Recruitment money down the drain with

Recruitment money down the drain with the NHS Purchasing And Supply

Sirona Consulting

Recruitment money down the drain with the NHS Purchasing And Supply Agency (PASA))

posted on 31 Mar 09
comments 1
by Andy Headworth
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A few weeks ago I wrote about the NHS RFI for Recruitment Services, and that it was proving very difficult to complete.
Well today the saga continues.

After starting the procurement project in November 2008 by (probably started much earlier internally), and starting to issue RFI to 200+ recruitment agencies on the supply list to the NHS, they have now decided that they got it wrong!!
So five months later, they are scrapping the RFI they issued and are starting again!! They sent this email out today:

Thank you for your co-operation and tender submissions throughout the current tender process for the supply of professional, administrative and support service, temporary, interim, contract and fixed-term staff, tender reference CM/AAC/08/4979.
Whilst most of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 do not apply to this procurement, NHS PASA is under an obligation to comply with the fundamental principles of non-discrimination and transparency.

In a review of this procurement process it appears that NHS PASA may not have been sufficiently transparent in relation to the criteria used at the pre-qualification (PQQ) stage of the procurement. NHS PASA has therefore decided to cancel the current tender and to restart the procurement process.

It is not NHS PASA’s intention to significantly change the requirement in the new tender and therefore it is not anticipated that there will be significant additional work for suppliers in resubmitting a bid. It is anticipated that an OJEU will be published in May 2009.

Now correct me me here, but who is actually paying for this monumental cock-up? All of us tax payers?

Why is it that highly paid procurement professionals (well the senior ones in the NHS anyway) can make such a bloody big mistake? This was a 96 page pre-qualification questionnaire document that companies will have taken weeks and weeks to complete. Some of these recruitment agencies would be relying on securing these contracts to stay in business (maybe even keep a line of funding), and for the NHS just to start again is unforgivable!
So they have wasted  everyone's time and money for five months…..but it is ok because they won't lose their jobs, or have to deal with any fallout from it, they will just carry on as normal, working their 9-5 jobs making life hell for any suppliers wanting to work with them!!!

Maybe it is me just being sceptical, but maybe they did it deliberately to keep themselves in a job?

Also, what is the betting that they will screw the margins down even more on the 'next' contract to pay for their big screw up! Guaranteed the NHS PASA won't end up paying for it, it will be the poor recruitment agencies….again!

Autor
Andy Headworth
I work with companies to help them improve their recruitment strategies, recruitment processes, candidate attraction, employer branding and recruitment content marketing strategy. I am also an international speaker, with a growing schedule for 2015. My second book, Social Media Recruitment - How to Successfully Integrate Social Media into Recruitment Strategy, is published on 3rd May 2015. To get a 25% discount for pre-ordering my book use code SMRAD25 when ordering via publishers site here https://www.koganpage.com/SMR | | Follow Andy on Twitter | Connect with Andy on LinkedIn  | Connect with Andy on Google+  | Send Andy an email
  • /6p01156fb0aec1970b Mark L

    Hi Andy

    You really would not believe the amount of new European rules (Alcatel etc) that we have to adhere to when contracting on behalf of the NHS. Add to that English case law which seem to be changing daily as companies become more litigious (see Letting International v London Borough of Newham and Transparency of evaluation criteria).

    To progress any further, would I suspect, have been futile and have exposed the NHS up to huge legal costs and rendered any award worthless.