Quality Assurance (QA) and Testing for IT Systems

Crown Commercial Service as the Contracting Authority is putting in place a Pan Government Collaborative Framework Agreement for use by UK public sector bodies identified at VI.3 (and any future successors to these organisations), which include Central Government Departments and their Arm's Length Bodies and Agencies, Non Departmental Public Bodies, NHS bodies and Local Authorities.

This procurement will provide access to a range of services such as:

- QA & Test Delivery Ownership: responsibility for, and coordination of, all aspects of QA and Test across the business, programme and or project. Includes making QA and test rules, planning; choice of tools; and team leader.

- QA & Test Analysis: analysis, design and execution: covering a variety of test activities, test types and methods. For example, compatibility testing, accessibility testing, functional testing (including exploratory techniques).

- Test Engineering: developing and delivering test automation outlines and services. Typically working as part of a DevOps capability within an Agile development environment. Increasingly, QA & Test specialists are part of and co-located with the development and scrum teams.

- Non-Functional Testing: design and execution of tests to cover non-functional needs, including load & performance and operational acceptance.

- Integration testing: covering the strategy, planning and execution for complex, large scale technical integration testing.

- Assurance: to understand and mitigate risk during third party-led test activities, typically when working in waterfall delivery cycles or legacy contractual environments.

- Consultancy: to provide technical reviews at project, programme or departmental/business unit level to form best QA & Test practices.

Crown Commercial Service reserves the right for an electronic auction to be held by Public Sector bodies during further competition among the parties to the Framework Agreement(s).

Additional information: Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the 2015 Public Contract Regulations (implementing the Directive) on the basis of information provided in response to an Invitation to Tender ('ITT').

This procurement will be managed electronically via the Crown Commercial Service's e-Sourcing Suite. To participate in this procurement, participants must first be registered on the e-Sourcing Suite. If you have not yet registered on the e-Sourcing Suite, this can be done online at:

https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

by following the link 'Supplier e-Sourcing Registration'. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esourcing-tool-guidance-for-suppliers

Once you have registered on the e-Sourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing:

[email protected]

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; the name of the registered supplier; DUNS number; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email. Crown Commercial Service will process the email and then enable the supplier to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to the Emptoris messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these messages on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information. For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Support Desk email:

[email protected]

Responses must be published by the date in IV.3.4 of the OJEU Contract notice.

Note that, this procurement is using SID4GOV to tender. You must register or update your account there to submit a tender.

https://sid4gov.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/organisation/register