Step by step Guide: Further Competition Off Catalogue

Preliminaries

The terminology used below assumes that the reader has familiarised themselves with some key Digital Care Services concepts available via the following guidance / tutorials:

• GPITF Overview
• Capabilities and Standards Overview
• How to buy
• Executing a procurement - a step by step guide

If you are a CCG in receipt of GMS funding for GP Practices, the NHS National Procurement Hub will assist you with all aspects of your Further Competition Off Catalogue process.  They can be contacted at xxxx.

Step 1: Prepare

Read the Call Off Procedure Schedule

It is recommended you read Schedule 2.1 of the Framework Agreement to ensure you understand the call off procedure.

 Prepare your requirements

Identify all the Service Recipients that will be receiving services under the competition.

List the Capabilities that represent your needs.  It will also help to review the Epics and identify which are the most important to you.

Identify any services you might need: training, implementation, etc.

Be sure to consider your local environment and any special requirements, for example, local integrations.

Identify if you have any of your own costs you wish to consider when considering the whole life cost of the services.  Your own costs that might vary depending on the Supplier: implementation, transition if applicable, training, etc.  You need to identify these costs before you begin the procurement so that they are applied fairly and appropriately to all Catalogue Solutions you are evaluating.

 Involve your procurement team

It is recommended that you involve your procurement team in preparing your requirement and plans for your competition.

 Confirm the evaluation criteria

The Further Competition Off Catalogue procedure has two options for Award Criteria: Price only and Price and quality.  These are described in the Framework Agreement Schedule 2.1 in Appendix 1 and are summarised here.

The option of Price only and Price and quality has been provided in the framework to give you flexibility.  It is important that you follow your organisation’s Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs).

Price only (with no Non-Price Elements).  Where you believe you can evaluate based on price only, with no quality constraints, you might choose this option.  If you are evaluating multiple Solutions, you should calculate the total contract value as described in 5.2.4 above – and if you are taking into account any local costs – add these to get the whole life cost, and award to the Supplier of the Solution with the lowest total cost. 

Price and quality.  Where you wish and can differentiate the Catalogue Solutions that meet its requirements based on quality and price, the criteria below can be used within the ranges indicated:

You can choose one or more quality (Non-Price Elements) and apply a percentage weighting to each of them, if the overall percentage weighting totals in the range 10-70%.

You have a choice of Non-Price criteria which you can use:

• Quality
• Delivery timescales
• Technical merit
• Target Performance Indicators offered
• Transition/Migration

You will need to define a scoring system for the Price criteria where the lowest price scores the highest score.  You should seek advice from your local procurement team about how to do this, as there are different methods.

Prepare your Further Competition Invitation (FCI)

The Further Competition Off Catalogue Procedure requires you to prepare a document setting out your requirements, how and when you wish the Supplier to respond, and describing the procurement specifics including your evaluation process.  You also have the option of splitting the competition into two stages if you wish.

As part of your FCI, you prepare a draft of the Call Off Order Form setting out your requirements.  The Supplier will complete the Call Off Order Form as part of its bid.

You will need to set an initial term for the Call Off Agreement, we recommend that you set a Call Off Initial Period (see 4.1.6 above) of 12 months (or slightly longer if there is an implementation that is staged). If you don’t give notice to terminate before the end of the initial term, the contract will continue to roll monthly until you give 30 days’ notice.

You will also need to set an initial term for each Service Instance, we recommend that you set a Service Instance Initial Period (see 4.1.6 above) of no more than 12 months. If you don’t give notice to terminate before the end of the initial term, the contract will continue to roll monthly until you give 30 days’ notice.

The NHS National Procurement Hub is NHS Digital’s Procurement Delivery Partner and will supply model documentation which other organisations can request as their starting point.

Step 2: Review Catalogue Solutions

See what Catalogue Solutions are available to buy

Go to the Buying Catalogue and see what Catalogue Solutions are available.  You can download further information about each Catalogue Solution.

All the Solutions listed on the Buying Catalogue are your longlist.

 Create a shortlist

Review all the Catalogue Solutions on the Buying Catalogue and create a shortlist of Catalogue Solutions that can meet your requirements by using the Capabilities and other information on the Catalogue Solution Listing.

Step 3: Evaluate

Issue the FCI to all the Suppliers on your shortlist

Send out the FCI to all the Suppliers on your shortlist.  Any Supplier that does not intend to bid must tell you so within five Working Days.

Receive and clarify the tender responses if needed

Once you receive the tender responses, review them to ensure they are complete and undertake any clarifications before you complete the evaluation.  Negotiation is not a part of this procedure.

Evaluate the tender responses

If you are using Price only (with no Non-price Elements), select the Supplier of the Catalogue Solution with the lowest total cost. 

If you are using Price with Non-Price Elements score each Catalogue Solution using the criteria, weightings and scoring system you set out.  The Supplier of the Catalogue Solution with the highest score is the preferred Supplier.

Step 4: Call Off Order Form and Award

Sign the Call Off Order Form

The Call Off Order Form was completed as part of the tendering process, so you can send it to the Supplier so that they can sign it.

Once the Supplier has signed the Call Off Order Form, you can sign it.

Award

Once you have both signed the Call Off Order Form, you have awarded the contract to the winning supplier.

Send a copy of your Call Off Order Form to NHS Digital at gpitf.fulfilments@nhs.net .  For organisations in receipt of GMS funding, NHS Digital will arrange payment to the Supplier.  For all organisations, this lets NHS Digital know who has a Call Off Agreement, which enables them to notify you of any issues with your Supplier.

You should also provide feedback to the unsuccessful Suppliers; templates are available in Sample feedback letter