Summary

OCID:: ocds-kuma6s-135387
Published by:: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)
Authority ID:: AA0221
Publication date:: 06 October 2023
Deadline date:: -
Notice type:: 01 Prior Information Notice (PIN)
Has documents:: No
Has SPD:: No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:: Yes

Abstract

National pharmaceutical procurement for NHS Wales is delivered by the Pharmacy sourcing team, which is part of Procurement Services within NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP). The team consists of procurement professionals managing the end to end sourcing process for a range of pharmaceutical contracts, which are utilised by Health Boards across Wales. A key piece of software used by NWSSP Pharmacy sourcing to manage their tenders and procurement process, deliver their contracts as well as manage ongoing contracts is the Contract Management System (CMS). The current system has been in place for about 20 years. The current CMS system is used in close conjunction with Bravo eTenderwales which is the tendering system used by NWSSP. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to alert suppliers to a potential opportunity to deliver a replacement CMS. The CMS will be a tool used by NWSSP Pharmacy sourcing team initially, with the scope to expand it’s use to additional procurement sourcing teams, within NWSSP Procurement Services in the future. CPV: 48000000, 48100000.

Full notice text

Prior information notice

This notice is for prior information only

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

4-5 Charnwood Court,, Heol Billingsley, Parc Nantgarw

Cardiff

CF15 7QZ

Contact person: Rob Hollands

E-mail: robert.d.hollands@wales.nhs.uk

NUTS: UK

Internet address(es)

Main address: http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221

I.2) Joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

I.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address

I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

I.5) Main activity

Health

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Pharmacy Contract Management System

II.1.2) Main CPV code

48000000

II.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

II.1.4) Short description

A key piece of software used by NWSSP Pharmacy sourcing to manage their tenders and procurement process, deliver their contracts as well as manage ongoing contracts is the Contract Management System (CMS). The current system has been in place for about 20 years. The current CMS system is used in close conjunction with Bravo eTenderwales which is the tendering system used by NWSSP.

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to alert suppliers to a potential opportunity to deliver a replacement CMS.

The CMS will be a tool used by NWSSP Pharmacy sourcing team initially, with the scope to expand it’s use to additional procurement sourcing teams, within NWSSP Procurement Services in the future.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

48100000

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UKL

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

NWSSP is seeking to engage the market to understand the technical solutions, delivery options and ideas that will inform a business case to determine the most appropriate method to replace the current Contract Management System (CMS, which is used to create, tender, analyse and maintain contracts for the Pharmacy Sourcing Team. The system will be used in conjunction with a number of other systems in order to provide a complete contract tendering and management package.

The current CMS system offers a thorough series of functions that are able to record, hold and produce most documents and information to effectively tender and manage contracts. Currently the primary system that CMS is supported by is Bravo (e-Tender Wales). Bravo is an online tendering tool which uses a tender spreadsheet composed by the CMS. Once the tender closes this sheet is then downloaded from all submitted tenders and uploaded on mass to the CMS for analysis.

Documents can be exported from the CMS in several formats. Currently the most used formats are PDF and Excel. PDF is used when exporting contract schedules and the composite, and excel used for the tender spreadsheets and exporting data loads for mass analysis. When data is exported in many cases once completed it will be re-uploaded. This is the case with many of the processes such as tender spreadsheets, analysis and usage requirements.

The current CMS system utilizes Access 2007 and SQL 2005. The IT environment is flexible and depending on the solution NWSSP would be willing to discuss on premises, cloud or supplier based hosting.

The new CMS will be able to fulfil the following list of requirements:

1.) Master Tables – these hold data on the following:

- Products

- Suppliers

- Terms

- Contracts

2.) Create a workspace for each pharmacy contract in order to carry out the management of the end to end procurement process from gathering tender requirements, analysing tender bids, awarding contracts and ongoing contract management activity as detailed below.

3.) Tender - ie functions to setup tender requirements and analyse received bids:

- Receive requirement inputs for the generation of a tender ie typically from health boards operational needs

- Output tender spreadsheets as Excel ie ready to publish to the market via Bravo (e-tender Wales)

- Receive completed tender sheets as inputs which will form part of the Analysis function

4.) Analysis:

- Build an analysis of tender from the incoming completed tender sheets

- Compare the values per product from supplier bids and take into account the pack size tendered

- Export the analysis into Excel / PDF

5.) Award of tender to winning supplier(s):

- Award products to supplier as part of the contract

- Generate a debrief document per supplier (excel)

- Create a contract schedule outlining all awards / costs

6.) Contract management – in order to carry out the ongoing tasks involved with the contract at the post-award stage such as:

- Add / Remove awards

- Modify price

- Generate updated contract schedules for any amended contract details

A new CMS must match the functionality of the current system and deliver the following additional functionality. NWSSP would look to continue development of the application to these areas:

- Improved contract analysis module – to deliver more in depth insights and automation to analyse tender responses

- Contract debrief module – to offer a more streamlined and efficient process to provide tender response debriefs to suppliers as part of the post-tender feedback process

- Improved analytics – in order to provide greater insights into contract management, such as spend analytics as part of the post award contract management process

The application must be designed to be flexible to enable continued development.

NWSSP would investigate the potential for the system to be used by further procurement sourcing teams, within Procurement Services. These teams would include but not limited to the Medical/Clinical and Non-Medical teams.

II.2.14) Additional information

This contract will cover the following organisations:

NHS Wales Shared Service Partnership

II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:

09/10/2023

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3) Additional information

Due to the nature of this engagement, there is no guarantee that a procurement tender exercise will be undertaken following this PIN. However, this is an excellent opportunity for suppliers to help inform the business case and engage with NWSSP to determine the most appropriate method to realising its ambition.

Indicative pricing will also be requested as part of this pre-market engagement. A summary draft of requirements for the engagement stage, will be sent to interested suppliers and it is intended to hold Supplier Engagement sessions during December 2023 – January 2024. (exact timings TBC).

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=135387.

(WA Ref:135387)

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

06/10/2023

Coding

Commodity categories

ID	Title	Parent category
48100000	Industry specific software package	Software package and information systems
48000000	Software package and information systems	Computer and Related Services

Delivery locations

ID	Description
1017	Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot
1022	Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
1015	Central Valleys (Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf)
1013	Conwy and Denbighshire
1020	East Wales
1023	Flintshire and Wrexham
1016	Gwent Valleys (Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly)
1012	Gwynedd
1011	Isle of Anglesey
1021	Monmouthshire and Newport
1024	Powys
1014	South West Wales (Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion)
1018	Swansea
1000	WALES
1010	West Wales and The Valleys

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID	Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:: robert.d.hollands@wales.nhs.uk
Admin contact:: N/a
Technical contact:: N/a
Other contact:: N/a

Further information

Date	Details
No further information has been uploaded.