International recruitment - NEW NHS procurement planned for July 2022 update

NHS tenders recruitment

The NHS owned procurement hubs and the Crown Commercial Service are working together to evaluate suppliers for the new international recruitment framework agreement for healthcare professionals: doctors, nurses, Allied Health Professionals (AHP's) for ICS' and NHS Trusts.

​The framework has an estimated total value of £50 million. 

NHS staff shortages 
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Overseas staff make a significant contribution to the care of NHS patients. The NHS in England needs to dramatically increase the NHS workforce to meet the needs of the population.  

UK prime minister Boris Johnson pledged to recruit 50,000 more nurses into the NHS by 2024. International recruitment is expected to deliver between 51,000 and 57,000 more nurses by 2024. 

NHS organisations are being urged to review how they conduct international recruitment, and to increase the number of international recruits as part of a robust and well-rounded workforce supply plan. 

Procurement frameworks 
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NHS England approve procurement framework agreements to provide international recruitment services on behalf of NHS organisations in England.

NHS England strongly recommends NHS organisations engage with an approved framework to call-off any requirements for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals.

If you are a recruitment agency or a recruitment business and you are not on an approved procurement framework, it can be extremely difficult for you to supply your international recruitment services to the NHS. 

How to apply for the a place on the framework

The estimated date of issue of the procurement documents is sometime in July 2022. But this is subject to change. 

​Please see below the instructions published by the contracting authority on the Governments official website on how to express an interest  in the international recruitment procurement process. The deadline was initially 1st June 2022 but was extended to 23:59 on the 3rd July 2022)
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Please follow the instructions below to register your company on the eSourcing portal:

a) Browse to the eSourcing Portal: https://commercialsolutions.bravosolution.co.uk and click the link to register. Bravo Project reference = Project_4666 and reference = PIN_30223 Titled: “Procurement of a Framework Agreement for the provision of International Healthcare Professionals Recruitment & Associated Services."

b) Accept the terms and conditions and click ‘continue’ -

c) Enter your correct business and user details - Note the username you chose and click ‘Save’ when complete - You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)

d) to express an interest - Login to the portal with the username/password - Click the ‘PQQs / ITTs Open To All Suppliers’ link. - Click PQQ_1113 to access the content. - Click the ‘Express Interest’ button at the top of the page. - This will move the PQQ /ITT into your ‘My PQQs/ My ITTs’ page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only). It should be noted that this is NOT the actual PQQ stage of the procurement. System limitations mean that the label states ‘PQQ’ but the opportunity is NOT yet live. You will be informed if, and when, the procurement goes live.
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e) Download the EOI form, accurately complete and upload to the Attachments Folder on the portal. 

Full details of the international recruitment procurement process is provided in the PDF below. 

nhs_international_recruitment_tender_.pdf
File Size:	249 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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What are the procurement timescales? 
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The estimated timescales are: 

Tender release: July 2022 
Tender closes: 30 days after release
Contract award: January 2023
Contract roll out: February 2023

What procurement process will be used?
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The open tender procedure will be used which is a one step tender process.  

How will my bid be evaluated 
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The procurement process will require (as a minimum) that suppliers complete a standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ), pricing schedule and technical response. 

Will the framework be broken into lots? 
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We believe that the international recruitment framework with consist of 4 or more lots (doctors, nurses, AHP's and a master vendor) but this is subject to change. 

Procurement tender support 
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Naomi Clews Consultancy Limited provide professional and affordable tender writing services for suppliers who are bidding for an NHS recruitment framework for the first time. 

We have a proven track record of helping our clients to win places on NHS recruitment frameworks. 

​Find out more about our bid writing services here.