Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2018-03-27
Buyer: Care Quality Commission
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Contract award without prior publication
CPV classification: 72000000

Technical requirements: Υπηρεσίες τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών: παροχή συμβουλών, ανάπτυξη λογισμικού, Διαδίκτυο και υποστήριξη
This requirement is for the renewal of the SaaS Licences, which entitles CQC to use the Secure Digital Publishing (SDP) tool for inspection reports across all sectors. Digital Publisher is CQC’s system for creating and publishing over 35 000 regulated inspection reports for hospitals, dental surgeries, GP surgeries and other healthcare services on an annual basis.
Secure Digital Publisher (SDP) is CQC’s system for creating and publishing over 35 000 regulated inspection reports for hospitals, dental surgeries, GP surgeries and other healthcare services. Under the digital programme there is a medium-term piece of work being undertaken to find a new strategic solution which would enable CQC to cease the use of us to exit SDP. However, there is a requirement for the organisation to maintain operational support and development on this product in the intervening period as it remains a core channel via which we publish inspection reports. This work is part of the wider CQC digital strategy. The agreement is estimated to last for 12 months up to a maximum of 24 months and the publication of this VEAT is to fall within the public contracts Regulations 2015 - Regulation 32 (2) (b) (iii) namely “in the specific cases and circumstances laid down in this regulation, contracting authorities may award public contracts by a negotiated procedure without prior publication.
CQC awarded a contract which is due to expire 31.3.2018 to Axis 12 Limited for the provision of secure digital publishing. Secure Digital Publishing (SDP) is a tool for inspection reports across all sectors. CQC wish to continue to use this software via a licencing agreement from the incumbent supplier for a 1 year term with the option to extend for a further year. The justification for this decision is that the ownership of Intellectual Property Rights (“IPR”) resides with Axis 12 Limited.
— Axis 12 Limited owns the intellectual property rights to the solution. Therefore, if CQC wishes to retain the use of the system it will require hosting and support & maintenance of the system which can only be provided by Axis 12 Limited.
— CQC will be able to continue creating and publishing over 35 000 regulated inspection reports for hospitals, dental surgeries, GP surgeries and other healthcare services in line with the exercise of its regulatory powers under the health and social care Act 2008.
CQC’s publication of this VEAT notice (“Voluntary ex ante transparency notice”) is in accordance with the public contracts Regulations 2015 to inform the market of our intention and justification of our decision to award a contract directly to the incumbent using the negotiated procedure without prior publication.
CQC therefore intend to award a contract to Axis 12 Ltd for the period of 12 months with the option to extend for a further 12 months commencing on 1.4.2018. Following the publication of the VEAT Notice on 21 March 2018, there will be a 10 days standstill period, concluding on 31.3.2018. Following satisfactory conclusion of the standstill period, we will enter into the contract with Axis 12 Ltd from 1.4.2018 for a period of 12 months with the option to extend for a further 12 months.


Winner: Axis 12 Ltd