Now that summer is over, if the trend of the past 5 years continues, public sector recruitment bids will come thick and fast from now until the end of the year. Some significant frameworks are already mid tender, with Procurement for Housing and Scottish Procurement, but the big ones are yet to drop.
Here we list the top 5 upcoming public sector recruitment framework bids, with a brief summary of each.
CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE. NON-MEDICAL, NON-CLINICAL 2 (NMNC2)
Expected October 2014
From those of you at the supplier brief in April 2013 (yes it was that long ago), it probably seems that this bid is never coming out. Everyone regularly checks the CCS website thinking where is it? And we must speak to at least 3 clients per week asking if they have missed it. We are assured by the CCS it is done and waiting for sign off. The delays – another organisational change. Who remembers PASA, OGC, or Buying Solutions?
The existing flat PSL will change and now consist of:
- A reduction in the number of agencies from the current 143 suppliers to about 40 overall.
- The bid will be split into 8 lots following the CCS trend of introducing master and neural vendor lots.
As one of the most widely used temp staffing frameworks it will be interesting to see how the NHS adapts to this change from the current flat PSL.
There will be strict qualifying criteria and the bid will be run as one tender exercise. Lots of questions on how discounts will work and Trusts having multiple solutions for the same staff requirement remain to be clarified. Will the compliance anomalies be rectified and how many Trusts want a managed service? Call Carl for more information.
EASTERN SHIRES PURCHASING ORGANISATION. MSTAR 2
Expected October 2014
Another national framework predominately used and targeted at Local Authorities. As a lot of them are now on 3rd and 4th generation managed service models, the jury is out on what will be done differently to increase take up and make the MSP model readily adaptable to the changes in the recruitment sector and the pressures being faced in local government.
Social care is high on the agenda so ESPO have changed the specification to 3 lots with MV and NV of high touch, medium and low touch – a different approach with each evaluated separately with higher weighting towards price for the low touch service when compared to the high touch service.
A lot of suppliers into MSP models have seen margins reduced over the years and we know there is a keen focus on quality this time. Is it enough to incentive suppliers to deliver? With about 120 users of MSTAR some new entrants to the market may stop a lot of the re-procurement that took place last time and open up the market to new solutions and providers.
CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE. WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
Due October 2014
Not a traditional recruitment framework. Workforce management specifically looks at solutions aimed at efficiencies and eradicating reliance on temporary staffing (i.e. workforce analysis and optimisation through shift patterns).
There is no option to deliver standalone IT services, those can be bought through G-Cloud (version 6 is coming out soon enough). The NHS have looked at workforce solutions for a few years and LPP’s managed staff bank service tried to fill this gap with limited penetration. The appetite is there from the NHS to find a workforce solution that can actually deliver, but with no recruitment activity suppliers this has traditionally have been put off.
A lot of the services in this tender specification i.e. rota management, absence management and e-rostering are provided in MSP models alongside the staffing provision. So we’ll have to see if traditional recruitment companies see an opportunity here.
CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE. MOD CLINICAL
Expected December 2014
It is well documented the MOD procure in a unique way and spend billions on everything from boots to helicopters. Staffing is no different.
The MOD spent 9 years pulling together the existing tripartite clinical contract for RAF, Army and Navy covering all clinical and care staff for the UK and overseas. It works very well as a managed PSL with 3 main suppliers.
However, they now have to use CCS frameworks where possible (years spent negotiating!). On the face of it, this will present problems as there is no like for like framework in existence. Nurses, doctors and allied healthcare workers are all on separate frameworks. Different suppliers, pricing and compliance are immediate thoughts on practicalities. It is yet to be seen how these will be reconciled
HEALTH TRUST EUROPE. NURSING
Expected November/December 2014
Scheduled for near the end of the year, but will probably be 2015; HTE directly competes with CCS and LPP. With the former not making much traction when compared to what it replaced and the latter focused on London with a national remit, what can a 3rd nursing framework offer that is any different?
All this is under discussion currently so watch this space.
Article written by Carl Wale
Brunton Bid Writing Associate Tender Writer
Tel: 0789456 1479
Email: carl.wale@bruntonconsultancy.co.uk
