#ExpertiseMatters: Technology (ICT) Category Overview
As part of our #ExpertiseMatters topic for November, we spoke to some of the experts in our procurement teams who specialise in a category area.
James Brooks and Adele Guettat are category managers in our Technology (ICT) team. Through their frameworks, you can procure a range of IT hardware, software, systems and services.
We spoke to James and Adele about what they have been working on recently and the priorities for their category over the next six months.
James Brooks, Category Manager
“A key priority for our category is to continue to promote our Non-Clinical Systems Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), which we rolled out to customers in February.
“Using this DPS, you can transact directly with vendors to purchase a range of non-clinical IT systems within the areas of Estates and Facilities, Business Management, Finance & Procurement, Data & Analytics, Healthcare Support Systems.
“A DPS works well as a route to market for these systems because it can evolve with the frequent changes in the market in terms of new emerging technologies and entrants to these markets.
“Customers can easily select a category that suits their requirements by either browsing our supplier matrix or using our Supplier Sourcing Tool. You can also filter by sector-relevant accreditations and standards, meaning it is easy to find a supplier to match your specific requirements.
“By using an NOE CPC route to market, you are keeping your technology spend within the NHS. And you can be assured that our suppliers meet NHS terms and conditions.
Benefits for suppliers
“Suppliers have found our DPS easy to access. It’s more accessible than a static framework and therefore it has opened the market to a wider range of suppliers across a number of sectors. This benefits customers because they have access to a broad range of suppliers across many categories of ICT systems.
“There’s no limit to the number of suppliers we could have on the DPS. It remains open to suppliers permanently, throughout its life and we can also introduce new categories as and when required.
“For every call off that’s awarded, every supplier has made a commitment to deliver certain social value initiatives. Customers are provided with a selection of options to choose from. They can easily check the social value commitments of the suppliers on our DPS, using the Supplier Social Value Commitments document in Fileshare. This sets out what kinds of commitment each supplier has made, out of the five core areas of Fighting Climate Change, Tackling Economic Equality, Equal Opportunity, Wellbeing and Covid-19 Recovery.
“The number of suppliers on our DPS, and the services they offer, has grown since the contract was launched and I look forward to it growing further in the coming months and becoming a valuable route to market for local procurement teams.”
Adele Guettat, Category Manager
“A big focus for the category over the coming months will be the launch of the new iteration of our IT Hardware and Services (LINK3) framework.
“The current iteration (LINK3) is free to access for the NHS and wider public sector and covers all end user device requirements, including desktop PCs, laptops, tablet devices, printers, specialist healthcare-related IT Hardware such as laptop carts and clinical displays and all associated accessories.
“The new iteration, Tech Devices (LINK4), is due to go live in Spring 2025. The framework is being established collaboratively with NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS). LINK4 will be simplified, with the current Lots 1 to 3 (Desktop PCs; Laptop/Notebook devices; Mobile devices) being combined so you can procure these items from the same supplier.
“We will also be introducing a refurbished lot so that you can access refurbished or remanufactured tech devices.”
“We know that NHS customers like using this framework because of its simplicity, and hopefully, we have reflected that in the new iteration of the framework. You can either direct award, run a mini competition, or use our Quick Quote Tool, which enables you to send your specific requirements to all suppliers on your specified lot – the suppliers will respond directly to you with their quotations.
Working with partners
“We would also like to offer our support to any ICSs who would like to save money and realise economies of scale by running a collaborative procurement and ordering technology devices for multiple trusts.
“The current iteration of the framework has been endorsed by NHS England as a compliant route to market for digital and IT spend and we are working closely with NHS England to ensure that the new iteration is endorsed.
“We are now also working more closely with our partners at NHS London Procurement Partnership, who are actively promoting use of our frameworks to their members across the Greater London region. We are also promoting use of their digital portfolio to our members and customers, and you can find more details of the frameworks that are available by visiting the Clinical Digital Solutions section of their website.”
To find out more about our Technology (ICT) frameworks, you can either visit our portfolio page or contact our Support Desk.