1. Healthcare Procurement in the NHS
Lisa Innes
Senior Procurement Manager

2. OVERVIEW: NHS Landscape
Procurement – Clinical / Non-clinical (transactional)
Contracting and common routes of Procurement
Open
Restricted
Any Qualified Provider (AQP)
Competitive Dialogue
Competitive Dialogue with Negotiation
Innovation Partnerships
Looking out for opportunities

3. HOW AGCSU SUPPORT:
Strategic Souring – a process that helps commissioners to define need through to contract management and performance monitoring
Provide advice and apply best practice to procurement activities
Act as a critical friend and challenge commissioners in their thinking, to identify possible alternative solutions, to ensure the procurement process is fit for purpose and to ensure the best outcomes will be achieved from the procurement process and resultant contracts
Manage the procurement process on behalf of commissioners, using electronic tools (e-Tender) to support the process
Ensure the process is fair, transparent and auditable
Provide an audit trail and compliant procurement process, minimising risk of challenge
Manage the dialogue with potential providers

4. Providers Commissioners
NHS England Commissioners of Primary Care
NHS
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)
Commissioners of health services for the local population - community care, emergency care, acute, non-acute, mental health, ambulatory and patient transport services
Private/Independent
Commissioning Support Units (CSUs)
Providing commissioning support services
Public Health England
Responsible for national public health: such as immunisations and vaccinations.
Others
Local Authorities (LAs)
Responsible for local public health issues: such as smoking cessation, drug and alcohol services, sexual health etc.

5. CCGS COMMISSIONING OBLIGATIONS:
Use of the current NHS Standard Contract for all clinical services procured
Use of the appropriate procurement route
Legal requirements – Public Contract Regulations 2015
NHS (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No.2) Regulations 2013 (PPCCR). Made under Section 75 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
To utilise appropriate procurement processes that are;
Proportionate
Fair
Non-Discriminatory
Transparent

6. WHAT IS AQP?
AQP is a commissioning route – where there is no competition in the application process
When a service is opened up to choice of ‘any qualified provider’, patients can choose from a range of providers all of whom meet NHS standards and price
Prices paid to providers will be determined in advance by commissioners. Either national tariff where it applies, or a locally agreed price. There is NO competition on price
Patients will choose based on quality and individual preferences and money will follow patients’ choices
Providers must respond to an offer on Contracts Finder and pass the national qualification process to ensure they meet the appropriate quality standards

7. Complete Application form Contracts Finder Advert
AQP PROCESS
APPLICATION WINDOW
EU Supply
Complete Application form
Contracts Finder Advert
EVALUATION AND CLARIFICATION STAGE
Evaluation
Clarifications asked
Final evaluation
Pass/Fail
Internal Approvals
Contract Award + Service Mobilisation

8. WHERE DO I FIT IN?
Sole Provider – providing entire service with no sub-contracting or outsourcing
Lead Provider – responsible for the contract and its delivery but may or may not be delivering any of the service, and will have sub-contractors to deliver all or elements of the service
Consortia member / Partnership – responsible for the contract as part of a consortium or partnership, will usually be delivering part of the contract. (Exact responsibility depends upon the business arrangement between consortia / partnership members)
Sub-contractor – contracted to deliver all or part of a contract that is held by a lead provider or provider higher up the supply chain
Part of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) – Like being a consortia member but the consortia is set up so it is legally separate from members’ other companies

9. FINDING OPPORTUNITIES
Don’t just look at a contract advert and think “I can’t do all of that so there’s no point in wasting my time”
If you can provide part of that service, or think that what you do complements part or all of the contract on offer, think of your options
You may hold the key to that extra something – added value – to another organisations offer
Use advertised market engagement events, and events like these, to network
Research other organisations in your sector – how can you help them / complement them?
Make connections now – be ready to respond to tenders, rather than having to start from scratch finding partners / a lead provider etc.
Sell your organisation – make yourself known
Respond to market feedback requests - you’re the experts!

11. https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=UK

12. YOUR RESPONSE
Read the questions carefully, and if you are not sure about something then ask!
Your Response can be copied & pasted
Max word character count per box – check your response fits well before the deadline!
Attachments (documents) are only allowed where asked for, and only what is asked for may be attached
Try and get someone else to proof read your responses

13. CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS – FROM YOU
If you don’t understand something in the documentation, you can ask a clarification question.
There will be a deadline for clarification questions to be asked – make sure you take note of this as soon as the opportunity is published.
All clarification questions must be sent to us via the messaging system on the procurement portal (eu_supply), no other methods of communication will be accepted.

14. CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS – TO YOU
The evaluation panel looking at your application may need to seek clarity on something you’ve put.
This isn’t an opportunity to give applicants a second chance, but to clarify information already presented.
Don’t rely upon “we’ll just tell them more when they ask clarifications”, we do not have a duty to seek clarity – it is the responsibility of the applicant to include all relevant detail for that question originally.
You must respond to any clarifications within the deadline stipulated.

15. HELP!
If you are having difficulty understanding the questions or you have queries about the service or application form, contact Arden and GEM CSU using the messaging function within that opportunity on Bravo
If you are having difficulty navigating or using the website please contact the EU Supply helpdesk:
Phone: during office hours ONLY (08.00 to 17.00)

16. Useful Links
Contracts Finder: EU Supply: Source Derbyshire

17. CONTACT DETAILS – NORTH TEAM:
Doug Hershaw - Associate Director Procurement
Lisa Innes– Head of Procurement
Tel: