Automated Large-Scale Ultra-Low Temperature Biological Sample Archive

UK Biobank (UKB) is a registered UK charity and is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing genetic, lifestyle and health information from half a million UK participants. UKB is responsible for the safe preservation, and scientific exploitation, of a priceless collection of 17 million biological samples. Around 11 million are stored at -80 °C and accessible for approved use by academic and industry researchers. Samples include plasma, serum, buffy coat, extracted DNA, urine and saliva. UKB's next phase of development will be characterised by increasing demand for biological samples, and a number of new, large-scale, sample collections. This Contract Award Notice relates to a contract for the provision of a new automated large-scale ultra-low temperature biological sample archive (the Archive) with sufficientcapacity to accommodate 20 million samples (with expansion to 30 million samples if required by UKB during the contract) and associated support services.