INHERITED CANCER GENETICS

Location

Description

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board intends to award a contract for the provision of outsourced inherited cancer genetic testing services to a single supplier. This service is critical to supporting the All Wales Medical Genomics Service (AWMGS), ensuring continued access to timely and accurate diagnostic testing across Wales. Ongoing capacity constraints within in-house laboratory services, combined with sustained clinical demand, require the continuation of outsourced provision to maintain turnaround times and support patient care pathways.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• None found

Legal Justification

The requirement relates to a highly specialised clinical service for inherited cancer genetic testing, which requires specific technical capability, accredited laboratory processes, and integration with existing clinical pathways. The identified supplier has the necessary infrastructure, validated methodologies, and established interfaces with the All Wales Medical Genomics Service (AWMGS), enabling continuity of testing, reporting, and data management. These technical requirements cannot be readily replicated by alternative suppliers within the required timeframe without significant disruption. Furthermore, the supplier’s ability to deliver within existing turnaround times, manage current demand, and support backlog recovery is dependent on proprietary systems, validated workflows, and specialist expertise. Transitioning to an alternative supplier would necessitate duplication of validation processes, interface development, and clinical assurance activity, introducing unacceptable operational and clinical risk. The service provision is considered proprietary in nature due to the supplier’s established integration within the current service model, including embedded processes, reporting mechanisms, and clinical pathways specific to AWMGS requirements. The supplier is already delivering testing services aligned to the Health Board’s specifications, with proven performance in managing complex and high-volume diagnostic workloads. Their service includes unique elements such as established data flows, validated testing protocols, and familiarity with Welsh clinical pathways, which collectively form a bespoke service offering that is not readily transferable. Any change in supplier would require significant revalidation of testing processes, redevelopment of interfaces, and onboarding of clinical pathways, which would disrupt service delivery and delay patient diagnosis. This establishes the supplier as the only provider capable of delivering the required service without interruption, therefore justifying a sole supplier award on the basis of proprietary service delivery.

Other Information

The selected supplier is already embedded within the service and has demonstrated the capability and capacity to deliver the required testing to the necessary quality standards. Maintaining this arrangement ensures continuity of service and avoids disruption to established clinical pathways. Introducing an alternative supplier at this stage would present significant operational and clinical risks, including delays to patient diagnosis, disruption to workflows, and additional onboarding and validation requirements. Awarding to a sole supplier is therefore considered necessary to ensure continuity of critical services, protect patient safety, and support ongoing service delivery. ** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **