Supply of SARS-CoV-2 RT PCR COVID-19 Assays and Instruments to Public Health England

About

Public Health England awarded a contract to Roche Diagnostics Limited for the supply of cobas® SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 assays, related consumables, instruments, and services.

The contract, valued at £21,000,000, was executed via a direct award under Lot 1 (Diagnostic) of the PHE Microbiology Framework and runs until 30 September 2020, with an option to extend for six further periods of 3 months each.

Under the contract, Roche supplies these to PHE and, on PHE's direction, allocations are made across the United Kingdom to laboratories operated by the NHS in England, Public Health Wales, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service, NHS Scotland, and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

In mid-March 2020, PHE established an assessment and triage process to rapidly evaluate approaches from industry for COVID-19 diagnostic technologies.

Roche Diagnostics Limited advised PHE and HM Government about its new SARS-CoV-2 RT PCR COVID-19 assay for use on cobas® 6800 / 8800 systems, and PHE was subsequently requested by HMG to establish a partnership with Roche to roll out this new technology across the United Kingdom.