Provision of Scientific Research for threat items

The Home Office is looking to appoint a supplier to work with their Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) department to deliver the following research requirement:

CAST has been investigating how to improve the quality of metal detection which could be used in parcel hubs to detect threat items. The successful supplier will be responsible for taking sets of measurements from a selected group of metal items, including potential threats, and reporting their findings back to the customer. The measurements required are conductivity, permeability and remanence. These are three characteristics of materials which dictate how the materials behave in the presence of a magnetic field.

If you feel this may be a service you are able to provide, please express your interest via the instructions below.

Additional information: How to apply Instructions to Potential Providers:

Potential Providers must first be registered on the Crown Commercial Service e-Sourcing Suite in order to respond to the Procurement. If you have not yet registered on the e-Sourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link 'Register for CCS e-Sourcing'.

Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so at the Invitation to Tender stage. Potential Providers should note that it could take up to 10 working days to obtain a DUNS number.

Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at: http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/i-am-supplier/respond-tender

Your email must clearly state:

• name/reference of this procurement
• the name of the registered supplier; and
• the name and contact details

Crown Commercial Service will then process your registration and assign your organisation to the opportunity. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

It is advised however that Potential Providers register as soon as practically possible in order to receive the Invitation to Tender and have a sufficient amount of time to respond. Crown Commercial Service is not able to offer any extensions to the advertised procurement timetable.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact the Helpdesk:

Freephone: 0345 010 3503

Email: supplier@Crowncommercial.gov.uk