1. Lead Provider Framework
NHS England / 30/01/14
Gateway Ref: 00102

2. Introduction
The commissioning support lead provider framework is being developed in response to requests from CCGs for a way to quickly and easily procure excellent commissioning support. A survey we conducted over the summer indicated that 76% of CCG respondents supported the development of a lead provider framework. The framework will be optional and will be launched alongside procurement information that outlines other choices available to CCGs and NHS England and the support available. CCGs and NHS England will be able to buy some, or all, of their support from one or more suppliers on the framework.
If CCGs wish to procure services from the framework (“call-off”) they can only do this where the services are included in the scope of the framework and they will need to award call off contracts on the basis of evaluation criteria set out in the framework. It is intended that the framework covers the full range of commissioning support services CCGs may wish to buy, in the way in which they would be buying, and tests criteria which CCGs would want to test. This document sets out the scope of the framework and the range of commissioning support services it is intended to cover. It also contains an indicative short description of each service line.
We have been testing the range of services identified in this pack through open to all regional engagement events attended by representatives of 69 CCGs, 17 CSUs and 35 independent and voluntary sector organisations. The draft was also shared by for comments with the Commissioning Assembly Commissioning Support Working Group, Commissioning Support Industry Group, Commissioning Support Patient Advisory Group, CSU Network and 63 suppliers who had registered an interest following the PIN on 16/05/13. A number of changes were made as a result of this engagement and these can be found in the draft scope of the framework, published on 13/12/13
This document is indicative of the areas that are anticipated to be assessed at PQQ. The questions are not an expression of the actual selection criteria to be applied at PQQ but are aimed at giving potential bidders advance notice of the kinds of areas we will be assessing, in order to support the development of the best quality bids.
The OJEU, and the subsequent process documentation issued as part of that procurement, will be the definitive statement of the service lines to be procured, the questions and criteria, and the process to be followed in operating the procurement. The OJEU notice for the framework is intended to be published during the week commencing 24/02/14.

3. Guidance to bidders – Statement of bidding forms
During our engagement with CCGs, commissioning support suppliers and other stakeholders last year, a concern was raised that the requirement for a single legal contracting entity might preclude or discourage a range of innovative bidding arrangements where best of breed organisations – each bringing their own distinct set of services and products to the end customer - come together as joint parties in a co-bidding arrangement.
In order to provide suppliers with a greater degree of flexibility around their approach to risk sharing and management, we will no longer expect bidders to form a single contractual entity or for there to be a single contracting entity party to the ultimate contract.
Set out below is a summary of the potential bidding forms that are available to suppliers along with some of the legal rules. Whilst this is subject to final confirmation within the tender notices and documentation, we hope that this will stimulate further discussions between potential bidders as they work collaboratively to refine and enrich their offer for the framework.
Tenders from a consortium are permitted. A “consortium” means two or more persons acting jointly for the purpose of being awarded a place on the lead provider framework.
NHS England will not treat the tender of a consortium as ineligible on the grounds that the consortium has not formed a legal entity for the purposes of tendering.
NHS England will not require any consortium to form a legal entity before entering into, or as a term of, the lead provider framework.
Tenders for the lead provider framework will therefore be permitted from:
a sole corporate entity (whether formed prior to tendering or before contract);
a lead/prime supplier together with sub-contractors; or
a group of providers, each entering into direct contractual obligations with the customer (co-bidding)
To ensure transparency throughout the tendering process and to support consortia bids, we have developed a mock co-bidding agreement available to download at which illustrates the potential shape and detail anticipated to apply to a co-bidding arrangement.

4. Timeline Niche and specialist CSS supplier list Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec J
Development of PQQ criteria and sign off
24 Feb – publish OJEU and PQQ
Suppliers have 11 weeks to complete PQQ documentation
PQQ Evaluation – briefing, individual and consensus assessment
14 July – unsuccessful suppliers briefed and ITTs issued to successful suppliers
Weeks
Suppliers have 9 weeks to complete ITT documentation 1
2-6 7 8 9
Individual assessment of bids
On average 2hrs per service category per bid
Bidder interviews (ITT ONLY)
ITT Evaluation – briefing, individual and consensus assessment
Collation/clarification of bids and panel briefing
2 day consensus meeting with complete panel
Internal NHS England sign off
Drafting of issuing successful & unsuccessful supplier letters
Supplier debriefs, 10-day standstill period and contract award
Niche and specialist CSS supplier list
Framework launched
24 Feb – launch process to create supporting supplier list
Light touch accreditation of suppliers (VSOs and SMEs)
July– Launch supplier list

5. Structure of Framework
Lot 1 – End to End Commissioning Support
Lot 2 – Specialist Decision Support
Business Support Services
Financial management and accounting
Payroll
HR services 
ICT Infrastructure, Support and Strategic Services
Corporate governance, risk management and compliance
Healthcare Procurement and Provider Management
Healthcare procurement
Market development
Contract requirement, definition and negotiation
Provider and contract management
Transformation and Service Redesign
Research and analysis
Strategy and planning
System and commissioning transformation
Pathway optimisation, revision and redesign
Organisational development
Lot 2 A
Medicines management and optimisation
Lot 2 B
Individual Funding Request (IFR) case management
Continuing healthcare and funded nursing care
Communications and PPE
Proactive communications
Patients in control
Reactive communications
Patient and public participation at strategic and operational level
Business Intelligence (excl DMICs)
Business Intelligence applications
Business analytics

6. Overarching questions
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice):
Organisational capability
The organisation’s capability to operate as a lead provider including its policies and systems, governance and resilience.
In addition to the areas below the PQQ will examine a range of standard measures to test legal and regulatory requirements and may test the organisation’s information governance arrangements.
Describe your experience of delivering end to end to commissioning support services
Provide details of a contract you have held for services across each of the service categories (The contract example can be for one or more of the services in each category and also bridge multiple categories)
Describe how you have engaged with multiple partners and other organisations to improve and enrich your offer to customers. Include your approach to supply chain management and governance of sub-contractors (for example fair treatment)
Outline your experience ensuring excellence across your supply chain and that services continually represent best practice
Provide an example of your track record of scaling up your capacity to deliver services to broader customer base, including the systems you have in place to manage capacity thresholds.
Provide an example of when you have developed a new bespoke service to meet a customer's specific requirements
Provide an example of the way in which you have continually involve customers in delivery, monitoring and management of your services
Outline the approach to business continuity, and disaster/emergency recovery and the plans and tests you have used to ensure continuity of service to customers.
Provide evidence of your approach to risk management
Describe how you have assured quality of provision and support continuous improvement
Demonstrate how you your service offering has been enhanced by reducing inequalities within your organisation
Demonstrate how you have supported continued professional development

7. Business Support Services
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice):
Financial Management and Accounting
Provision of strategic and operational financial management and accounting services including financial planning, management accounting, budget setting, budget control, financial reporting and analysis services, financial accounting, finance operations, financial modelling, accounting service support, general accounting services, systems accounting, systems management, cash management and forecasting, working capital and fixed asset management, VAT advisory and management services, expert financial support to transformation and service redesign services, invoice payment, invoice query management and supplies management including transactional procurement services.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of delivering Financial Management and Accounting Services to a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), applied and developed processes, made best use of technology to deliver an efficient and effective service for the customer and delivered to customer deadlines.
Payroll Services
Provision of payroll services including payroll processing, account management and payroll administration.
Provide an example of delivering payroll services to a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), ensured provision of an accurate and timely service and worked with customers to provide reporting to meet their needs.
HR Services
Provision of strategic and operational HR Services including; recruitment , selection and retention, employee administration, HR policy and process development, advice, implementation and compliance with HR legislation and standards, equality and diversity, job evaluation, employee well-being and Occupational Health services, change management, talent management and performance management, leadership development, learning and development including statutory training requirements, organisational design services, organisational development, workforce planning and management, remuneration services and industrial relations.
Provide an example of your experience delivering HR support services to a customer to ensure compliance with the Equality Act Responses should include the process implemented to measure compliance, how you ensured they became and/or remained fully compliant with the Equality Act 2010 including details of your approach to reviewing and delivering ongoing compliance and how you rectified any area of weakness.
ICT Infrastructure, Support and Strategic Services
Provision of ICT infrastructure, ICT support and strategic ICT services, including in a Primary Care setting, taking account of IT best practice and market developments.
Services including; managed IT estates services, disaster recovery services, managed data hosting, network services, systems integration and interoperability, implementation of software solutions, storage and server management, management of third party providers and integration of third party goods and services, desktop support, service desk, asset management services, computer estate management, remote access services, print management, telephony, mobile device management, end-to-end delivery services (from discovery, development and implementation of solutions, training and support through to benefits testing and realisation), IT Strategy services (including support to development of strategic plans and strategy delivery), implementation and support to national programmes of work, provision of IT advice, programme and project management support and access to specialist resource.
Provide an example of delivering ICT services to a customer. Responses should include how you have worked with customers to develop and implement an IT strategy, delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), the operational benefits received by the customer as a direct result of your service and the approach to risk management adopted.
Corporate governance, risk management and compliance
Provision of services for the smooth and compliant running of an organisation including: business continuity planning, testing and resilience; development and implementation of a corporate governance and risk management framework and support in handling governance and risk issues; assurance and compliance - Delivery of services within and support to progress beyond legal and regulatory responsibilities across the customer organisation, including around equality and diversity, health and safety, data protection and information governance advice; Equality and diversity – Support to embed equality and diversity in practice including through equality objective setting, publishing equality information, equality analysis, training for staff and board members and equality impact assessments; Information Governance - Ensuring confidentiality and integrity of information, data security and provision of Information Governance Toolkits .
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of delivering corporate governance and risk management services to a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer) and your approach to business continuity.

8. Healthcare Procurement and Provider Management
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice):
Healthcare procurement
The procurement of NHS funded clinical services that includes the provision of strategic advice on healthcare procurement methodologies, the relevant technical infrastructure and provision of the expert tactical resource to deliver a range of healthcare procurement options. 
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of your experience delivering comprehensive healthcare procurement services to a customer in a health and social care environment. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), delivered at scale to drive efficiencies, involved key stakeholders, patients and the public and embedded the principles of the Social Value Act in your procurement service.
Market development
Market development covers a range of activities including analysis and benchmarking of the relevant healthcare market that helps to determine the market status.  Market development includes identification of whether a market exists for particular services, how mature it is or whether it requires development, increasing the number of providers (and the range of services offered by those providers) within local markets and on the periphery where this adds value to the healthcare outcomes available to the population.  Where a market doesn’t exist advice may be required on what market opportunities may be developed.  
Provide an example from a health and social care or equivalent public service environment of your experience delivering market development services to a customer in a health and social care environment. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer) and the outcome of this work.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of a service you delivered to a customer where you stimulated the health provider market to increase quality and choice. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer) and the outcome of this work.
Contract requirement, definition and negotiation
This service line covers the set of contracting activities that enable the acquisition of high quality healthcare provision efficiently and effectively. It includes the analysis of what services are needed, their scope and definition, technical advice on contract opportunities and negotiation of contracts on behalf of a customer.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of how, on behalf of a customer, you introduced specific incentives within a contract to drive improvements through contract re-negotiation.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of what you have done to lay the foundations for your customers to support outcome based commissioning. Describe within your response how outcome based contracting and commissioning can drive greater value for customers. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer) and the outcome of this work.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of your experience delivering a contracting function on behalf of a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer) and your approach to negotiation and agreement of contracts, quality and financial management.
Provider and contract management
The management of both contracts and providers to ensure better provision and value for money and to proactively manage performance, ensuring that quality is maintained and that delivery is on target.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of your experience developing contract management systems on behalf of a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), managed contract, quality and financial performance and managed compliance with nationally mandated targets or metrics.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of when you have taken a proactive approach to tackling poorly delivery performance on behalf of your customer.

9. Transformation and Service Redesign
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice)
Research and analysis
Provision of research and analysis service that can operate across the commissioning system and healthcare markets including: the ability to undertake primary and secondary research using quantitative, qualitative and other evident methods; delivery of advice on policy development; healthcare economics analysis and other bespoke analytical services with the ability to translate to a business plan, business case or other recommendations; use of variation data to identify priorities; use of service review techniques to identify opportunities for improvement and potential solutions and recommendations.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of undertaking research and analysis on behalf of a customer to identify local priorities for improvement at a strategic and programme level and the improvement plan that was produced as a result. Responses should include the methodology you used to undertake the research and analysis, the approach you took to prioritising areas for improvement and how you supported the customer to take ownership of the improvement projects and the impact of this work. Provide an example from a health and social care environment of how you have undertaken research and analysis on behalf of a customer to enable positive changes in the delivery of patient outcomes
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of the provision of research and analysis services for a customer that demonstrate your ability to engage with OR access academic and research organisations.
Strategy and planning 
Provision of planning and strategy support both locally and at scale developing collaborative commissioning strategies including the development of QIPP strategies, strategic and operational plans, small scale project planning, business or commissioning planning, business and commissioning planning and being able to work between and with other LPF offers such as communications and PPE and/or business support service or other.
Provision for strategic planning support and facilitation with tools to understand capability, build plans, create organisational consensus, prioritisation, understanding of the underlying challenges when undertaking healthcare planning and delivery. This will support the development of clear coherent strategies which might include developing a consistent mission, vision and values.
Provision will also include the delivery of financial business cases and smaller scale project/programme planning pre-delivery including the cases for using technology, innovation or other investment to secure future successes.
Provide an example of your experience supporting the development of a short or long term commissioning strategy. Responses should include your implementation plan, an overview of the process used (including use of variation data to drive plans, strategies and strategic decision making), engagement of key stakeholders (including patients and the public), the associated financial modelling and evidence that the objectives of this plan were achieved (if this is not demonstrable evidence that the activity changes associated with the financial modelling occurred).
Provide an example of the use of impact assessment in determining strategic and operational priorities for a customer
System and commissioning transformation
The system and commissioning transformation service line relates to complex projects requiring significant change, transformation or intervention. Provision will include delivering parts of a project lifecycle or the full programme life cycle from strategic advice through to delivery and outsourcing.
Provision will include the experience and skill to run an organised Programme Management Office for major change. Programmes will include major systems reconfiguration ; financial turnaround ; managing and/or decommissioning major failures; collaborative transformation between networked/partnership organisations which are bound by geography or other relationships; decommissioning lower value interventions, pathways and/ or steps within pathways.
Provision will include access to subject matter experts for healthcare transformation including commissioning, decommissioning and clinical experts (potentially external individuals acting as sub providers).
Provision will include the ability to galvanise and engage CCG leadership, including clinical, in the transformation agenda.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of a transformational programme that you implemented on behalf of a customer. Responses should include the methodology used, the change as a result of the project to people, process, systems, culture or technology, stakeholder engagement in the project (including patients and the public) and use of innovation in commissioning (for example, use of outcome based commissioning or commissioning for value).
Provide an example of your capability to train and develop clinical commissioners and providers in population based clinical practice.
Pathway optimisation, revision and redesign
Provision to implement best practice and innovation through small to medium size projects focused on continuous improvement of commissioning systems and clinical change based on evidence and nationally and internationally recognised best practice.
Provision to run effective project offices through the right project managers and clinical expertise. This service should provide commissioning or decommissioning of smaller services and pathways.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of driving improvement for patients by optimising or redesigning service pathways on behalf of a customer. Responses should include your approach to deciding which delivery options to select, dealing with barriers to delivery and troubleshooting; programme monitoring and management; achievement based contract and market management.
Provide an example of services you have implemented on behalf of a customer where patient and clinical engagement were at the centre of the decision making process.
Organisational development
Provision to facilitate the development of CCGs including the development of leaders, workforce planning and talent management.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of an organisational development programme that you have delivered for a customer to facilitate the development of leaders, workforce planning and talent management. Responses should include the methodology used, how you delivered at scale and pace, how you designed the programme to meet a range of learning needs and your models and approaches to self sustaining change and improvement.

10. Communications and Patient and Public Engagement
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice)
Proactive Communications
Provision of strategic PLANNED communications support, advice, planning and delivery to ensure the organisation is effectively communicating its vision, values and objectives. This includes stakeholder management, communications strategy development, consultation, corporate communications, internal communications, multi-channel communications (digital, direct mail, social media, etc.), behaviour change, proactive press/PR planning (including emergency communications planning) and evaluation. The complex and varied audience include the public, patients, their carers, providers, volunteers, other stakeholders and the CCG membership base.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of your implementation of a multi-channel plan / communication strategy on behalf of a customer. Responses should include how you delivered the service (including performance in relation to the contract / agreement, the scale of the project and how you delivered value for money to the customer), evidence of partnership working and the outcomes of this work.
Reactive communications
Provision of RESPONSIVE communications, delivering communications strategies that protect and enhance the profile and reputation of the organisation. This includes reputation management (including media handling, corporate communications and communications requirements around complaints, and Freedom of Information requests). It also includes planning/preparedness and delivery at the time communications support is needed and evaluation of this activity.
Provide an example from a health and social care environment of successful reputation management and media handling on behalf of a customer following difficult press /media coverage following an emergency/crisis. Responses should include the solution you offered, evidence of how you co-ordinated a multiple stakeholder response and a link to the media coverage / evidence of how the situation was managed to ensure that it did not become a news item or reputational issue with key stakeholders
Patient and public participation at strategic and operational level
Provision of services to customers that support listening, understanding and engaging with patients, their families and carers, the public and voluntary sector organisations to enable local voice to influence commissioning decisions and co-produce and co-design services.
Provide an example of how you have supported a customer with the participation of patients and the public at a strategic and operational level (e.g. to co-produce or co-design services, when commissioning new services, redesigning or decommissioning services). Responses should include the engagement methodology used, the stage at which patients and the public were engaged, how you supported the engagement of hard to reach groups (e.g. housebound older people) and the result of the engagement activity (i.e. what changed as a result).
Patients in control
Provision of services to develop an equal partnership between clinicians, patients and carers in decisions which relate to an individual’s care or treatment to ensure that they receive services which are proactive, holistic, preventative and people-centred. The aim is to achieve a collaborative approach to care and treatment with active patient involvement and effective self-management support which takes account of peoples’ preferences though a culture of shared decision making. The service includes supporting a customer to put in place systems that recognise people as active partners in health and promote the involvement of patients and carers in decisions which relate to their care or treatment including, but not limited to, self management support, shared decision making, personalised care planning and personal health budgets.
Provide an example of how you have supported a customer to promote the involvement of patients and carers in decisions which relate to their care or treatment (e.g. self management support, shared decision making, personalised care planning and personal health budgets). Your response should include the methodology used and the outcome of this work.
Provide an example of how you have started to develop systems on behalf of a customer that recognise people as active partners in health, shifting towards individual capabilities and community assets (that builds knowledge, skills and confidence) 

11. Business Intelligence (excl. DMICS)
Draft PQQ assessment areas (these will be superseded by the OJEU notice)
Business Intelligence Applications
Business intelligence applications that provide decision support, query and reporting such as KPIs, metrics, dashboards, risk stratification, monitoring and alert systems and workflow management systems.
Provide an example of delivering business support applications to a customer that supports evidence based decision making, resource allocation and value for money. Your response should include a description of the application(s) delivered to the customer and how it met their requirements/ solved problem, availability of and access to a range of data, including how limitations were overcome, evidence of robust techniques and methodologies, an explanation of how the effectiveness of the service was evaluated to embed continuous improvement (including monitoring processes and measurements), how you engaged patients and stakeholders, how you supported the customer to maximise value from the application.
Business Analytics
Analytical know-how and supporting analysis to answer key questions and will including predictive modelling, benefits case development statistical analysis, benchmarking and bespoke comparative analysis
Provide an example where you have analysed health data to really understand what is happening in the system to support evidence based decision making and ensure appropriate resource allocation and value for money for commissioners. Your response should include evidence of use of a wide range of data (including health, population and financial data, to provide timely and holistic analysis), appropriate and robust methods and techniques for data analysis to improve outcomes (including for example comparisons, benchmarking, demand analysis, inequalities), use of appropriate and clear materials to convey key messages and implications of the analysis to the customer, appropriate analysis, processes monitoring and evaluation to ensure continuous improvement, appropriate future needs assessment, planning and delivery to anticipate future needs and mitigate risks and patient and stakeholder engagement to inform analysis.

12. Lot 2: Decision Support Services
We are continuing to engage with clinical and pharmaceutical leads to finalise Lot 2. Currently, we propose that Lot 2 will be split into two sublots:
2A: Medicines Management and Optimisation
2B: Individual Funding Request Case Management and Continuing Healthcare and Funded Nursing Care
The proposal means that providers can be bid for either 2A or 2B or both.
The service line descriptions below are a draft of the proposed scope of these services.
Lot 2 – Decision Support Services
Medicines management and optimisation
Provision of support to ensure the safe and cost effective use of medicines that enables CCGs to achieve value for money and improved outcomes for patients. This includes: support and advice to CCGs to ensure that their legal and governance requirements of medicines management are met; analysis of business intelligence and use of best practice and expert knowledge to identify potential areas for efficiencies and reduction of waste; use of data to benchmark and manage medicines management performance; provision of intelligence and advice to enable CCGs to effectively monitor and manage expenditure on medicines; identification of areas for quality improvement and efficiency savings and production and implementation of improvement plans; horizon scanning to support CCGs to make strategic decisions about market entry of new products; provision of medicines optimisation support to GP practices; management of medicines expenditure of commissioned secondary care services (e.g. PbR excluded drugs) medicines procurement.
Individual Funding Request (IFR) Case Management
Case Management of IFR cases including management of applications and the decision making process, the recording and sharing of outcomes and analysis of data.
Continuing healthcare and Funded Nursing Care
Enabling commissioners to deliver requirements to assess patients for NHS Continuing Health Care including: comprehensive referral and assessment systems; systems which confirm and validate eligibility; funding and options for placement; provider performance management.

13. Appendix 1: Questions from the previous draft
Can Lot 1 be split into separate Lots?
There has been extensive discussion with stakeholders about the lot structure for the framework. There has been broad support from CCGs for a sole lead provider lot that covers the majority of commissioning support services and provides an integrated and seamless service. In addition we have reviewed the requirement for bidders to form a single contracting entity, enabling more flexibility in the partnership and risk management approaches and models that suppliers can adopt for the framework.
How prescriptive will you be about when case study examples took place?
We would expect all case study examples to be from within the last 3 years unless otherwise stated.
What format will be required for submission and what exactly will be required?
The revised assessment areas provide greater detail on the questions that are likely to be asked at PQQ stage. A draft of the areas that we would expect responses to cover can be found in Appendix 2.
When will detail on the ITT assessment areas be available?
The high level criteria for the ITT stage will develop over the next few months. A draft of the ITT questions is anticipated to be published at the end of May prior to the ITT stage launching in July.
How will you ensure that the framework is not used to procure services that are already provided at a national level?
When we publish the framework it will include a list of services which are explicitly excluded from the framework.
How will PPE be assessed across other service lines?
As stated in the draft PQQ assessment areas above case study responses in specific service lines will need to set out how bidders have engaged with patients and the public.
There was significant feedback on the draft of Lot 2 from CCGs. This will be incorporated in the updated specifications for Lot 2.

14. Appendix 2: General Guidance
Guidance for the completion of the PQQ stage will be published alongside the official OJEU notice on 24 February and will supersede the information provided below. This guidance is an early indication for bidders of the approach that NHS England intends to adopt in gathering responses at PQQ stage:
All responses should reference examples that are less than three years old. Where these examples must come from a health and social care background this is stated explicitly in the question.
Responses will be anonymised. Bidders will be asked to ensure that all case study examples provided are anonymous (referring, for example, to work undertaken on behalf of “a CCG” rather than a specific CCG) and to provide separate references for each case study. These references will be removed from the documents provided to the evaluation panel.
Response to service specific questions (i.e. those in slides 6-11) are expected to be required to be less than 1000 words
Bidders will be provided with template documents for each service category. These will contain a free text field for each question. Bidders are likely to be asked to ensure that their responses, as far as possible, outline the situation, task, activity and result of the work / services they have undertaken on behalf of a customer.