Tag: Healthcare framework

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A dedicated Account Manager will carefully consider which medical tenders are most suitable for your business. This will help improve your competitor awareness and bid success rate.

The Ultimate Time-Saving Tool offers your business:

An annual subscription to a maximum of two Discover portals of your choice.
Up to five bid breakdowns per month to help you make your bid or no-bid
Weekly phone calls with your Account Manager to discuss viable medical leads and tendering opportunities.
Award and pre-market engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
Public and private buyer portal management including registering, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid strategy.

Become a Pre-Bid Master package offers your business:

All of the above.
Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
The development of a bid strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

3 Things to Consider When Writing Your Ambulance Tender Response

Posted on 4th March 202118th July 2022 by John Hudson

Answers to your ambulance tenders FAQ’s

It can seem daunting when writing a response to an ambulance tender. The public sector requires a lot of additional policies and requirements to be in place when tendering. This blog hopes to answer all your FAQ’s to do with ambulance tenders and the NHS Ambulance Service tendering procedure.

What are the UK Ambulance Services?

The UK Ambulance Service is comprised of 10 individual NHS Ambulance Trusts in England:

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
South Western Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
South Central Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust
South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Then you have the following services covering the rest of the UK:

The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
The Scottish Ambulance Service
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust

The London Ambulance Service alone spends approximately £78 million annually procuring a range of goods and services. They work with a range of public organisations such as:

The National Ambulance Procurement Hub
The NHS London Procurement Partnership
The Office Government Commerce
The Metropolitan Police
The London Fire Brigade
Transport for London

What are NHS ambulance tenders used for?

The NHS may put ambulance tenders out to procure many goods and services. Their principal areas of spending include:

Frontline staff and services

Information technology

Desktops and services
Communications technology
Networks

Fleet and logistics

Emergency vehicles
Accident damage repairs
Fuel

Medical

Defibrillators and associated medical equipment
Medical gases
Medical consumables such as bandages and gloves

Professional services

HR recruitment
Travel and accommodation
Insurance

What are ambulance tender framework agreements?

Framework agreements and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) are common ways that the NHS uses to procure ambulance goods and services. Framework agreements are used to appoint multiple suppliers to provide various services and goods. They can run for several years at a time with the possibility of extension. Many frameworks and DPSs will enable you to choose a ‘Lot’. A Lot is used for specific goods, service or location. It enables you to work alongside other service providers on a contract. Businesses are typically able to apply for three Lots. This is as long as you’re able to prove you have the capabilities to fulfil the contract if successful.

3 things to consider when writing your ambulance tender response

Be in keeping with the general standards

An ambulance tender response will likely require you to have certain accreditations, qualifications and policies. These will vary depending on the goods or service being procured. Some examples that could be required are:

ISO 9001; 14001; 23001; 27001
OHSAS 18001
COSHH
RMADS

Be the MEAT

Public sector organisations have a responsibility to ensure all public money received is used as resourcefully as possible. Due to this, successful tenders achieve the best value for money and contracts are awarded to the MEAT. MEAT stands for the most economically advantageous tender.

A MEAT means that the buyer is looking at more than just the price. They will be looking at a range of factors which could include:

Accessibility
Innovation
Customer service
Technical ability
Quality
Ability to deliver on time
Environmental benefits

Sustainable development

Coinciding with MEAT, sustainable development, also referred to as social value is important for any public sector contract. You must comply with all applicable environmental, social and labour law requirements. The NHS and public sector, in general, take this seriously. As of January 2021, there is a mandatory 10% weighting on social value within all public contacts. Bear in mind 10% is the minimum, some can have a weighting of up to 30%.

This should not be an afterthought when writing your ambulance tender response. You should be including policies that you can actually deliver on and maintain. Social value responses expect you to demonstrate the social, environmental and economic aspects. They want to know you’re committed to aiding things such as:

COVID-19 recovery
Climate change
Reducing waste
Paying the Living Wage of all staff and supply chain subcontractors
Helping fight economic inequality
Creating a diverse and fair workplace
Introduce learning opportunities to help fight unemployment

The NHS will be looking to see tender responses that encourage the NHS Long Term Plan and sustainability.

5 tips for responding to an ambulance tender

Read the information for providers and the specification carefully. Always ask clarification questions.
Give a full response. Don’t assume that the buyer knows anything, they can only evaluate what’s written down in your answer.
Focus on answering the questions asked. They can only evaluate what’s relevant. You should demonstrate how you will meet the requirements of the tender.
Be clear on your pricing model and provide full costings.
Before submission, double-check you have signed and returned the declarations.

How can we help?

Once you’ve found the right ambulance tender for your business, we can help you write the response. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, have 60 years of collective experience of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Our Bid Writers can help your business win its next ambulance tender. We offer four bid writing and support packages.

Tender Writing

If you’re interested in a specific ambulance tender you’ve seen why not send it our way? Our Bid Writers will take care of the bid response for you and they’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown.

Tender Mentor

Our Tender Mentor service analyses your tender content, double-checking it for any errors before you submit.

Tender Ready

The Tender Ready package is for those who have never tendered before. We offer a three-stage process that makes sure you have everything in place to tender successfully. This package includes a 12-month subscription to a Discover portal of your choice.

Tender Improvement

If you’ve written an ambulance tender response but aren’t seeing the results you want, Tender Improvement can help. Our Bid Writers will assess your supporting documents and previous tender submissions. They’ll give you some guidance and feedback on how to improve next time.

Where can I find ambulance tenders?

Our Healthcare Tenders portal is home to hundreds of live healthcare contract opportunities, frameworks and DPS’ from across the UK. These can be lucrative opportunities for your business. They are a fine way to secure a pipeline of work for your business.

What makes Healthcare Tenders different?

Good question. A subscription to Healthcare Tenders allows you to view all opportunities from multiple UK portals in one, central, easy-to-navigate place. We don’t rely on often mislabelled CPV codes. Our Opportunity Trackers manually trawl through thousands of sites daily, uploading them via keyword. This means you’ll never miss an opportunity for your business again.

You’re able to filter the results by keyword, budget, location and more. This saves you even more time, allowing you to tailor the results to suit you. You’ll also receive a daily email bulletin straight to your inbox containing all the live tenders found that day.

Here are some recent ambulance tenders that we sourced on our Healthcare Tenders portal:

Tender for the Provision of Frontline Ambulance

States of Jersey – International – Budget: Undisclosed

26-01-2021

Framework Agreement for the Supply of Non-Emergency Patient Ambulance Transport

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust – West Midlands

Budget: Undisclosed

25-04-2019

Non-Emergency Ambulance Transport Service

Procurement and Logistics Service – Northern Ireland- Budget: £19,620,000

09-01-2019

Specialised Critical Care Ambulance Transport Service for The East Midlands Region

NHS England and NHS Improvement (Specialised Commissioning) – East Midlands

Budget: £12,250,000

14-08-2020

Market Engagement Event For Specialised Critical Care Ambulance Transport Services Related Procurement

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit – East Midlands – Budget: Undisclosed

12-02-2020

We source healthcare tenders for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today.

Upgrade to Discover Elite

We know how busy you are running your own business. That’s why we want to make life even easier for you with our new Discover Elite packages. This upgraded feature is particularly useful if your business runs across two sectors such as Healthcare and Technology, for example. It helps streamline the tendering process, even more, eliminating the frustrating, time-consuming pre-bid admin aspect of tendering.

The Ultimate Time-Saving Tool

The Ultimate Time-Saving Tool package does what it says on the tin. This package includes:

An annual subscription to a maximum of two Discover tender portals of your choice.
Up to five bid breakdowns to help you make bid or no-bid
A dedicated Account Manager to help track the perfect tender opportunities for your business.
Weekly phone calls with your Account Manager to discuss viable tendering opportunities.
Public and private buyer portal management. This includes registering, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid strategy.
Award and pre-market engagement notices monitored on your behalf.

Become a Pre-Bid Master

Become a Pre-Bid Master package includes all the perks above, plus the following two perks:

Up to seven breakdowns per month.
The development of a bid strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

5 Tips for Writing a Successful Orthodontic Tendering Response

Posted on 2nd March 202127th June 2022 by John Hudson

The orthodontic tendering process explained

The majority of orthodontic tendering opportunities are for the public sector, specifically the NHS. The Midlands, North and East of England are the regions where most orthodontic tendering opportunities lie for the NHS.

NHS England commissions orthodontic services in the NHS England Midland and East via managed clinical networks (MCNs). These are slightly different from other NHS services that are procured via NHS procurement hubs.

There are quite a few hoops you must jump through if your business is considering the orthodontic tendering process. They’re there for good reasons, as providing the best patient care should be at the heart of any healthcare procurement.

Orthodontic tendering can seem like a daunting process if you’re new to it. A combination of quality improvement and lower cost agendas can make it difficult. The ever-changing landscape of patient care and clinical skills is tough to keep on top of. Providing trustworthy and safe dental care is unfortunately no longer enough to win.

With that in mind, this blog includes some helpful tips on how to succeed at orthodontic tendering.

Before you even begin you need to read the specification carefully and ask yourself the following:

Does my business meet the minimum economic and financial thresholds?

Do I have the resources to deliver the goods, works or services that are required?

Do I have the necessary experience and qualifications required?

You should always ask yourself these questions before you begin your tendering response. It’s the ultimate question: to bid or not to bid? You must establish your answers to these questions before you proceed.

If the answer is no to any of the above, it may not be the right opportunity for your business. If the answer is yes, you should carry on and start planning your response.

What is the orthodontic tendering process?

PQQ

Typically, the orthodontic tendering process starts when NHS England commissions a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). This is released when they’re looking to procure orthodontic works, goods, or services. A PQQ can also be known as a selection questionnaire (SQ). They are essentially where you provide your company’s information and a box-ticking exercise. You’ll need to confirm non-collusion and establish your environmental and equality and diversity policies.

ITT

If you meet all the minimum criteria at the PQQ stage, you will be then sent an invitation to tender (ITT). This is where the serious work begins. It’s within the ITT that you detail how to plan to carry out and fulfil the contract if you win. The suppliers with the best chance of winning will read the specification, and formulate a response that demonstrates:

“Yes, I can do that, here’s how and here’s the benefit to you if you pick me”.

You have to persuade the buyers into thinking you’re the best business for the job. You must show that you not only meet the service requirements but will deliver:

Outstanding quality
Improved patient outcomes
Value for money

Once you’ve submitted your bid the buyer will then review each one. They will then award the contract to the highest scoring tender response based on both quality and price.

Dynamic Purchasing Systems

Orthodontic tendering opportunities often are presented in Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPSs). There are also Personal Dental Services Agreements and Pseudo Dynamic Purchasing Systems (PDPS). These are similar to framework agreements that are frequently used within the healthcare sector and the NHS. The main differences are that a business can join at any time, and there’s no limit on numbers of suppliers.

Traditional tendering contracts will be awarded to one supplier. However, DPS’ are multi-supplier agreements that are used when a buyer wants to procure multiple goods or services. Once a business has passed both the PQQ and ITT stages, the buyer will create a shortlist of approved suppliers. Then, for each new project, they will hold a mini competition (or call for competition) with the pre-approved suppliers. Suppliers don’t have to re-do the PQQ stage, saving time they can skip straight to the ITT stage.

Securing a place on a DPS can be a lucrative opportunity for your dental business. They can run for multiple years with the possibility of extensions.

Lots

Orthodontic tenders are often broken down into Lots. Each Lot may be a different service, product or location. They can be defined either by value per Lot, or a defined quantity of UOAs (Units of Orthodontic Activity). Your orthodontic tendering response needs to be Lot-specific and aligned to the number of UOAs. A business is able to bid for multiple Lots. However, you will need to demonstrate that you can fulfil the needs or service of multiple Lots. You will also have to prove that you have the financial stability to undertake the work of multiple Lots.

5 tips for writing successful orthodontic tendering responses:

Have a patient-focused approach

As mentioned above, the NHS has a customer-centred approach. They want to know how you will provide the best patient care while meeting their eligibility criteria. The patent care must be robust, and your quality assurance processes must be watertight.

Evidence is key

Proven evidence is key when submitting a bid in the public sector. Buyers want to be reassured that you have the necessary experience and completed work of similar scope. Often, they’ll require up to three case studies of similar contracts you’ve completed within the last five years. The NHS wants to have concrete evidence that demonstrates you have previously delivered successful services. You may be required to attach testimonials and the contact information of previous clients.

Adhere to best in practice

Your business must demonstrate the uphold best in practice as with any business in the healthcare sector. You must ensure that all aspects of your clinical governance are as robust as possible. For example, you must adhere to:

Regulatory standards
Clearly defined roles
Clinical audits
Safeguarding procedures
Patient safety
Health and safety
Complaints procedure
Responsibilities and accountabilities
Incident reporting procedures
Feedback mechanisms
Sustainable practice
Equality and diversity practices

You should establish the most appropriate governance mechanisms and networks. These could include, but aren’t limited to:

NHS England
Orthodontic MCN
Local Dental Network (LDN)
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG)
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs)
British Dental Association (BDA)
Local Dental Committees (LDC)
Local Authority Health and Wellbeing Boards and Scrutiny Commissions
Healthwatch
British Orthodontic Society
Community Dental Services

Have a comprehensive mobilisation plan

Your mobilisation plan needs to demonstrate potential risks and how they are to be mitigated. The NHS is risk-averse so you will have to take the needs of patients into consideration. You must show how you’ve incorporated all the elements into a thorough and comprehensive mobilisation plan. The NHS is focused on sustainability so it’s worth considering how you can factor that in.

The quality of your writing matters

Most UOAs and orthodontic tenders have set prices. This means there’s little room to gain a competitive edge via pricing. This means the quality of your written response matters. You should never assume the buyer knows anything. Leaving room for assumptions can allow for the wrong assumptions to be made. Explain everything clearly and concisely. Leave the overly technical jargon out.

We get that you don’t always have the time to formulate an orthodontic tendering response – writing isn’t everyone’s strong suit. So, we offer bid writing support packages that can help get you on the path to winning your next tender.

Our Bid Writers at sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in producing winning bids. They have 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. They offer four bid writing services:

Tender Mentor Services
A Tender Ready Programme
Ad-hoc Tender Writing
A Tender Improvement Package

Where can I find the right orthodontic tendering opportunities for my business?

Finding the right orthodontic tendering opportunity for your business can take a large chunk out of your day. There are thousands of sites that host tenders across multiple sectors all throughout the UK. It can turn into a full-time job.

Luckily for you, we have a solution that can save you time. Our Healthcare Tenders portal is a tendering platform that hosts hundreds of new healthcare opportunities from across the UK. We don’t reply on mislabelled CPV codes to bring you leads. Instead, our Opportunity Trackers manually search and upload industry relevant tenders to our portal.

You are then able to filter the results via keyword, budget, location and more. This means you get access to all available live tenders that are relevant to your business.

Below are some past orthodontic tendering opportunities that we sourced on our portal:

Expression of Interest for Specialist Led Orthodontic Services in the Colchester Area, Essex.

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit- Eastern- Budget: Undisclosed

Expressions of Interest for the Provision of Orthodontics in Lincolnshire

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

Provision of Orthodontic Services North Ceredigion

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)- Wales- Budget: £1,369,922

Supply of Orthodontic Consumables

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust- West Midlands- Budget: £73,000

We source healthcare business leads for sub-sectors including:

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Where to Find an NHS Tender Portal

Posted on 25th February 202119th July 2022 by John Hudson

Answering 6 FAQs about NHS tender portals and where to find them

You may be wondering where you can find an NHS tender portal if you’re thinking about tendering for business. Don’t waste time scouring various NHS tender portals. You can find all NHS tenders and more on Healthcare Tenders.

Where can you find an NHS tender portal?

When searching for a good NHS tender portal, consider finding a one, central portal that hosts all NHS tendering opportunities. Our Healthcare Tenders portal hosts all NHS tenders as well as other public and private sector opportunities. It takes regular NHS tender portals to the next level.

What makes the best NHS tender portal?

No reliance on CPV codes

When looking for a good NHS tender portal, you don’t want to be relying on inaccurate CPV codes. These are often mislabelled, allowing plenty of opportunities to slip through the net. Studies have shown that nearly 30% of CPV codes are tagged inaccurately.

The best NHS tender portals will manually upload any NHS tender opportunities they find. This allows you to see 100% of tenders that are available across the UK.

Results you can filter

NHS tender portals, ideally, will have results that you can filter. Filtering the results by keyword, budget or location, allows you to find the perfect opportunity for your business. NHS tender portals have tenders for multiple services, and not all of them are relevant to your business. Being able to filter results allows you to save time and skip the irrelevant opportunities.

Email alerts

To make finding NHS tender opportunities for your business even easier, Healthcare Tenders sends you daily email alerts. These will include all of the live NHS tendering opportunities uploaded that day, saving you even more time.

What’s published on an NHS tender portal?

You may be wondering what business opportunities are posted to NHS tender portals. The NHS tend to procure a whole wealth of healthcare works, goods and services. It can vary from digital solutions to consumables and care workers to x-ray machines.

Often, there will be opportunities to secure a place on a framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system (DPS). These can be lucrative opportunities for your business, and they can run for years at a time. Securing a place on one of these systems allows you to build experience, safeguarding a reliable income for your business.

What are NHS Framework agreements and DPSs?

Framework agreements are often used to appoint multiple organisations to provide goods or services. The process is similar to an average tender. It will start when the buyer releases a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). This a type of box-ticking exercise showing the buyer that you meet the minimum criteria they need for the contract.

If successful at the PQQ stage, you’ll then receive an invitation to tender (ITT). The buyer will give you the specification that details all the requirements for the work they need. A supplier will formulate a response persuading the buyer that they’re the best company for the job. Once the suppliers have submitted their response, the buyer will review them. Then, the successful applicant will be placed on a list of approved suppliers known as a framework.

Once the buyer has a need to procure other goods or service, they can hold a mini competition. This is when all the approved suppliers create an ITT response. As they’re already on the framework or DPS, they don’t need to complete the PQQ stage again. This saves both the buyer and supplier time, thus streamlining the process.

NHS procurement hubs manage, maintain and develop procurement framework agreements for public sector organisations and the NHS. There are four NHS procurement hubs and one of them is the NHS London Procurement Partnership (NHS LPP). The NHS LPP serves the health community in London and the surrounding areas.

What are the common themes within NHS tenders?

There are some common themes when applying to various NHS tenders. No matter the works, goods or services you’re applying to provide, you’ll need to remember the following.

Case Studies

You will be required to demonstrate relevant case studies of work you have completed to a similar scope. The buyer may ask for up to three examples within the last five years. Remember to keep them relevant and state how you overcame any unexpected challenges. Buyers want to be reassured that you have some experience in delivering a contract.

Qualifications

A buyer will expect you to have certain qualifications and accreditations relevant to your profession. They want to know that you are qualified for the job and have the capabilities to fulfil the contract. The specific qualifications required should be listed in the specification. You want to make sure that your business is aligned with best practice.

Some accreditations that could be relevant are:

ISO 9001; 13485; 14001; 27001
NVQs (usually level 3 or above)

MEAT

As the NHS is a public sector, as with any public sector organisation the contract is awarded to the MEAT. The MEAT stands for the most economically advantageous tender, meaning the buyer looks at more than just price. The cheapest bid here does not win. The buyer assesses various factors within your quality response. These can include, but are not limited to:

Innovation
Technical ability
Quality
Ability to deliver on time
Accessibility
Proposed design of healthcare solutions
Environmental benefits

Each aspect can either be looked at independently by the client, or in a mix with other considerations.

Social Value

It wouldn’t be an NHS tender blog without mentioning the importance of social value within your tender response. The public sector builds upon MEAT by including a compulsory minimum weighting of 10% on social value. This is included within your quality response and, in some cases, can have a weighting of up to 30%.

Social value requires you to consider the environmental, economic and social aspects of the contract. Buyers will expect you to make promises that you can keep. Some examples of social values you could include in your tender response are:

How your business supports COVID-19 recovery.
The environmental considerations you’re taking to reduce waste and fight climate change.
The equal opportunity policies you implement.
How you’re tackling economic inequality.

How can I find the right NHS tender for my business?

The ultimate question of to bid or not to bid. You must ask yourself seriously before you consider applying to any tender if the opportunity is right for you. You must read the specification carefully, twice, just to be sure. Then, you must ask yourself the following:

Do I have enough experience?

Does my business meet the economic and financial threshold?

Do I have the time and resources to produce a high-quality submission?
Can I actually fulfil the contract if I’m successful?

These four questions should be the foundation of any tender you’re considering applying for. If the answer is no to any of the above, then it’s likely that the tender isn’t suitable for you. There’s no point wasting the time and money applying to an opportunity that isn’t right for your business.

Supply to NHS Portal/NHS Tender Portal

The Institute for Government states the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) spent £70 billion on procurement in 2018/19. The vast majority of this is on NHS spending. The NHS accounts for around 80% of all healthcare spending in the UK.

In England, most healthcare goods are bulk purchased centrally and distributed by the NHS Supply Chain. The NHS Supply Chain now manages more than 4.5 million orders a year.

A business can secure a pipeline of work by supplying a product to the NHS via portals. It can be quite a lucrative opportunity if you’re able to supply to the NHS portals.

How has NHS procurement changed since the COVID-19 pandemic?

The DHSC, Public Health England and NHS England are responsible for NHS procurement. Various stems within the NHS and government actually commission NHS contracts for tender. These include Local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the NHS Supply Chain.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS England has taken on the CCG’s powers to purchase services. This allows them with a greater ability to support the provision of services across the NHS during the crisis. The CCG are still purchasing services as well.

During this emergency, the government has issued guidance on emergency procurement. This sets out the routes that government bodies can take to gain access to good and services rapidly. This allows for direct awards, for example, meaning there is no competition resulting in accelerated procedures. Therefore, businesses can supply to the NHS without being on a portal.

The NHS uses various procurement hubs to buy goods and services they need. You can apply to supply to the NHS on their portals.

The benefits of working with the NHS Supply Chain

If you’re questioning whether to supply to NHS portals, there can be multiple benefits. The NHS Supply Chain offers benefits to suppliers that no other route to market can provide. For example:

Regional distribution centres that have over 9000 stocked lines, allowing for increased Supply Chain resilience.
Specialist procurement conversations with suppliers. The Category Tower Service Providers (CTSPs) have buying teams that have specialist knowledge of their product areas.
Suppliers are involved in the CTSP development of category and sourcing strategies, which are approved by their cross-functional teams.
Reduced point of sales, providing a single route to market for suppliers instead of applying to each trust individually. This is a particular benefit for SMEs, lowering sales and marketing costs.
The NHS Supply Chain has a dedicated Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) team that engage regularly with suppliers.
A clearer route for innovative products into the NHS Supply Chain. It has better links and offers the opportunity for collaborations with national programmes such as the National Wound Care Strategy.

It isn’t just suppliers that benefit from supplying to NHS portals. NHS trusts also benefit from the NHS Supply Chain. For example:

Savings that can be channelled back to frontline services.
More time enabled for core clinical activities.
Greater NHS clinical involvement in purchasing decisions.
More effective introduction of new products, particularly those with a focus on innovation.

What is the supplier code of conduct?

All suppliers for NHS tender portals must adhere to strict laws and ethics standards. It must comply with all laws applicable to its business, particularly for the following:

Child Labour
Forced Labour
Compensation and working hours
Discrimination
Health and safety
Business continuity planning
Improper payments/bribery
Environment
Business partner dialogue
Compliance with the supplier code of conduct.

Can SMEs join the NHS Supply Chain?

The UK government has an ongoing initiative to award 33% of all government contracts to SMEs by 2022. This applies to the NHS and they are keen to remove barriers to enable ease of trading with SMEs. Thus, ensuring that all suppliers, no matter their size, have equal and fair access to supply opportunities within the NHS.

The NHS Supply Chain has been structured to simplify the engagement with those who have expertise in their product category. SMEs will benefit from a quicker route for the evaluation of innovative products. These should offer more measurable benefits to patients or the health care system. It must compare and improve routine practice in the UK through HealthTechConnect.

How can I supply to NHS tender portals?

There are a number of actions you can take to learn more about becoming a supplier for the NHS Supply Chain. In order to supply to an NHS tender portal, you must first create an account online. You will be required to create a username and password to log in to your account.

You can also contact the Supplier Relationship Management Team or view the Procurement and Savings Calendar. This calendar will give an overview of contract launch activity, framework renewals and mini competitions all in one place.

Alternatively, you can sign up to our Healthcare Tenders portal. Here, you can find all NHS tendering opportunities and more in one place.

Join Healthcare Tenders

We source healthcare tenders for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today.

Upgrade to Discover Elite to save even more time

Discover Elite can help optimise your tendering efforts even when you’re busy! An on-hand Account Manager will carefully consider which tenders are most suitable for your business. They can give you advice on how to supply to the NHS portal. This will help improve your bid success rate and competitor awareness.

The Ultimate Time-Saving Tool includes:

An annual subscription to a maximum of two Discover portals of your choice. This option is perfect if your business overlaps two industries such as Healthcare and Technology, for example.
Up to five bid breakdowns per month to help you make your bid or no-bid
Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable healthcare leads and tendering opportunities.
Award and pre-market engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
Public and private buyer portal management including registering, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid strategy.

Become a Pre-Bid Master package includes:

All of the above.
Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
The development of a bid strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

So, now you know more about NHS tender portals and where to find them. You may be wondering how to win an NHS tender. If writing isn’t your strong suit, we can help.

Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing. They have 50+ years of bidding experience and an 87% success rate. The team provides four levels of bid writing support to suit all your tendering needs. Whether you’ve never tendered before, or simply need someone to proof your response – they can help.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found an NHS tender you want to go for but don’t know where to start, Tender Writing can help. Just send the specification over and one of our Bid Writers will provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown. They’ll write the response for you, and even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Mentor

If you need a fresh set of eyes to look over your NHS tender response, Tender Mentor is for you. Our Bid Writers analyse your response, notifying you of any errors before you submit.

Tender Improvement

If you’ve been tendering but aren’t seeing any success the Tender Improvement programme can help. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous tender responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Tender Ready

The Tender Ready package is for those who are completely new to the tendering process. This package offers:

An Organisation-wide bid library.
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
Additional Flexible Benefits Options.
A 12-month Discover subscription to Healthcare Tenders.

Get in touch to gain further insight into our services and see which opportunities can benefit your business.

7 Things to Consider When Applying for Hospital Tenders

Posted on 17th January 202118th July 2022 by John Hudson

How to succeed when applying for Hospital Tenders

Hospital tenders are some of the most abundant tenders going. Health is by far the biggest area of government procurement spending. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in procurement within the healthcare sector. Increased procurement has been needed for both goods and services as they struggle to cope with increasing demand and pressure.

There are several things to consider when applying for hospital tenders.

Who puts out hospital tenders?

Private Healthcare Sector

This includes Private Hospital Groups such as:

Bupa
SPIRE
Ramsey
Nuffield Health
BMI Healthcare

Public Healthcare Sector

In the UK, this is the National Healthcare Service (NHS). This is inclusive of hospitals, general practices (GPs) and community care. Most of the procurement opportunities in healthcare and hospital tenders are put out by the NHS, local authorities and central government.

The NHS Supply Chain

This is the central body that oversees the procurement of healthcare products, services and food within the NHS. The NHS Supply Chain manages more than 4.5 million orders per year across 94,000 order points and 15,000 locations. They consolidate orders from over 8,000 suppliers saving time and money.

How are goods and services purchased?

In England, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) acquires funding through taxes and national insurance. This then goes to regional NHS organisations. Each region within the UK has its own healthcare board, known as the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). They receive the money from the government and decide how and what to put the money towards in their region. Each hospital decides how to spend money from the government as they might need to procure different goods and services. As a result, our Healthcare Tenders portal sees a constant stream of healthcare contract opportunities.

The DHSC spent around £70 billion on procurement in England in 2018/19 and it is increasing each year. The public healthcare sector couldn’t run efficiently without private sector suppliers. An estimated 1 in 3 NHS clinical service tenders are won by private-sector contractors.

There are three general areas of procurement and hospital tenders. These are:

Digital

NHS Digital which controls IT procurement of dater systems and software solutions. Digital hospital tenders would be put out for software solutions to be used within hospitals. It is worth bearing in mind that if applying for NHS Digital procurement opportunities the following accreditations are needed:

ISO 9001
ISO 13485
ISO 27001
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSP) Toolkit
IASME GOLD also known as IASME Governance

Goods

The main goods bought by hospitals are equipment and medicines. This includes single purchase capital equipment tenders for things such as beds and x-ray machines. It also includes consumables which could be anything from bedsheets to paper towels. Both of which hospitals are in constant need of. In response to the pandemic, this would include the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Services

The services can be viewed as the procurement of people. This could be doctors, cleaners or care workers. Service tenders would be put out to solve needs such as long waiting list problems. The current pandemic has led to an increase in the procurement of services in the last year.

7 things to consider when applying for hospital tenders:

Accreditations and Qualifications

It’s no surprise that to secure healthcare and hospital tenders, you have to have certain accreditations and qualifications. The procurement teams need to know that you’re appropriately qualified to tend to their needs. Without these, you’ll likely fall at the first hurdle. Displaying some basic, internationally recognised qualifications and accreditations assures your quality. Including your organisation’s information security standards will help.

Some of the key accreditations that are needed when applying for hospital tenders are:

ISO 9001
ISO 27001
NVQs (usually level 3 or above)

Case Studies

If you’re a relatively new business, it’s worth keeping in mind that hospital tenders will require you to include past case studies. If you don’t have these, it’s best to start with a small spot provider opportunity that you’ll champion. Once you’ve secured three small projects, you will have enough experience to apply for larger bids. The NHS requires case studies of previous work, so you must have these before applying.

Price

When applying for hospital tenders, you want to make your bid the most price attractive to the buyer. The most economically advantageous tenders (MEATs) will come out on top, and it’s something worth remembering. Although a lot of tenders have greater scoring in quality, you must not overlook the pricing aspect.

Framework

If you’re new to tendering, consider starting with framework agreements. A framework agreement is a form of tendering contract. Tenders often focus on a single supplier delivering the required goods or services. However, if you’re a new or small business, this might not be appropriate.

Frameworks aim to establish a multi-supplier agreement. This means there are more places available. These agreements are often over longer-terms, usually between 2 – 10 years. Buyers release a framework opportunity and award places to the best suppliers. Goods/services on frameworks are often divided into multiple lots. Therefore, instead of delivering the whole contract, you only deliver your section.

End-user Engagement

If you’re applying for digital healthcare and hospital tenders, the implementation and end-user engagement are always worth paying attention to. You want the emphasis on support for whatever you’re providing. If you can get the end-user engagement right, you will be highly successful.

Time

NHS tenders are often large, complex and notorious for being a lengthy procurement process. The NHS can be a difficult place to implement your solution. It takes time. Remember that there are many people involved in the process.

Portal Notifications

It’s worth keeping an eye out for amended documents – don’t ignore portal notifications! If there are numerous clarification questions about the same clause, the procurement teams may make some changes. These amendments may significantly affect quality responses and/or pricing.

Here are just some of the past hospital tenders we have sourced on our Healthcare portal:

On-site Perfusion Services Embedded within the Hospital

Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust- Wales- Budget: £14,000,000

23-11-2020

Enteral Nutrition Services for Alder Hey Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

HealthTrust Europe LLP (HTE)- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

19-11-2020

GB-East Grinstead: Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust require a replacement Nurse Call System

Queen Victoria NHS Foundation Trust- South East- Budget: £100,000

05-11-2020

Framework for Adult Mental Health and Adult Learning Disability Hospitals

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

05-11-2020

Hospital Intervention ‚ÄòNavigator‚Äô Service – Violence Reduction

Greater Manchester Combined Authority- North West- Budget: £180,000

18-11-2020

If you want to enter the world of healthcare and hospital tenders but don’t know where to start, we can help.

What we can offer you:

Bid Writing Support

Once you’ve found a hospital tender for your business, we can support you through the NHS tendering process. We offer a variety of healthcare bid writing services to suit your requirements. From passing the PQQ to finalising your ITT response, our team are ready to help.

Our bid writers have an 87% success rate and over 40 years of bidding experience. We offer tender support through four services:

Tender Writing

Simply send the bid specification to our team and they’ll write your hospital tender. They’ll even submit the bid on your behalf. This service is priced per bid and we provide a full Tender Writing breakdown. You’ll know how long it’ll take, what we’ll need from you and when you’ll see an initial and final draft.

Tender Improvement

Our bid writers will assess your previous tender responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Tender Mentor

Our team will analyse your content and check for any errors before you submit your tender response.

Tender Ready

Tender Ready helps businesses that are completely new to the tendering process. We offer a three-stage process and a 4-week programme.

Tender VLE

Our Tender VLE platform provides expert masterclasses and fact sheets covering many aspects of tender writing. From technical writing tips to design elements, you’ll find clear answers to almost any question you may have about tendering. Our team shares their expert knowledge through video tutorials.

Why join Healthcare Tenders?

Our Opportunity Trackers manually search thousands of sources daily to ensure our clients never miss a tender. This means each opportunity is current and relevant to your organisation.
We post opportunities on our portal, Healthcare Tenders, and tag them with accurate keywords manually. We don’t rely on CPV codes, which are often incorrect and cause tenders to be missed.
You can filter results easily by keyword, region, budget, service and more.
You can receive daily alerts when tenders are released for services in their sector as well as 24hr access to our Healthcare Tenders portal.
You can have a free 20-minute phone consultation with our bid writing experts from Hudson Succeed. We will answer specific questions and provide advice and guidance related to your tendering journey.

Get in touch with Healthcare Tenders today for a free live demo.

We source healthcare business leads for sub-sectors including:

Want to receive all care frameworks, direct to your inbox? Book a free live demo today.

Let us help you to help others.

Now is the time for Healthcare Tenders.

NHS Frameworks: How to Succeed

Posted on 17th December 202028th June 2022 by John Hudson

NHS Frameworks – An Expert Guide

NHS frameworks are the perfect way to secure new business opportunities for your organisation. On an annual basis, the NHS spends billions of pounds within the procurement industry. These procurement opportunities can range from consumables, works, services and much more. With such a wide range of opportunities out there, it can be challenging to know where to start.

Here, we will explore the information needed to ensure your business succeeds in securing a place on NHS frameworks.

What are NHS frameworks?

An NHS framework agreement is a form of tendering contract. Here, the NHS, as the buyer, is seeking a supplier to deliver goods, works or services. While tenders often focus on a single supplier delivering the required product, frameworks aim to establish a multi-supplier agreement. These agreements are often over a longer term of between 2-10 years.

The NHS tendering process is similar to that of an average tendering contract. The buyer will issue a notice for suppliers where they can submit a bid to provide their services. Once these bids have been submitted the buyer can then review each bid. At this point, the buyer will be able to create a list of approved suppliers. These suppliers will then be awarded a place on the NHS framework agreement.

From here, whenever the buyer has an opportunity or project available, they will have their list of pre-approved suppliers available. Often, there will be a mini competition held to select a preferred supplier from this list. This is a lot simpler than the normal tendering process as most information will be readily available. The award can be based on performance, location, and availability. Alternatively, the buyer may allow for a direct award.

Ultimately this form of agreement will reduce the amount of time and stress involved in the tendering process.

What are the advantages of being a supplier on NHS frameworks?

As we have already established, there are many advantages to using NHS frameworks to secure work. However, the benefits are limitless.

Here is a breakdown of the top 5 advantages of securing work via framework agreements:

They are an easier way for small and medium enterprises (SME’s) to secure work

When you start tendering for work, the whole process can feel daunting. Many buyers require contract examples and prior experience. As an SME, you may feel as though your business won’t stand out from the crowd. You could have the capabilities; however, a bigger or more established organisation may pip you to the post. NHS frameworks offer the perfect solution to this. As multiple suppliers can be admitted onto the agreement, you will not be competing in the same way. Similarly, the more suppliers the framework allows, the better your chances are of securing a place on the agreement.

Long term revenue

On average, a framework agreement lasts for 4 years. NHS frameworks tend to follow a structured process where estimated values are clear. By combining these two factors, framework agreements can provide businesses with structured, long term, revenue. Having this financial stability can make all the difference when planning for the future of your business.

Accepting work that is convenient for your business

Similarly, these long-term agreements can help when building your pipeline of work. It is extremely important to know when you finish one project, your organisation has another lined up. With framework agreements, you know you have potential work waiting for you. As well as that, you are under no obligation to accept work that arises as part of the framework agreement. You ultimately have the freedom to accept the work which is more convenient for your business.

Building professional relationships

An NHS framework is a fantastic opportunity to work with public sector industries. Once you have been approved by the sector you can gain opportunities to secure more public sector work. You may be asked to extend your contract or given a reference for a more competitive project. Having these contract examples under your belt is also crucial to obtain contracts when tendering for work. These business relationships can last for the duration of your career and open a lot of doors for your organisation.

Saving time and effort

Tendering can often involve a long and rigorous process. It can feel never-ending when submitting multiple bids for opportunities. However, with framework agreements, you can save a lot of time and energy and still get a few contracts under your belt. Once you have been accepted onto a framework, you will be on a pre-approved supplier list. This means when an opportunity arises the process will be a lot shorter. Ultimately, NHS frameworks are an extremely efficient way to secure work.

Who commissions NHS frameworks?

NHS framework agreements, alongside other procurement methods, are primarily commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). These groups replaced Primary Care Trusts in 2013. They are locally based and clinically-led NHS bodies who are responsible for procurement and commissioning within their area.

CCG’s are involved with assessing the needs within the area and making plans/ decisions based on these needs. CCG’s must constantly review these needs due to local circumstances changing rapidly. As they are responsible for the wellbeing within the local area, solutions must be constantly improved. This ultimately results in a substantial amount of new NHS framework opportunities arising.

In relation to the changing needs of communities, and how commissioning can impact this, the NHS Clinical Commissioners stated:

The commissioning system is continually evolving. We represent our members’ views in national debates on the future of commissioning by producing policy briefings and influencing documents.

One of our early influencing documents was Local solutions to national challenges (2015), which put forward a series of key “asks” to give clinical commissioners the freedoms and flexibilities they need to make even more of a difference in transforming healthcare locally.

Our publication The future of commissioning (2016) set out our vision for the future of clinical commissioning, based on feedback from our members.

More recently, Steering towards strategic commissioning (2017) outlines what CCGs need to support their strategic commissioning ambitions and get there at pace.

We followed up our 2017 publication with a joint publication with NHS Providers, Driving forward system working (2018), which examined the changing relationship between commissioners and providers in the context of system working.

Is my business eligible to work with the NHS?

As the United Kingdom’s primary healthcare provider, the NHS can be quite an intimidating buyer, particularly for SME’s. A common assumption is that the NHS can only work with larger, more established organisations. However, this is certainly not the case. NHS commissioners actively seek suppliers who span across a range of levels and offerings.

The NHS is a publicly funded healthcare system for the United Kingdom. This means the NHS must comply with the public sector regulations. When using public money for purchasing, contracting authorities must be fair and transparent. The UK government currently has a target to spend £1 in every £3 with SME’s to support these growing businesses.

John Allan, National Chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said:

The government has much to gain from opening up public procurement to smaller businesses and we welcome the government’s commitment to achieve this ambitious target. To meet it, the government will need to focus on robust monitoring and challenge of poor practices wherever they are found. The FSB will play its part, and will work with ministers on this important goal.”

How to secure a place on NHS frameworks

After finding an NHS framework, the next logical step is to submit a bid and secure your place. As you probably know, this is easier said than done. Developing a bid that is tailored to your business and the scope of work can be a lengthy, time-consuming process. There are so many factors to consider while trying to convey your competitive edge.

This is where Hudson Succeed can help. Hudson Succeed has a wealth of knowledge and experience in securing places on NHS frameworks. Our dedicated team thrive in creating bespoke packages to suit your bid writing needs. The main packages include:

Our Tender Writing service – taking over the full bid writing process.
The Tender Ready programme – a preparation programme for those new to tendering.
Tender Mentor – for making sure your bid is the best it can possibly be.
A Tender Improvement package – to assist businesses who are not seeing successful results from their tendering efforts.

If you require support in securing a place on NHS frameworks, please get in touch with us today.

Where to find NHS frameworks

Knowing where to find NHS frameworks can seem like a daunting process. There may be a significant number of opportunities to suit your business, but no way of finding them all.

The good news is Healthcare Tenders is here to help. Healthcare Tenders is an online tendering platform, hosting hundreds of new opportunities in this sector from around the UK. We have a range of private and public sector opportunities.

Here is a breakdown of the top 3 unique features of Healthcare Tenders:

Time-Saving Benefits

Every week we search thousands of sources. This ensures you have access to all available public and private sector opportunities within the UK. We understand you are busy and may not have time to log in to the portal every day. So, we also send you a daily bulletin email to ensure you don’t miss any opportunities.

Tailored Support

We don’t rely on CPV codes. Instead, we tag these tenders by hand with industry-driven keywords. This means you will get access to 100% of all available tenders, relevant to you. You also have access to a dedicated Account Manager who is on hand to answer any general or technical queries. They will inform you of any specific opportunities they believe may be suited to you. Our clients receive tailored support that meets their individual needs.

Bid Support

You have access to 20-minutes of free consultation every month with a member of our Succeed Team. Here, they can answer any questions and give you advice on anything you need concerning your tendering journey. As an existing customer, you will also be eligible for a discount for Tender Ready and Improvement packages. Our team boast an 87% success rate and offer a range of services.

Below are previous NHS frameworks sourced on our portal:

NHS Increasing Capacity Framework

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

NHS Framework for the Supply of Drugs Licensed Specifically to Target Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-expressing, RAS Wild-type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

NHS England- Yorkshire & Humber- Budget: £75,000,000

NHS Framework Agreement for the Supply of Human Albumin

The NHS Commissioning Board (operating under the name of NHS England)- North West- Budget: £82,666,667

NHS National Framework Agreement for the Supply of Inhalation Anaesthetics and Vaporisers

The NHS Commissioning Board (operating under the name of NHS England)- North West- Budget: £38,966,874

NHS England and NHS Improvement South East – Integrated Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service to Lansdowne Secure Children’s Home (East Sussex) and Swanwick Lodge Secure Children’s Home (Hampshire)

NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit- South East- Budget: £7,245,000

We source healthcare tenders for the following sub-sectors:

Want to receive all care frameworks, direct to your inbox? Book a free live demo today.

Let us help you to help others.

Now is the time for Healthcare Tenders.

How are Healthcare Framework Agreements Adapting in 2020/21?

Posted on 23rd November 202027th June 2022 by John Hudson

3 Ways Healthcare Framework Agreements are Adapting to the Pandemic

Tenders for work in the healthcare sector are often procured through Healthcare Framework Agreements (or Frameworks). As part of a framework, multiple organisations provide various services under one overall agreement or contract. Healthcare frameworks are often sizable contracts, open to both small and large organisations, and often span several years.

At Healthcare Tenders, our sector-specific portal, we source tenders from both the public and private sector for our clients. The majority of healthcare frameworks are public sector opportunities. Contracts are commonly procured through:

The NHS;
Local authorities, such as local councils, and;
Public health organisations, such as Public Health England.

The nature of healthcare opportunities means that contracts can range from thousands to millions of pounds. Annual public healthcare spending budgets in the UK are consistently in the billions. Due to the size and expense of the contract, a healthcare framework is often broken down into smaller ‘Lots’ or services. As a specialised healthcare SME, you can secure work on a specific ‘Lot’ that is best suited to your services.

Healthcare tenders are in continuous demand. We know this first-hand – we currently have 580+ open opportunities on our dedicated Healthcare Tenders portal! In fact, we created Healthcare Tenders due to the extreme demand we were receiving from clients looking for healthcare services. Opportunities are always available for large and small organisations through a variety of contracts and healthcare frameworks. Read our guide for winning healthcare contracts in the UK for more information.

How are healthcare frameworks adapting in 2020?

Care frameworks are more prevalent than ever! The public sector especially has an increased need for quality healthcare provision and dedicated service providers. COVID-19 has put a strain on the UK healthcare system in many ways. The need for a systematic approach in healthcare has therefore increased tenfold due to problems caused by the pandemic.

Doctor Katherine Henderson from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine recently summed this up. She said: If we do not come together and take effective precautions, COVID will continue its explosion across the country, the consequences of which could be the implosion of the NHS this winter.

To combat this, Matt Hancock has set out a plan for increasing collaboration, saying:

A collaborative approach is essential for us to have better, less fragmented decision-making. Streamlining work by bringing together commissioners, providers and local authorities, to plan services for the populations we serve…We will remove barriers that prevent collaboration, and follow the approach set out in the Long-Term Plan.

We will improve, rework, join up and tie systems together so we can all focus on the people that matter: the populations we serve.

So, throughout the public sector, health services are set to adapt to the pandemic with a more determined and co-ordinated approach. Times of crises require new and innovative ways of adapting. But what exactly does all of this mean for healthcare frameworks?

Here are 3 ways healthcare frameworks are already changing, right now.

1. New demand means new opportunities!

The drastic changes brought about by COVID-19 have caused huge changes in operations across the healthcare sector. This means there is an increased demand for healthcare frameworks that provide brand new services. This is also true of other branches in the Care sector, such as increased work opportunities on Social Care Frameworks.

Some of the new tendering opportunities in response to the pandemic are more obvious than others. For example, we all know there are increased tendering opportunities for PPE supply or COVID-19 vaccine research. However, there are countless other areas where new opportunities are springing up in direct response to COVID-19 and its effects.

For example, Outsourced Clinical Services. This framework is serviced by a wide range of providers from NHS Trusts to small and large independent sector providers. The framework ensures patients can be seen within suitable and compliant timeframes by outsourcing clinical services. This helps to reduce waiting lists caused by the pandemic.

Current healthcare frameworks are incorporating more services.

When a healthcare framework is successful, it can be renewed, and more lots can be incorporated upon renewal. This expansion can be a great opportunity for growth as an SME. If you have the skillset, you may have the potential to expand your services across more lots as new services are added.

For example, the ‘Endo-surgery and Women’s Health Framework’ recently expanded to cover more aspects of women’s health and laparoscopic instruments.

Several lots were added. 8 lots are now covered under this framework:

Lot 1 – Access products
Lot 2 – Electro surgery products
Lot 3 – Stapling Products
Lot 4 – Hand instruments
Lot 5 – Field of Vision Products
Lot 6 – Endometrial Ablation
Lot 7 – Fibroid and Polyp
Lot 8 – Miscellaneous

The key benefits of expanding this healthcare framework were savings initiatives. Due to a larger portfolio of products across more lots, the majority of suppliers offer savings in their ranges. This allows for savings across the supply base.

Contract lengths are extending to meet demands.

Frameworks are also more likely to extend their contract lengths in current circumstances. This means there are increased opportunities for long-running contracts – up to 10 years in some cases! This is great news in the healthcare sector, where many jobs are temporary or fixed-term contracts which rely on the renewal of funding.

For example, the following NHS framework agreements have all recently been extended by six months in response to the pandemic:

Healthcare Clinical Information Systems
Facilities Management (Soft FM)
Medical Gases in Cylinders and Bulk Gases
Interpretation and Translation Services

These extensions can improve patient care by providing people with a seamless service and enable further market engagement.

Overall, there is now a broader range of opportunities!

Ultimately, these 3 key adaptions within healthcare frameworks mean there is a broader range of opportunities to tender for. As new contracts and lots become available, and contract extensions are more common, there’s more chance for business growth. Now is a great time to source work on a healthcare framework, especially if you’re new to tendering.

Are you a smaller business who’s never tendered before? Bidding for work on a healthcare framework is a great place to start. Often, buyers on frameworks don’t require as much experience or turnover from service providers as they would on single-provider contracts. However, the contracting authorities of healthcare frameworks will typically set strict criteria in the following areas:

competence
professionalism
qualifications

I want to tender for work on a healthcare framework! How do I get started?

If you’re looking for work on a healthcare framework, Healthcare Tenders will increase your chances of finding the right tender. Our portal sources public and private sector opportunities from all over the UK. So, it’s likely we’ll find opportunities local to you. Healthcare Tenders is also suitable for small and large organisations alike.

We know that providing healthcare services is your main priority. That’s why we provide a service which saves you time, money and resources. We’ve streamlined the NHS tendering process as much as possible, in the following ways:

Healthcare Tenders

Our Opportunity Trackers manually search thousands of sources daily to ensure our clients never miss a tender. This means each opportunity is current and relevant to your organisation.
We post opportunities on our portal, Healthcare Tenders, and tag them with accurate keywords manually. We don’t rely on CPV codes, which are often incorrect and cause tenders to be missed.
Our clients can filter results easily by keyword, region, budget, service and more.
Clients receive daily alerts when tenders are released for services in their sector as well as 24hr access to our Healthcare Tenders portal.
Our clients are provided with a dedicated Hudson Account Manager. They are on-hand to answer any questions about the portal or tendering process in general.
Our clients can have a free 20-minute phone consultation with our bid writing experts from Hudson Succeed. They will answer specific questions and provide advice and guidance related to your tendering journey.

Get in touch with Healthcare Tenders today for a free trial / free demo.

Bid Writing Support

Once you’ve found the perfect healthcare tender for your business, our Hudson Succeed division can continue to support you. We offer a variety of healthcare bid writing services to suit your requirements. Get in touch today to see how you can succeed with us.

Tender VLE

We source healthcare business leads for sub-sectors including: