Compatibility Testing Service

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is a Special Health Authority and an Arm’s Length Body of the Department of Health and Social Care. We provide a range of critical central services to NHS organisations (our ‘clients’), NHS contractors, health bodies, patients and the public (our ‘customers’).

The NHSBSA has a diversified project portfolio that delivers various services to the public. As per the recommendations of the Government Digital Service, these services must be compatible with a range of platforms, browsers and devices.

This Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise is aimed at Suppliers who can provide software to support the compatibility testing framework which specifies a range of platforms, browsers and devices that any service built by the NHSBSA must be compatible with. The current contract that provides this service is due to expire November 2025.

The NHSBSA are carrying out this pre-tender market engagement exercise to understand what options are available in the market to ensure continuity of service following this end date. At this stage we are seeking high-level input to enable us to assess the market and to inform any future procurement strategy to ensure compliance with The Procurement Act 2023 and/or the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as the case may be.

Interested parties must register an interest in this RFI via https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (search opportunities using system reference C364028). Suppliers can register from 4th July 2025 and the RFI documents will be made available by 4th July 2025.

Registration for the event will close on 25th July 2025 at 12:00 BST. As part of our pre-tender market engagement process for the provision of Compatibililty Testing Services, registered suppliers are invited to provide a written RFI response by no later than Friday 25th July 2025.

Please note at this stage a route to market has not yet been determined however should the outcome of this engagement exercise identify that a procurement is required and that the best value route to market is via a Framework Agreement, then any subsequent invitation to tender and notices will be restricted to those appointed to the framework agreement and may be governed by the Procurement Regulations 2015. Additional Information Suppliers should note that this RFI and Preliminary Market Engagement is a market research exercise only and it is not an invitation to tender, an invitation to offer an agreement or a guarantee there will be a future procurement exercise.

Participation in this RFI is limited to suppliers that meet the definition of “economic operator” under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. “Economic operator” means any person, or public entity, or group of such persons and entities, including any temporary association of undertakings, that offers the execution of works or a work, the supply of products or the provision of services on the market. Where a participant does not meet this criteria they may be removed from the RFI exercise.

Disclaimers: (1) No competitive advantage will be gained by the suppliers engaging with the NHSBSA at this early stage and NHSBSA will ensure equal treatment of all interested parties at all times. We will make the outputs of the day available to those Suppliers who are unable to attend.

(2) NHSBSA does not bind itself, by conducting this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise, to commence any procurement procedure or award any contract, and will not in any event be responsible for any costs incurred by invitees preparing a response. (3) Confidentiality of information which is clearly marked or identified as being confidential and which is reasonably viewed by NHSBSA as confidential will be observed, but NHSBSA does not accept any blanket claims of confidentiality.