Contents:

New and forthcoming frameworks and procurement arrangements

1. Spend Analysis framework agreement
2. ICT Consultancy framework agreement
3. New Mobile Solutions framework agreements
4. Buying Solutions is pleased to announce the new Bulk Licence Agreement (BLA) with Citrix

Procurement News

1. Buying Solutions achieves CIPS Certification
2. Tandberg Video Conferencing Offer
3. Sustainable procurement through Buying Solutions framework agreements
4. Ocean enters its Long Listing phase
5. Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) and Buying Solutions collaborate on ambitious Project Management and Design Team Services framework agreement

Procurements in the Pipeline

Forthcoming Events

Spend Analysis framework agreement

The newly launched Spend Analysis framework agreement provides access to tools that deliver clear and transparent spend data, and help identify and leverage improved value for money.

The Spend Analysis framework agreement will deliver a range of data manipulation and analysis tools including:

• Extraction and aggregation of dispersed data
• Cleansing and enrichment of aggregated data
• Validation of data
• Web deployed user analysis tools

This will provide a clear picture of your buying patterns and a process to aggregate, classify and leverage spend data in order to reduce costs, improve operational performance and ensure compliance.

The services available include:

• Technical solutions for analysing customer spend data
• Consultancy support to configure data analysis to deliver the greatest benefits for customers and comply with EU public procurement legislation

Introduced on 1 October 2008, this framework agreement will run for a period of four years. Services will be provided by the following leading suppliers:

• @UK Plc
• Accenture (UK) Limited
• Bravosolution Plc
• Emptoris Inc
• Etesius Limited
• IBM United Kingdom Limited
• Purchasing Index UK Limited
• Spikes Cavell Analytic Limited

Pricing is pre-defined by the framework agreement: that is, the prices applicable to a specific customer are calculated using the pricing model and based on the customer's requirements.

Actual prices for a customer will vary according to:

• The services elements ordered
• Additional services purchased
• The number of user licenses required

The Spend Analysis service is part of a wider Buying Solutions strategy to provide a comprehensive eProcurement Toolkit for the public sector.

The Toolkit already includes eSourcing, eAuctions and Zanzibar, the online marketplace and purchase to pay solution.

Spend Analysis is complementary to these existing services and enables data gathered during the procurement process to be analysed and acted upon.

Find out more about the Spend Analysis framework agreement

ICT Consultancy framework agreement

Buying Solutions has recently started on the procurement of an ICT Consultancy framework agreement to replace the current one which is due to expire in May 2009.

The new framework agreement will have a much wider remit than before to include delivery services and a limited supply of products.

The OJEU advertisement was published on 11 October 2008. The framework agreement will be divided into four lots:

• Lot 1 - ICT Strategy Consultancy and Development
• Lot 2 - Application Consultancy and Delivery Services;
• Lot 3 - ICT Architecture and Infrastructure Consultancy and Delivery Services, and
• Lot 4 - ICT Security Consultancy & Delivery Services. (This has been further divided into four sub lots due to its large and varied nature

Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) responses are required by 10 November 2008. The Invitation To Tender (ITT) will be issued early in the New Year.

Find out more about the ICT Consultancy framework agreement

New Mobile Solutions framework agreements

A new set of Mobile Solutions framework agreements are due to be launched in December.

Buying Solutions' current Mobile Solutions framework agreement expires on 31 December 2008. This framework provides more than 1 million mobile connections in more than 2,800 public sector organisations.

Currently at the Tender Evaluation stage, the Mobile Solutions (II) procurement seeks to secure the existing benefits enjoyed by customers, generate new savings and satisfy the growing demand for more flexible voice and data solutions designed to meet the demands of the transformational government agenda. The new framework agreement will consist of three lots:

• Mobile voice and data
• Wide-area paging and messaging solutions, and
• Bespoke mobile solutions.

The Contract Notice for Mobile Solutions (II) can be found here.

Find out more about the New Mobile Solutions framework agreements

Buying Solutions is pleased to announce the new Bulk Licence Agreement (BLA) with Citrix.

The Citrix BLA offers up to 50% discounts to the public sector when quoting the BLA through a reseller. This has benefited over 100,000 users since the first agreement was signed in 2002.

The BLA offers discounted pricing for Citrix XenApp software products. Discounts are calculated via a product points table to provide a maximum discount of up to 50%.

Even organisations with small requirements can secure the 50% discount by collaborating with other organisations. Customers may register interest with us to collaborate via a bulk aggregate order. Aggregated orders will result in even greater savings from the BLA.

Buying Solutions achieves CIPS Certification

Buying Solutions has achieved the CIPS Certification Standard of Excellence in Purchasing Policies and Procedures.

The achievement of the CIPS standard of Excellence in Purchasing and Policies provides Buying Solutions with a solid foundation on which to establish itself as the leading Professional Buying Organisation for nationally-sourced goods and services.

Over the last 18 months, Buying Solutions has been transforming itself into a customer focussed organisation actively supporting the Government's collaborative procurement agenda. This new focus combined with its category management approach to procurement were important aspects that successfully contributed to the award.

Find out more about Buying Solutions achieving CIPS Certification

Tandberg Video Conferencing Offer

Buying Solutions has secured an exceptional deal on the Tandberg Centric 150 MXP video conferencing equipment including handset and 12 months Core Advanced Service for a significantly discounted price of £999.

This individual portable desktop solution provides a cost-effective, reliable and easy to use face-to-face communication via video and voice calls. The special promotion, which is valid until 31 January 2009, is available from the IT Goods and Associated Services Framework Agreement, from the following Tandberg authorised resellers:

• Computacenter
• SCC
• Fujitsu

Follow this link for more details on Tandberg Video Conferencing Offer.

Sustainable procurement through Buying Solutions framework agreements

Buying Solutions supports the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) targets by providing sustainable solutions to meet a variety of procurement needs.

A recent letter headed Sustainable Operations and Sustainable Procurement from OGC's Deputy Chief Executive William Jordan encouraged departments to contact Buying Solutions for advice on sustainable procurement.

Buying Solutions has a track record of providing sustainable solutions to meet a variety of procurement needs and has adopted sustainable procurement practices across all its categories. These include framework agreements covering: sustainably-sourced timber products, business travel, office solutions, IT hardware, eCommerce solutions and environmental consultancy.

Details of these framework agreements - which are open to central government and the wider public sector - are available on the Buying Solutions website (www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk). To help identify those products that meet Defra's 'Quick Wins' standards, a 'green tick' will be introduced later this year.

Find out more about Sustainable procurement through Buying Solutions framework agreements

Ocean enters its Long Listing phase

Ocean, the innovative IT communications programme is now in the Long Listing phase of the procurement process.

Buying Solutions are working in collaboration with the FCO, and other Government Departments to deliver this global IT procurement. The Ocean team is also working closely with the wider public sector to help establish the requirements that will inform and shape the four Ocean Frameworks.

The Ocean programme was initiated in January 2008 to:

• Procure successor services, and enhancements, to those currently delivered by the GSi, Mts and FTN contracts,
• Source complementary cross-government communications services and IT solutions; and
• Support the development and implementation of the Public Sector Network (PSN).

Find out more about Ocean entering its Long Listing phase

Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) and Buying Solutions collaborate on ambitious Project Management and Design Team Services framework agreement

Through the framework agreement, local authorities and other public sector organisations can benefit by sharing resources, expertise and buying power to bring capital projects in on time, to high-quality standards and within budget.

The framework, which is expected to be in place summer 2009, will bring together project management, design and a number of ancillary technical services designed to assist in the delivery of a wide range of capital projects.

David Corcoran, Hampshire County Council's Head of Procurement for Property Services, believes this one-stop approach for project management and design services will provide much needed support to successfully deliver construction projects totalling more than £1.2 billion across 35 authorities in the South East.

Out of 158 Expressions of Interest received, 58 organisations completed pre-qualification questionnaires and after a rigorous evaluation, 20 bidders have been invited to submit detailed tenders.

The 20 suppliers who have been invited to tender are:

1. Appleyards Ltd.
2. Bovis Lend Lease Limited
3. Capita Symonds Ltd
4. Cyril Sweett
5. Drivers Jonas
6. EC Harris LLP
7. Faithful + Gould
8. Gardiner & Theobald
9. Gleeds
10. Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd
11. Mace Ltd
12. Mott MacDonald Ltd
13. Mouchel Parkman Services Ltd
14. MWH UK Ltd
15. Ove Arup & Partners
16. Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd
17. Pick Everard
18. Rider Levett Bucknall
19. TPS Schal
20. Turner & Townsend

Tenders were issued on 13 October 2008 for return on 12 December 2008.

The Framework Award will be made in April 2009 to go live 1 June 2009.

Find out more about IESE's approach to construction and capital projects in PSP20 - Buying Solutions quarterly magazine

Procurement News Survey

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Procurements in the Pipeline

Below is a full list of ongoing procurements, showing current status.

• PQQ - Prequalification Questionnaire
• ITT - Invitation to Tender

• eSourcing Tools - PQQ stage
• Non-half Hourly Electricity - Preparation of ITT
• Ocean Framework Programme (pan public sector networks) - PQQ evaluation
• Government Procurement Card - Preparation of ITT
• Fuel Card (or equivalent solutions) - Preparation of ITT
• Natural Gas and Associated Services - Preparation of ITT
• Mobile Solutions (refresh existing framework agreement) - ITT evaluation
• Project Management and Full Design Team Services - ITT stage
• Travel Management Services - ITT evaluation
• eLearning and Development - ITT evaluation
• Decontamination Services - Competitive Dialogue stage
• Supply and Supply and Fit of Floor Coverings - ITT stage