RFI - Market Research - Pre-Procurement, E-Sourcing & Contract Management

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is an executive Agency of HM Government, sponsored by the Cabinet Office. CCS has been formed to provide strategic commercial services to the UK Public Sector and to save money for the taxpayer principally (but not exclusively) by aggregating spend and managing the supply-market more strategically. CCS brings together policy, advice, strategic procurement, supplier engagement, supplier relationship and contract management for all Common Goods & Services (CG&S).

As part of its long-term strategic development, CCS is issuing this Request for Information (RFI), seeking input from potential providers or developers of ‘e-solutions’ covering all component parts of the end to end buying and contract management process (i.e. pre-procurement, procurement and post procurement). The scope of this exercise therefore includes e-Sourcing, e-Tendering, e-Evaluation, e-Auctions, Market Intelligence, Contract Management, Supplier Management, Big Data and lower level Spend Analysis. CCS is interested to learn more both about integrated ‘end-to-end’ solutions (covering all aspects of spend, sourcing, and contract management), and / or discrete ‘best-of-breed’ solutions addressing just one or more such elements. On this basis please do not be concerned if your product(s) and solutions only apply to a small section of this RFI.

In many respects, CCS is already familiar with standard e-Procurement / e-Sourcing technology, and is particularly interested to learn more about current and future innovations in the market. The scope of the exercise does not include transactional e-Purchasing solutions, by which we mean the placing, processing and / or payment of orders (principally P2P). However, CCS is interested in how new solutions can be successfully integrated with e-Purchasing solutions and with other corporate / legacy systems which may be in place.

The overall aim of this market consultation is to help CCS understand what the market can deliver and what constraints or opportunities might arise from various future commissioning scenarios.

Interested parties are invited to complete Parts B and C (Annexes A-J) of this RFI (attached). Section A provides all the necessary information for submission, including timescales and a contact in CCS for any points of clarification.

Disclaimer

This RFI is intended only to elicit information and inform the CCS future strategy. Responders to this RFI should note that no concessions, contracts or other arrangements will be awarded pursuant to this RFI. Responding, or not responding, to this RFI will neither increase nor decrease any provider’s chances of being awarded a contract from a subsequent ITT.

CCS shall not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by respondents to this RFI in preparing and / or submitting such responses.