Supply and Maintenance of Rapid Plasma Freezer

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is conducting a procurement of a multi-year framework agreement for the provision of rapid freezing technology. The technology is required to rapidly and simultaneously freeze a large number of blood packs and/or bottles containing human plasma from processed whole blood donations or from apheresis plasma collections. This plasma is targeted either for use in plasma fractionation or for direct patient transfusion.

Solution must include:

• oThe required equipment, installation and any additional works required
• oService and maintenance contract
• oSome exceptions may apply (example EMS integration)
• Key objectives and expected outcomes:
• oRapid plasma freezer supplied to freeze plasma and meet specifications documented in SPN342 - Processing Timelines and Component Guidelines and SPN1479 – specification for a Bulk Rapid Plasma Freezer
• oEnsure equipment meets throughput demand with minimal down time
• oProcure equipment that can be utilised in a department that runs 24 hours/ 365 days per year
• oContract that can accommodate future requirements
• oSupply and maintain equipment anywhere in England
• oResponse times that both parties can agree (must be able to maintain throughput)
• oNHSBT need the capability to validate the equipment as part of tender exercise and for final use
• oThe requirement to extract freeze cycle data and the ability to interact with 2D barcode scanning or RFID
• oSchedule of replacement, installation and delivery must enable current throughput to be maintained
• oReliable freezer which is easily maintained and serviceable