Pathology Off Site Storage

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ("the Authority") would like to engage with potential suppliers to explore the provision of an offsite storage solution for pathology archive materials.
The Trust currently manages a substantial archive of histology blocks and slides and requires a secure, compliant, and scalable storage solution to support ongoing service requirements and future archive growth. The service will include the storage, management, tracking, retrieval, and transportation of pathology materials in accordance with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements, including Human Tissue Authority (HTA) standards where applicable.
Current archive volumes are approximately:
- 63,463 histology blocks and slides currently held in archive
- 130,000 histology blocks generated annually
- 180,000 histology slides generated annually
This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise aims to understand the market's capacity, capability, and interest in providing these services. The Trust is seeking feedback on the proposed requirements and would welcome suppliers' views on the deliverability and proportionality of the draft specification.
The purpose of this engagement is to:
- Assess whether the proposed specification is realistic and achievable.
- Understand the capacity and capability of the market.
- Identify potential barriers to participation and competition.
- Obtain feedback on operational requirements, including storage capacity, retrieval timescales, onboarding arrangements, and governance requirements.
- Refine the specification and procurement approach prior to commencing any formal procurement process.
This exercise is not a call for competition, invitation to tender, or request for pricing. Participation in this engagement will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process.
The Authority invites interested suppliers to review the draft specification and respond to the accompanying questionnaire. Feedback will...