Get closer to winning contracts in the healthcare industry with this blog!

Contracts in the healthcare industry are somewhat feared for their complexity. There seems to be some real confusion around these contracts, so in this blog, we aim to dispel that. Read below to discover the tendering process behind contracts in the healthcare industry.

Who procures contracts in the healthcare industry?

People might state simply that the NHS is the ‘buyer’, but there’s more to this than you’d think. Local clinical commissioning groups play a vital role in creating contracts in the healthcare industry. After significant mergers, there are currently 106 CGGs in the U.K, playing central roles in the creation of healthcare contracts. On average, these commissioning groups are serving 250,000 people in their area of service.

Where can I find healthcare contracts?

Look no further than Healthcare Tenders.

By removing unreliable CPV codes, we’ve created a portal that infinitely smoothens the process of searching for tenders. We upload a wide range of tenders in the healthcare industry, across the UK. This helps to streamline the process, saving you time and resources.

What is Healthcare Tenders?

Healthcare Tenders is a time-saving tool. Our Opportunity Trackers manually search hundreds of sites for the latest healthcare leads and opportunities. They upload a whole range of opportunities such as single-provider contracts, NHS frameworks and DPS’. Once they are uploaded to our portal, you can filter the results by budget, keyword, location and more.

Below are previous healthcare tenders sourced on our portal:

GB-Newcastle Upon Tyne: T21-0055 Modular Benchtop
Northumbria University – North East – Budget: £50,000

Provision of Community Step Down Services on Behalf of Central and North West London NHS Foundation
NHS Shared Business Services Ltd (NHS SBS) – London – Budget: £3,900,000

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Young People’s 16+ Supported Accommodation Service
Nottinghamshire County Council – East Midlands – Budget: Undisclosed

Soft Market – Mental Health Recovery Framework
Sheffield City Council – Yorkshire – Budget: Undisclosed

Community Care Supplies & Services – Adult
Wirral Borough Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

What does the healthcare tendering process look like?

1.   PIN (Prior Information Notices)

We start contracts in the healthcare industry with PINs. This is simply the announcement of procurement by the CCG or NHS foundation. These generally take place far before the contract notice, in some cases up to a year beforehand. At this point, you may be asked to provide an expression of interest.

2.   Contract notice

This aspect of the tendering process fleshes out the PIN by stating basic information about the contract. The contract then provides contact details to the suppliers.

3.   SQ

The selection questionnaire is where things really get going in the bid writing process. Although large responses aren’t usually required, it’s dependent on the buyer and the size of the contract.

4.   ITT

You’ve passed the SQ, and you’ve now been invited to tender. In some cases, the buyer may jump in with the ITT. Things to expect as the supplier are:

1. A cover letter – A generic letter covering what’s to be expected.
2. A scope of procurement – Things such as the dates, length, value, etc. It’s likely that the contract winner will be chosen based on the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender). Your response to this is the most important part of winning contracts in the healthcare industry.

5.   Presentation

Your company has been shortlisted for the final stage. You may be invited for a final interview. You can expect 5% of marking to be attributed to this stage.

6.   Contract Award

You’ve done it. You’ve won! This isn’t the time to rest on your laurels, however. You need to act on the promises made during the presentation and prior to that.

In summary

Here we are, at the conclusion to this blog on contracts in the healthcare industry. You now have a greater knowledge when it comes to the healthcare tendering process. You also now know where to find these contracts.

Need help writing your next healthcare tender?

If you don’t have the resources or time to write a winning bid, why not outsource it? Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, boasts an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of collective bidding experience. They offer four bid writing support packages to help you on the path to success. Whether you’re new to tendering, or simply need someone to proof your written response before you submit – we can help.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready programme is designed for those who have never tendered before. This four-week programme works with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

Tender Improvement

Tender Improvement can help if you’re already tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous submissions and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance on how to improve, helping you to secure your next healthcare tender.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written a healthcare bid and need someone to proofread, it – Tender Mentor is for you. A Bid Writer will double-check it’s in line with the specification and free of any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect tender but don’t know where to start – we can help. Send the specification over to us and our Bid Team will do the rest. They’ll let you know what they need from you and provide you with a full breakdown. They’ll even submit it on your behalf, leaving you more time to focus on your business.

Get in touch for more information.

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite will ensure you never miss a tendering opportunity, even when you’re busy!

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 decisions.
• Weekly phone calls with your 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.

Contact us for more information.