Heartbeat of the nation
On 15 November 2019 we changed from Australian Red Cross Blood Service to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
For regular blood, plasma and platelet donors, nothing much has changed. They still continue to support Australians with generous donations, just as they have for 90 years. Learn about our history
But for some people, our new name is quite literally life-changing. That’s because we’re also helping to facilitate the donation of tissue, organs, breast milk, and other life-saving biological products. Discover our purpose.
So, while you might not notice much of a difference, to someone in need of more than blood, life quite literally depends on Lifeblood.
Lifeblood is governed by the Lifeblood Board, which includes our Chief Executive Shelly Park.
Lifeblood is funded by Australian Governments to provide life-giving blood, plasma, transplantation and biological products for world leading health outcomes.
Lifeblood is an operating division of the Australian Red Cross Society. Lifeblood and the humanitarian arm of the Australian Red Cross Society have separate executive structures and funding but share the values of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Details of the Australian Red Cross Society and its humanitarian work are available on its website
ABOUT LIFEBLOOD
What we do
People
DIVISIONS
| DIVISION | |||
| Donor Services | Manages the collection of blood donations, relationships with donors, contact centre operations, building community relationships and management of facilities. | Finance | To enable the business to make efficient and effective decisions; provide financial governance; leverage technology to delivery agile solutions and actively partner with the business to advance our corporate health. |
| People and Culture | Partners with and enables the business through advancing our safety imperative, aligning people initiatives to support the organisation’s strategic plan and enriching the employee experience. | Information and Communications Technology | Manages the hardware and software needed to efficiently run Lifeblood, including the National Blood Management System (NBMS) and the National Transplant Systems (NTS). |
| Manufacturing and Quality | Processes blood donations, ensuring they are tested and efficiently distributed to meet demand. | Corporate Strategy and Transformation | Supports the organisation through business strategy, policy advice and driving transformational change with an organisation-wide impact. Areas of responsibility include strategic planning, risk management, oversight of national projects portfolio, quality services, marketing, public relations and internal communications, lean strategy and international services. |
| Clinical Services and Research | Supports optimal, safe practices at every stage of the blood journey, from donation to transfusion. Provides clinical oversight of both donor and patient safety relating to blood and tissue products creates and translates unique, world-class knowledge in blood transfusion-related research. | Corporate | Includes the Board Secretary, Legal and Government Relations, the Chief Executive Advisor as well as the Office of the Chief Executive. |
| Business Growth and Innovation | Leverages the strengths and capabilities of our organisation to develop growth opportunities, innovation and future commercial pathways that will position Lifeblood as a recognised leader in its field, both locally and globally, and enhance our transplantation and immunogenetics work. | ||
Services
We draw upon our core strengths of safety, quality, specialised expertise and national infrastructure to help enhance healthcare in Australia to deliver improved patient outcomes.
Partner with Lifeblood
Looking for corporate social responsibility with a difference? For a partnership that actually saves lives? Something with a social impact and real purpose?
Lifeblood is the only organisation in the country that does what we do. We have a 90-year history of saving lives through life-giving biological products thanks to the help of Australia’s generous communities and organisations.
Join with us and make a real impact to the everyday wellbeing of all Australians ― from the youngest to the most vulnerable. To learn more about partnering with Lifeblood contact us.
Group and corporate blood donation
Want to improve staff engagement and satisfaction? Register a Lifeblood Team and discover volunteering with a truly rewarding outcome: saving lives.
Publications
Annual report
Each year Australian Red Cross Lifeblood lodges an annual report detailing our financial and performance information gathered over the financial year. These documents are part of the public record.
2018-2019
Lifeblood Annual Report - Financial Statements
2017-2018
Annual Report 2017-2018 - Financial Statements
Previous years
Annual Report 2016–17 – Financial Statements
Strategic plan
Blood and Beyond – Strategy 2023 defines our future direction. Through its three key pillars the strategy clearly sets out how we’ll build on our strong foundations and articulates what needs to be achieved so we can make an even greater contribution to healthcare in Australia.
Blood and Beyond – Strategy 2023
Business plan
The business plan for 2020/21 - 2021/22 sustains the second year of our strategic plan, Blood and Beyond – Strategy 2023.
Tenders
For information on current tenders and tenders are coming up please see the details below - suppliers are advised to monitor this page for updates.
Tenders are advertised on this web page and may be advertised in other forms of media so please refer to the tender advertisement for registration details.
For other queries, please see the Supplier FAQs.
Tender Name:
Automated labelling and Verification System (ALiVe Project)
Tender Description:
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is seeking to work with an experienced industry leader in automation for an Automated Labelling and Verification System to label and verify blood packs.
This tender is for a turnkey supply of an Automated Labelling and Verification System, which includes the design, (incl. 3D design throughput modelling), manufacture, factory acceptance testing, installation, commissioning and validation support.
Inclusions:
- Design a CAD drawing of the automated labelling system which must include dimensions, throughput modelling analysis, operator access/management
- Quote for design
- Option to develop 3D digital design (if requested by Lifeblood)
- Quote for build of a prototype including the verification and validation testing which are agreed by both parties
- Build the prototype for a nominated processing centre
- Build and supply the bi-directional interface to allow the automation to operate with the National Blood Management System (NBMS). It is likely that this will be a web service.
- Provide detailed operating manual and maintenance requirements
- Detailed Factory Acceptance Testing, agreed to by both parties
- Provision to undertake detailed commissioning and validation onsite with specified requirements developed in consultation by both parties
- Deliver detailed training, including safe system shut down and start up and common mechanical failure repairs
- Provide associated training documents
- The contract shall also include provision to construct, install and commission all remaining automated labelling systems nationally and to perform and manage ongoing maintenance nationally
Exclusions:
- Delivery of the blood pack to and from the automation
- The supply of crates for the sorted or rejected product.
- Crates containing sorted blood packs will be taken away by others and replaced with empty crates when necessary.
- Electrical power supply from the facility to the automation
- Data/communication connectivity from the facility network to the automation
- An uninterruptable power supply for equipment critical functions.
This is a two stage tender process. This tender advertisement relates to Stage 1, a formal Expression of Interest (EOI). Suppliers are invited to register their interest, and submit high-level responses to questions around their capability, capacity and company profile. A smaller pool of suppliers is expected to be selected from this stage, and down-selected for Stage 2. Stage 2 is expected to be a closed tender process, which involves a dialogue between Lifeblood and participants to refine the scope and requirements. This will conclude with a final submission of a high-level technical and commercial (pricing and contractual terms) offering. The successful partner will be selected after Stage 2, and formally engaged to create the detailed design and implementation plan.
How to Register and Tender:
Interested Suppliers are requested to register for our online tendering system (eSource) here in order to view the tender documents, and submit an EOI.
Please direct enquiries via the Tender system in the first instance. If you have trouble accesing the system, please contact Ashley Angus, Sourcing Manager at NationalProcurementAUS@redcrossblood.org.au for assistance.
Tender Closing date and time is Friday, 21 August 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (Australian Eastern Standard Time).