Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Digital Health and Care Wales ("DHCW")
Ty Glan Yr Afon, 21 Cowbridge Road East
Cardiff
CF11 9AD
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/
Buyer's address
https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Notification Service for Test Trace Protect
Reference number
P642.22
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 64000000 - Postal and telecommunications services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
DHCW is seeking to use UK Gov Notify – the government’s messaging platform to support its Covid-19 Test Trace Protect ("TTP") service and the issuing of electronic messaging to the citizens of Wales.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £288,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 64000000 - Postal and telecommunications services
- 64212100 - Short Message Service (SMS) services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
Across NHS Wales
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
DHCW is seeking to use UK Gov Notify – the government’s messaging platform to support its Covid-19 Test Trace Protect service. This solution will be vital in ensuring that urgent critical messages are issued smoothly and efficiently from Health Boards to its patients.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Conformance to the Specification / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Price - Weighting: 100
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
DHCW are seeking to migrate the SMS services currently provided by the incumbent supplier to the UK Gov Notify Service following an official communication issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) regarding SMS and Telephone Communications Best Practice approach. The NCSC is an organisation of the UK Government that provides advice and support for the public and private sector in how to avoid computer security threats. The recommendation in the NCSC paper is the best and most effective way to ensure messages are protected, and not blocked, is to use the UK Gov Notify messaging service. The recommendation comes following instances of criminals posing as official sources by mimicking official communications and concealing within them a malicious link or a request for information or action by the citizen. This has undermined the ability of Test Trace Protect to contact infected individuals due to a loss of trust as to whether the SMS are genuine or fraudulent, meaning some SMS may be ignored and deleted. The UK Gov Notify solution is robust from a security perspective. NCSC and Mobile Ecosystem Forum (“MEF”) has added the UK Gov Notify Sender ID ‘UK-Gov’ to a registry of genuine SMS SenderID’s and at the same time, blocking a number of similar ID’s, which might be used by fraudsters trying to look official.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
P642.22
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
28 May 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Cabinet Office (UK Gov Notify Service)
Government Digital Service, 1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £288,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
(WA Ref:115055)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Telephone
+44 2079477501
Country
United Kingdom