THE procurement process for a national centre for blood has begun following the Scottish Government’s decision to back an outline business case for the project.
The National Centre for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) facility will be built at Heriot-Watt Research Park near Edinburgh. The project will see the consolidation of three blood, tissue and cell manufacturing facilities in Edinburgh and Glasgow, plus associated functions from locations across Scotland, into a 10,500 sq. metre main building and 1,100 sq. metres of garage space.
A spokeswoman for SNBTS said the construction related capital value of the project is approximately £36m and will be funded through the Non-Profit Distribution model (NPD).
She added: “An architect will be appointed as part of a consortium, including contractors, who will bid for the project through the NPD competitive dialogue process with a preferred bidder expected to be appointed in July 2014.”
It is hoped the purpose-built facility will help to centralise the processing and testing of donated blood and help to ensure the future supply of blood, tissues and cells.
Mary Morgan, director of SNBTS, added: “This new national centre enables us to modernise not only to carry on providing safe blood, tissues and cells, but also to continue to pursue and discover vital new cellular technologies which can transform patients’ lives in the years ahead.”
The project is due to be completed in 2017.
