Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) - Product Testing Framework

Award outcome

Framework agreement

Description

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) have concluded a compliant procurement exercise relating to various categories of product testing to verify compliance with applicable regulations and standards. DBT will award an Open Framework across 5 Lots. At this stage, DBT can confirm the lotting structure in detail and that the procurement will involve 5 lots that will cover product testing services to support our role as the UK's National Regulator Enforcement Services that the Office for Product Safety and Standards are responsible for. These procurements will underpin regulatory enforcement and market surveillance across the full breadth of OPSS's responsibilities. The testing requirements will cover: • Lot 1: Construction and Building Products. • Lot 2: Electrical and Electronic Products. • Lot 3: General Consumer Products. • Lot 4: Multi-Disciplinary Analysis (Chemical Biochemical & Microbiological Testing). • Lot 5: Cybersecurity and Digital Compliance.. These testing services are essential for OPSS's proactive and reactive enforcement activities, supporting consumer safety, regulatory compliance, and market confidence. DBT have utilised the new Open Framework permissions permitted by The Procurement Act 2023. It is perceived that the framework will be opened at least once in the first 3 years of up to an 8-year framework. The value of the opportunity across 8 years is capped at £43,000,000 ex VAT. The full specification was provided within the tender documents, and the intention of this notice is to further inform suppliers that a compliant procurement process is now complete and formally announce the authority's decision to award a contract before the contract is signed, and it triggers the mandatory standstill period which ends midnight (00:0) on the 22nd April 2026. DBT reserves the right to change any information contained within this notice at any time, and potential suppliers rely upon any information provided entirely at their own risk. Background The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is part of The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and was created in January 2018 to deliver consumer protection and to support business confidence, productivity, and growth. OPSS regulate a wide range of products with a focus on their safety and integrity. OPSS works with local, national, and international regulators, with consumer representatives and with businesses to deliver effective protections and to support compliance. OPSS' mission is to be a trusted product regulator for the UK. This means protecting people and places, enabling business to thrive and empowering consumers to make good choices. OPSS will be a leader of good regulatory practice and a champion of local regulation. OPSS is: • the national regulator for most consumer products, excluding vehicles, medicines, food, and certain other specialist categories. • the national regulator for legal metrology, ensuring weighing and measuring instruments used for trade are accurate and reliable. • the National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP), responsible for ensuring construction products placed on the market meet regulatory requirements. • the enforcement authority for a range of product regulations on behalf of other government departments. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to read the text at the following link to gain a full understanding of the role of the enforcement services within Government: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-regulation-enforcement-services

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