KBX: maintenance - blood transfusion refrigeration
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustEstimated Value
Up to £67,575
Deadline
31 January 2026
Published
4 June 2026
Type
goods
Overview
Maintenance for the blood fridges/freezers and cold chain assets for the Blood Transfusion department situated at Royal Sussex County, Princess Royal, St Richards, Worthing & Southlands Hospitals. The contract is for three years. The contract will be awarded to Labcold via the NHSSC Framework NHS Laboratory Diagnostics, Point of Care Testing & Pathology Managed Services, ref 2023/S 000-028831 which allows for direct awards.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
This is a 3-year maintenance contract to keep blood storage fridges and freezers working properly across five NHS hospitals in Sussex (Royal Sussex County, Princess Royal, St Richards, Worthing, and Southlands). The buyer has already chosen Labcold as the supplier through an NHS framework agreement, so this is a direct award rather than a competitive tender.
Requirements
- Supplier must be listed on the NHSSC Framework NHS Laboratory Diagnostics, Point of Care Testing & Pathology Managed Services (ref 2023/S 000-028831)
- Ability to maintain blood transfusion refrigeration and freezer equipment across five separate hospital locations
- Responsibility for maintaining cold chain assets (equipment that keeps blood at safe temperatures)
- Service must cover all five specified hospital sites: Royal Sussex County, Princess Royal, St Richards, Worthing, and Southlands Hospitals
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Regular preventative maintenance of blood storage refrigerators and freezers at five hospital locations
- Emergency repair and breakdown support for blood refrigeration equipment across the hospital network
- Maintain cold chain integrity and compliance with blood storage temperature requirements
- Record-keeping and reporting on equipment maintenance and repairs
- Ensure minimal downtime to protect blood product viability and patient safety
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a 'direct award' contract, meaning the NHS has already chosen Labcold as the supplier — if you're not Labcold and not on that specific NHS framework, you cannot bid. Check if your company is registered on the NHSSC Framework 2023/S 000-028831 before investing time.
- 2Blood transfusion equipment is highly regulated for safety and sterility — expect strict compliance requirements around temperature monitoring, documentation, and emergency response times. Look for these details in the full tender documents.
- 3The contract covers five different hospital sites, so you'll need logistics and staffing to service multiple locations. Calculate travel time and resource costs across all five hospitals when estimating.
- 4Cold chain maintenance is critical to patient safety — the tender will likely specify maximum response times for breakdowns (e.g., 4-hour emergency response). Check what penalty clauses apply if you miss these targets.
- 5Look for whether the contract includes planned preventative maintenance schedules, emergency callout support, spare parts, and labour — these often have separate pricing and SLAs (service level agreements).
Tips for Small Businesses
- This contract is only available to companies already accredited on the specific NHS framework listed. If you're not on it, you cannot bid directly — however, you could approach Labcold about subcontracting refrigeration maintenance work under their contract if they need regional support.
- Blood transfusion services need 24/7 reliability — if you bid or subcontract, make sure you can offer out-of-hours emergency callouts and have spare parts in stock. NHS hospitals will demand fast response times (often within 4 hours for critical failures).
- Partner with a medical equipment specialist if you don't have NHS compliance experience. NHS contracts require quality assurance, documented procedures, and often ISO 13485 (medical device) certification — building this into your offer will strengthen any future bids.
Award Details
Labcold Limited
£67,575
Likely incumbents
Suppliers who won similar work from this buyer in the last 5 years.
- 1
Stryker UK Limited
1 contract wonlatest 29 Jul 2026ends 28 Aug 2026£36,077
total awarded
Stryker UK Limited is the most likely incumbent based on recency and category match. To win, bidders typically need a clearly differentiated proposition or a price advantage.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
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Buyer Profile
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustKey Dates
Published
4 June 2026
Submission deadline
31 January 2026
Notice type
Contract
Source
contracts finder
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