THE PROVISION OF SPECIALIST PESTICIDE RESIDUE ANALYSIS IN FOOD AND DRINK FOR THE NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICIAL TESTING PROGRAMME

HSE is seeking to put in place a contract at the earliest August this year for an official laboratory to undertake the testing of food on the Northern Ireland market. The first period of testing will be for samples collected from October until the end of the year to December 2024 (195) and then around 708 samples collected throughout 2025. There will be a further option for HSE to contract for two further calendar years 2026 and 2027 subject to satisfactory performance for a similar testing programme (scope, complexity and numbers) with some different foods. The work in both years is divided into four lots and there is the option of bidding for the work in 2024 only, 2025 only or both years. HSE prefer that the fewest number of providers are used to deliver this work.