A £800m framework has opened for IT management services for NHS and social care, to be operated by NHS Digital.
The framework is being run by the Crown Commercial Service, and aims to recruit approximately 12 suppliers of software development services.
The framework titled ‘Digital Capability for Health’ is estimated to start in February 2021 and run for four years. It will cover:
- DevOps services: support for ongoing live services.
- Digital definition services: either separately or combined extended discovery and /or alpha phases.
- Build and transition services: either separately combining beta phase and/or retirement phases (including transition to Live).
- End-to-End Development Services: with the ability to combine the full set of agile phases of discovery through to live.
- Data management (and similar) services: primarily targeted at building, enhancing and maintaining data assets, migrating data from one system to another and analysis and reporting from such data assets.
The agreement is being developed with NHS Digital as the Operator and aims to identify 12 suppliers to “whom NHS Digital can develop strategic relationships over a sufficient period of time, to warrant up-front investment in framework level supplier agnostic competition, whilst maintaining effective and efficient competition at call-off.”
It stated: “The framework is intended to address the evolving technical ‘stacks’ associated within the different pillars of NHS Digital, including: platforms and infrastructure; product development and data services.”
The notice said: “CCS intends to put in place an agreement for the provision of digital capability for health for use by NHS Digital and other public sector health and social care bodies for the provision of digital outcomes and supporting services.”
“Building of closer strategic relationships will encourage suppliers to improve and innovate on their delivery of services. This will be achieved through ongoing collaborative partnership or supplier relationship management activities based on feedback from call-off contracts and management information reports.”
The framework is open for bids until 24 September 2020.
