New Open Publication: NHSBSA Commercial Pipeline

Our NHSBSA Commercial Team has been working with colleagues in the Open Data Team within Data, Digital and Technology (DDaT) to use our Open Data Portal to publish the commercial pipeline. Once the new government-wide portal is launched, the pipeline will be published in both locations to maximise visibility.

The Commercial Pipeline is planned to go live on the Open Data Portal towards the end of July 2024.

Who are Commercial Services?

Commercial Services are responsible for supporting colleagues across the NHSBSA in all aspects of procurement and contract management, from pre-procurement planning through to contract award and beyond.

The team also negotiates changes to existing contracts, provides commercial advice across the business, and provides supplier relationship management services to ensure our suppliers meet their performance targets throughout the contract lifecycle.

Why are they publishing?

From October 2024, The Procurement Act 2023 will come into force for all public sector organisations. The Act will create simpler, more flexible and effective procurement across the public sector and bring a range of benefits, including:

• creating a simpler and more flexible commercial system that better meets our country’s needs while remaining compliant with our international obligations
• opening up public procurement to new entrants such as small businesses and social enterprises so that they can compete for and win more public contracts
• taking tougher action on underperforming suppliers and excluding suppliers who pose unacceptable risks
• embedding transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle so that the spending of taxpayers’ money can be properly scrutinised.

In advance of this, NHSBSA has taken the decision to proactively publish our commercial pipeline on the NHSBSA Open Data Portal to provide more transparency, visibility and scrutiny around our commercial pipeline and how we procure contracts and interact with the supplier market.

What are they publishing?

The commercial pipeline is a forward look at potential commercial activity. The eventual procurement and implementation of projects will be dependent upon completion of business case and other approvals, and subject to change in the light of prioritisation and budgetary circumstances.

The commercial pipeline meets the standards set out in the UK Government Commercial Function Commercial Pipeline Guidance. The commercial pipeline will provide details of the goods and services NHSBSA intend to procure which have an anticipated value of £10,000 or greater.

Details of the intended procurement route, duration of the contracts, the anticipated start of commercial and procurement activity and contract start dates will be provided enabling the widest possible population of potential suppliers to be sighted on upcoming NHSBSA contracting opportunities.

The data will be refreshed on a quarterly basis to ensure the data is as up to date and accurate as possible.

“Transparency is a fundamental principle of public procurement, helping to ensure healthy competition, proper scrutiny of contract awards and in demonstrating good value for money”
Gareth Rhys Williams
Government Chief Commercial Officer

What are the advantages of increased transparency?

There are many advantages to being more open with our commercial pipeline.

Mainly, it will bring highly valuable insights to support the planning and delivery of contract procurements and enable the widest possible population of potential suppliers, including small to medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sectors to be sighted on upcoming contracting opportunities.

With transparency comes greater scrutiny, and we want to minimise any reputational risk by ensuring you have the learning, support and information relevant to your role. Please direct all pipeline queries to the Commercial Services Team.