A DPS is designed to give buyers access to a pool of pre-qualified suppliers. This follows on the Fresh Food DPS launched in August 2022.
NHS Supply Chain: Food encourages NHS catering teams to share their local suppliers for Food To Go to help drive better solutions for patients, staff and visitors, supporting the local economy.
It simplifies and overcomes barriers to entry that small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) face when tendering to supply NHS trusts. Benefits of the DPS include:
- No requirement for suppliers to provide financial evaluations when initially entering the DPS process and instead occurs at a later stage
- Greater flexibility and time-saving solutions, whilst ensuring compliance to Public Contract Regulations 2015
- No deadline for applicant submissions, meaning suppliers can join at any point during the seven-year term, allowing ongoing supplier admissions
- Increased supply chain resilience for customers through an increased supply base
- Local supplier support and encouragement, allowing collaboration with regional groups of NHS trusts and increased competition
- An ‘Open Market’ solution that gives buyers access to a range of pre-qualified suppliers
Kathryn Browne, category lead for directs at NHS Supply Chain: Food, said: “The introduction of the new DPS agreement for Food To Go is complimented by the Food To Go framework that has been extended until February 2025, allowing trusts to direct award to supplier. The new DPS agreement will have an increased scope of retail products.”