One of the project’s current pre-occupations is the process involved in getting some work done on the ICT Architecture. This has variously involved:
- creating an ITT-ese version of how we want to go about creating an ALISS ICT architecture design (Invitation To Tender);
- talking this through with specialist colleagues in the SG Centre of Procurement (a.k.a CG CoPE), and adding in lots of ‘terms & conditions’ material into the document;
- their publishing the material on their e-tender system;
- ourselves contacting and developing dialogue with potential bidders and inviting them in to the process;
- ditto an evaluation panel (the ITT includes a section with a complex-looking weighting system for scoring any bids that we receive. “No conferring, Panel!” (well, not at first, but we’ll do this later). Very glad to say that the panel will involve interest from NHS NES, NHS24, and the LTCAS – thanks to all who have said they’d be prepared to let themselves in for this!
Following continuing discourse with potential bidders, with the intention of thereby obtaining proposals that are as good as they can be, we hope to receive proposals by the beginning of August, and be able to put our evaluative heads together soon after that.
One challenge that we collectively face within all this, is seeking to build in an element of trial collaboration to what is otherwise a competitive process. You’ll probably be familiar with or have heard of interview processes where the applicants have to participate in a workshop with one another. Some thing along those lines comes to mind. We’ll see what we can come up with.
