Supply of Specified Pathogen Free (SPF) Eggs to APHA

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is seeking to engage a supplier to provide Specified Pathogen Free (SPF) chicken (Gallus gallus) Eggs for laboratory diagnostic and research purposes.

APHA is an executive agency working on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Scottish Government and Welsh Government. APHA’s role is to safeguard animal health and welfare as well as public health, protect the economy and enhance food security through research, surveillance and inspection.

APHA’s range of responsibilities includes statutory work for the United Kingdom (UK) government for disease control through surveillance activities, research and consultancy. A number of these animal related research and surveillance activities, such as vaccine development and identification of types of disease, require Eggs to provide tissues, embryos and live birds. It is important that these Eggs are free of specified pathogens or extraneous agents, as they could cause infection or contaminate the work. In addition, there is a legal requirement that Eggs used in the production and quality controls of vaccines are free from specified pathogens.

The successful supplier shall supply Eggs (from Flocks) which comply with the current European Pharmacopoeia 5.2.2 Chicken Flocks free from Specified Pathogens for the Production and Quality Control of Vaccines and must be accredited to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 (or equivalent for the country the supplier operates in) and follow Good Manufacture Practice. Evidence of ISO accreditation shall be provided to APHA annually by the supplier. Further information on the overall requirement can be found within the Bidder Pack - Specification document.