Supply and Maintenance of Blood Component Transport Containers

NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) are seeking to engage with suppliers of blood component transport containers via a preliminary market engagement exercise. NHSBT require these containers to maintain strict temperature control and the protection of precious blood components (red cells, platelets and frozen material) during transit from our distribution sites to hospitals or internally between NHSBT’s 14 sites across England. All of these journeys will be over either long or short distances. This potential requirement is anticipated to be for supply and maintenance of these containers along with the maintenance of the existing NHSBT fleet. The requirement for the containers is likely to include the following: - Construction must be strong, robust, durable and tamper proof, made from lightweight and impermeable material that is resistant to weather such as heat, cold and rain. - Must maintain the surface temperature of various blood component types at 2-6°C (red cells, 20-24°C (platelets) ≤ -30°C (frozen components) for transport journeys up to 9 hours, 8 hours and 11 hours respectively. - The use of temperature stabilisation material is permitted to assist temperature control, such as phase change material or dry ice. - The containers must be able to be used for all three component types with an external label pocket to allow switching of component labelling to enable multi-use. - The containers must be available in at least two sizes, small (capacity 1-6 units) and large (capacity 1-12 units). - The container must comply with all health and safety regulations in both its construction and use with handles at both sides (not shoulder straps) to enable a safe one-person load with the weight not exceeding 13Kg when fully laden. - Any proposed new solution must be cost effective, simple, safe, and space saving with excellent temperature control performance, and must be conducive to our current operational requirements. It should be noted that other health authorities may be permitted to use any agreements awarded.