NHS Supply Chain frameworks

NHS Supply Chain manage the sourcing, delivery and supply of products to NHS Trusts and other healthcare organisations in England and Wales. Products are made available to these end users via purchasing ‘frameworks’ which are managed by NHS Supply Chain. HealthcareBids helps healthcare product companies to win places on relevant NHS Supply Chain frameworks.

For anyone new to the NHS Supply Chain process, the sheer volume of documents to review and procedures to navigate can be daunting.

We start by helping you to understand the requirements of the framework in which you are interested and the potential demand for your products. We simplify the complexities and guide you through the process, explaining the steps you will have to take – for example, the potential for an e-auction – before a supplier is awarded a place on the framework. We will explain the thinking behind particular demands and let you focus on negotiating the most competitive prices and delivery terms from your own suppliers and collating the necessary compliance certificates, accreditation proofs and other documentation for your submission.

We will produce a template for your submission as well as a project plan, which makes it easy to understand what you need to complete or produce and by when, to ensure you meet the timetable for your application to join the framework. For example, if there is a need for samples of your product to be tested as part of the application, we will advise you of the timetable and any cost implications and manage that process on your behalf.

We will also manage the NHS Supply Chain procurement portal on your behalf, including writing and submitting clarification questions to answer specific queries, monitoring for responses and distributing new information as it is posted.

Each framework requires applicants to complete detailed product questionnaires. Again, we will complete these on your behalf, working closely with your product teams to capture all the relevant details such as individual prices, manufacturer details including the number of production lines and product codes, initial set up times, delivery lead times etc.

Once all the questionnaires are complete and all supplementary documents have been sourced and checked, we will upload your submission to the NHS Supply Chain portal and confirm the successful submission by providing a detailed submission report.

NHS Supply Chain may ask you to clarify aspects of your submission and we will help you to interpret and respond to their requests, giving you the best possible chance of success.