return the attached RFI via email to joshua.williams@ukhsa.gov.uk.
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MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • None specified as this is a Request for Information (RFI) and not a formal tender process for contract award.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Organisations must currently operate Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories.
  • Organisations must be based in the UK.
  • Organisations must be interested in potential future collaboration with UKHSA to supplement CL3 laboratory capacity.
  • Organisations must be able to support UKHSA's public health mission during surge periods or emergencies.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Must possess existing operational Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory facilities.
  • Must have spare capacity or surge readiness within their CL3 laboratories.
  • Must be able to mobilise existing CL3 facilities and capabilities to support UKHSA's laboratory operations.
  • Must be capable of supporting public health emergencies or periods of high demand.
  • Responses must assess the organisation's technical capabilities for collaboration.
  • Responses must assess the organisation's digital capabilities for collaboration.
  • Responses must assess the organisation's governance capabilities for collaboration.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • None specified for responding to this Request for Information (RFI).
  • Respondents should be prepared to explore commercial models for potential future engagement with UKHSA.
  • The Authority will not pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this RFI.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Responses must be completed using the attached RFI document.
  • Responses must be returned via email.
  • Responses must be sent to joshua.williams@ukhsa.gov.uk.
  • Responses must be received by the RFI response deadline of 2nd February 2026.
  • Questions or queries relating to this RFI must be directed via the Atamis portal’s messaging centre.
  • Responses should focus on existing facilities and capabilities.
  • Responses should address capabilities, readiness, and interest in supporting UKHSA.

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HTM
Planning Notice
Administrative Documents004522-2026.html
Summary:
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to identify UK-based organisations with existing Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory capacity and capabilities interested in potential future collaboration to support public health during surge periods or emergencies.
DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data004522-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
UKHSA is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) to identify UK-based organisations with operational Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories interested in collaborating to supplement UKHSA's capacity during surge periods or emergencies, without constituting a formal tender.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data004522-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
This Request for Information (RFI) from the UK Health Security Agency seeks to identify UK-based organisations with existing Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory capacity interested in potential future collaboration to support public health during surge periods, without constituting a formal tender or requiring submission.
PDF
Official PDF Version
General Information004522-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
The UK Health Security Agency is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) to understand the capabilities of UK-based Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories for potential future collaboration during public health emergencies, without constituting a formal sourcing exercise.

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73
Good

Tender Quality Score

This Request for Information (RFI) is well-structured for market engagement, clearly defining its purpose and requirements, though it exhibits minor formal inconsistencies and limited focus on sustainability.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The RFI clearly states its purpose as market research and not a formal tender, aligning with legal principles for pre-procurement engagement. The 14-day response period is reasonable for an RFI. However, the 'Type: None' and 'Procedure: None' in the basic information are formal omissions, despite the text clarifying its RFI nature.

•Basic information fields 'Type' and 'Procedure' are marked as 'None', which is inconsistent with the clear RFI description.
Clarity85/100

The RFI's objectives, scope, and expectations for respondents are exceptionally clear and unambiguous. The explicit statement that it is not a formal tender and will not lead to contracts prevents misunderstandings. The absence of formal evaluation criteria is appropriate for an RFI.

Completeness70/100

Most essential information for an RFI is present, including title, organization, description, and RFI deadlines. However, the inclusion of 'Estimated Value,' 'Contract Duration,' and 'Contract Start' without explicit clarification that these are purely hypothetical for a *future* tender, given the RFI's non-sourcing nature, introduces a minor ambiguity.

•Inclusion of hypothetical contract value, duration, and start date without explicit disclaimer for an RFI.
Fairness80/100

The requirements for organizations operating CL3 laboratories in the UK are specific but necessary for the subject matter and are not tailored to a single company, ensuring fair access for qualified entities. Document access is provided. However, submission via email rather than a dedicated e-procurement portal is a slight drawback for equal access and transparency.

•RFI responses are submitted via email, which is less transparent and auditable than a dedicated e-procurement portal.
Practicality65/100

Electronic submission is supported via email, but the split between email for responses and the Atamis portal for questions is less practical than a unified system. A direct document URL was not explicitly provided in the text, though documents are listed as available.

•Disjointed submission process (email for responses, Atamis for questions).
•No explicit document URL provided in the tender text.
Data Consistency80/100

Key dates are logical and consistent. However, the 'Type: None' and 'Procedure: None' fields are inconsistent with the detailed RFI description. The presence of contract-related financial and timeline data for a non-sourcing RFI also presents a minor consistency challenge.

•Inconsistency between 'Type: None'/'Procedure: None' and the detailed RFI description.
•Contract-related financial and timeline data for a non-sourcing RFI creates minor data consistency issues.
Sustainability30/100

The RFI does not include any explicit criteria or focus on green procurement, social aspects, or innovation. While common for market research, this results in a low score for this specific category.

•No explicit mention of green procurement criteria.
•No explicit mention of social aspects.

Strengths

Clear and unambiguous purpose and scope for the Request for Information.
Specific and relevant requirements for Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories.
Transparency regarding its non-binding nature as market research.
Reasonable timeline provided for RFI response submission.
Good data consistency for key RFI dates and status.

Concerns

Submission of RFI responses via email rather than a dedicated e-procurement portal.
Formal inconsistencies in basic information fields ('Type', 'Procedure').
Inclusion of hypothetical contract details (value, duration, start) without clear disclaimer for an RFI.
Lack of explicit sustainability, social, or innovation considerations.
Disjointed process for questions (portal) and submissions (email).

Recommendations

1. Utilize a unified e-procurement portal for both questions and RFI submissions to enhance practicality and fairness.
2. Ensure all basic information fields are accurately populated, reflecting the RFI nature (e.g., 'Type: Request for Information').
3. Add explicit disclaimers if hypothetical contract details are included in an RFI, clarifying they are for future planning only.

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B
Tender Quality Score
73/ 100 · Good
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