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Prior Information Notice

Request for Information (RFI) Introducing Standards for Case Management Systems (ASC)

  • First published: 01 October 2024
  • Last modified: 01 October 2024
  • Record interest

     

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The buyer is not using this website to administer the notice.

To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

Contents

Summary

OCID:
ocds-h6vhtk-04a306
Published by:
Department of Health and Social Care
Authority ID:
AA74848
Publication date:
01 October 2024
Deadline date:
-
Notice type:
Prior Information Notice
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
N/A

Abstract

Request for Information (RFI) The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has spoken to a wide range of Local Authorities (LAs) and IT suppliers about the challenges and opportunities they face in the Adult Social Care sector. A consistent theme came up – that the Case Management System (CMS) market was not functioning effectively; systems were not performing as expected, LAs were finding procurement excessively difficult, and suppliers were facing major cost pressures. DHSC decided to explore this market in more detail and provide greater support. This is to enable the market to sustainably innovate and produce efficient and effective systems that best serve the needs of people requiring care. <br/>The Department is developing a programme to deliver this support focusing on finalising a Foundational Specification (details in annexe) and identifying opportunities to for more direct intervention in the market. However, as part of informal consultation on the Foundational Specification ‘Part 1’ both suppliers and LAs noted that, while this guidance was helpful, they would also benefit from standards that set out clear processes that govern priority use cases and promote greater standardisation and performance across the market.<br/>The Department is therefore seeking a partner with experience developing, testing, and implementing standards across the social care and/or digital systems market.

Full notice text

Prior information notice

This notice is for prior information only

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

Department of Health and Social Care

39 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0EU

UK

Contact person: Joe Smith

E-mail: joe.smith1@dhsc.gov.uk

NUTS: UKI32

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care

I.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address


Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome


I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions

I.5) Main activity

Health

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Request for Information (RFI) Introducing Standards for Case Management Systems (ASC)

Reference number: C308903

II.1.2) Main CPV code

85100000

 

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

Request for Information (RFI) The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has spoken to a wide range of Local Authorities (LAs) and IT suppliers about the challenges and opportunities they face in the Adult Social Care sector. A consistent theme came up – that the Case Management System (CMS) market was not functioning effectively; systems were not performing as expected, LAs were finding procurement excessively difficult, and suppliers were facing major cost pressures. DHSC decided to explore this market in more detail and provide greater support. This is to enable the market to sustainably innovate and produce efficient and effective systems that best serve the needs of people requiring care. <br/>The Department is developing a programme to deliver this support focusing on finalising a Foundational Specification (details in annexe) and identifying opportunities to for more direct intervention in the market. However, as part of informal consultation on the Foundational Specification ‘Part 1’ both suppliers and LAs noted that, while this guidance was helpful, they would also benefit from standards that set out clear processes that govern priority use cases and promote greater standardisation and performance across the market.<br/>The Department is therefore seeking a partner with experience developing, testing, and implementing standards across the social care and/or digital systems market.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

75130000

72212900

85000000

85000000

79410000

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UK

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has spoken to a wide range of Local Authorities (LAs) and IT suppliers about the challenges and opportunities they face in the Adult Social Care sector. A consistent theme came up – that the Case Management System (CMS) market was not functioning effectively; systems were not performing as expected, LAs were finding procurement excessively difficult, and suppliers were facing major cost pressures. DHSC decided to explore this market in more detail and provide greater support. This is to enable the market to sustainably innovate and produce efficient and effective systems that best serve the needs of people requiring care. <br/><br/>The Department is developing a programme to deliver this support focusing on finalising a Foundational Specification (details in annexe) and identifying opportunities to for more direct intervention in the market. However, as part of informal consultation on the Foundational Specification ‘Part 1’ both suppliers and LAs noted that, while this guidance was helpful, they would also benefit from standards that set out clear processes that govern priority use cases and promote greater standardisation and performance across the market.<br/>The Department is therefore seeking a partner with experience developing, testing, and implementing standards across the social care and/or digital systems market.<br/><br/>Objective:<br/>The Department is exploring procuring a partner to identify opportunities in current English CMSs for clear and definitive standards, focusing either on data, functionality, or interoperability, to be developed and introduced. From this longlist of opportunities, this partner would develop a prioritised shortlist of standards and identify their implementation requirements. These would then be sequenced into a delivery strategy and roadmap. To test the validity of the approach, the first of these standards would then be developed as a pilot. The final deliverable would be a long-term strategy for delivering priority standards to the CMS market validated through the development of an initial pilot standard. We aim to develop both this overall strategy by the end of this FY (24/25) and the initial pilot standard by the end of the next FY (25/26). As such we expect the programme will be conducted in two phases, the first lasting 4 months and the second 12 months with a break-clause between them.<br/>Questionnaire:<br/>Please complete:<br/>Supplier Name <br/>Supplier Address <br/>Supplier Company Registration Number <br/>Key Contact Name <br/>Email Address <br/>Telephone Number <br/><br/>• How would you propose delivering a project of this type to best achieve our objectives?<br/>500 words max.<br/><br/>• What experience do you have in the developing standards for social care systems or other relevant markets? What specific experience do you have in ensuring these standards are adopted by the market e.g. commercial routes?<br/>750 words max.<br/><br/>• What existing relationships do you have across LAs, UK CMS providers, and relevant expert bodies to effectively create and test these standards as they are developed?<br/>500 words max.<br/><br/>• What level of resourcing would you propose you need to deliver this work effectively? What skills will be needed across the project team?<br/>300 words max.<br/><br/>• How long would you require to deliver this work given your proposed level of resource?<br/>300 words max.<br/><br/>• What would be the cost of this level of resource for this time?<br/>300 words max.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Annexe - Foundational Specification Overview<br/><br/>To date the key focus of work to support the CMS market has been the development of a Foundational Specification – a set of technical guidance that sets out what CMSs must, could, and should do. In discussion with a LA Reference Group, DHSC and supporting organisations (NHSE and Local Government), it was decided to tackle the lack of clarity in the CMS market. In concert with the LA Reference Group, supporting departments, experts, and CMS suppliers we have developed the first part of the Foundational Specification. This document will provide LAs and suppliers, for the first time, with an agreed and cohesive vision of what the future of CMSs should look like. The intention is that this will raise standards by setting out minimum requirements, especially around interoperability, which will improve the functionality of systems and enable wider transformation. In addition, it will lower costs for both LAs and suppliers by promoting greater standardisation. This specification is not being introduced as mandatory, instead the Department is working closely with LAs and suppliers to co-develop the specification and ensure it is fit for purpose to promote adoption.<br/>The specification is planned to be delivered over two publications, as the LA Reference Group requested the topic of ‘Continuous Improvement’ was published sooner so that they can begin to effect change more quickly. We have developed Part 1 of this specification and received positive feedback from across the market. We are currently assessing our options for developing Part 2 which will focus on core ‘Procurement’ topics as detailed below.<br/>Part 1 – ‘Continuous Improvement’:<br/>• ASC Core Record – a core data standard and set for consistently and accurately recording a person’s key information<br/>• Interoperability – the ability for CMSs to connect to external health and social care information systems<br/>• Self-service and Portals – options for supporting greater choice and control when accessing social care<br/>• Data, Analytics and Reporting – how data can be managed used to support operational, performance and strategic activities<br/>• Non-functional requirements – attributes that determine how well an application should perform, meet quality standards, and service and user expectations as they relate to ‘Continuous Improvement’<br/><br/>Part 2 – ‘Procurement’:<br/>• Case Recording – core functionality for recording key elements of care and the system workflows that direct and guide actions<br/>• Finance – capability of CMSs to accurately and effectively assess and monitor financial requirements and limits for people receiving care<br/>• Commissioning – ability of the system to link to and commission care from care providers<br/>• Non-functional requirements – attributes that determine how well an application should perform, meet quality standards, and service and user expectations as they relate to ‘Procurement’

II.2.14) Additional information

DHSC is issuing this RFI to gain additional information from potential suppliers to ensure the successful future tender exercise for Introducing Standards for Case Management Systems (ASC)<br/><br/>To access the RFI Document which includes a more detailed Service Description.<br/>register at:<br/>https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome.<br/>The Atamis reference for this RFI is C308903.<br/>For any Atamis queries email to: support-health@atamis.co.uk or via Helpdesk Phone: 0800 9956035<br/><br/>Please return your completed RFI no later than Thursday 24th October at 15:00.<br/><br/>NOTE: For avoidance of doubt this is not a call for competition, the purpose is to advise the market on the forthcoming DHSC procurement and seek feedback from the market that may inform the final specification and/or procurement approach to the services.<br/><br/>The RFI process does not form part of the formal procurement process. When the formal procurement process commences any supplier may join the competition and all supplier Tenders will be evaluated on the same basis. The contractual opportunity will be available in the future via DHSC Atamis eTendering System.

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

26/09/2024

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.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

26/09/2024

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
79410000 Business and management consultancy services Business and management consultancy and related services
85000000 Health and social work services Other Services
85100000 Health services Health and social work services
72212900 Miscellaneous software development services and computer systems Programming services of application software
75130000 Supporting services for the government Administration services

Delivery locations

ID Description
100 UK - All

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:
joe.smith1@dhsc.gov.uk
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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