Interconnection services

Tender description

NHS Digital has been tasked with delivering a Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) programme which will provide a new and significantly different networking arrangements for health and social care as part of its remit to provide successor services to the current NHS N3 network on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health. The HSCN will replace the current single-supplier N3 network with disaggregated and competitive multi-supplier marketplace for network services. The HSCN will create the effect of a single network across Heath and Social Care providers and their partners. The HSCN Peering Exchange Services will be a key supply chain component and will facilitate independent network interconnection between the disaggregated HSCN network service providers. The HSCN Peering Exchange Services may subsequently be procured by wider public bodies as described in section VI.3) below. The procurement seeks to secure a hosted network peering exchange solution and the management of the same. More detail is provided in the ITT and associated contract documentation. Please log in to www.delta-esourcing.com and go to response manager and enter the access code 4ND372T78R for full description. Please note if you are not registered on Delta eSourcing, you must register and log in before you can access the details. The services will initially be utilised by bodies providing health and social care in England, but may also be used by wider public sector bodies in the future, including any health and social care body in England or any other body named or referred to as a ‘Service Recipient’ under a Call-Off Agreement (as defined in the contract documentation). Further information regarding the bodies entitled to utilise the Framework Agreement is set out at section VI.3) below. The maximum value of the contract reflects the Contracting Authority's best estimate, subject to the potential utilisation by other government departments which cannot be predicted accurately at this time. In order to facilitate the contracting authority in the organisation of workshops and logistics, potential suppliers are requested to provide expressions of interest in the procurement via the delta e-sourcing tool as soon as is practicable. In order to participate in the entirety of the pre-tender submission engagement potential suppliers are recommended to submit expressions of interest by 12:00 noon (UK time) on 28.10.2016. The contracting authority will hold the first workshop with potential suppliers on 31.10.2016, from 12:30 to 16:30 (UK time) at DLAP Offices, Prince's Exchange, Leeds, LS1 4HY.