The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care acting through Public Health England (PHE) is seeking to appoint suppliers to a multi-lot national microbiology work agreement for diagnostics, research and development, manufacturing of supplies and services and provision of laboratory testing capacity. The term of the work agreement will be 2 years with options to extend by a further 2 years.

The national microbiology work agreement will include, but not be limited to:

— the supply of diagnostics goods or services for the qualitative/quantitative examination of specimens/samples;

— the supply of research use only goods or services for the qualitative/quantitative examination of specimens/samples;

— the manufacturing of assays/kits/medication and the provision of laboratory and testing capacity.

This work will be used to support all five pillars of the UK testing strategy set out by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.