How do I buy technology or digital solutions?
Your first point of contact should be the Enterprise Shared Services (ESS) Account Management Team.
Approach the team with a brief overview of what your requirement is, to ensure that you are connected to the correct organisation to take the procurement forward.
Who will take the procurement forward?
For NICS departments and arm's length bodies, this can be either:
- the CPD ICT Team or
- one of the ESS digital or development teams
The approach may include assistance from Business Consultancy Services (BCS) and consultation with a Strategic Finance Partner.
The extension of shared services
DAO 06/15 set out the key responsibilities of Accounting Officers in relation to an Executive Agreement to extend shared services further in central government. The DAO requires departments to work with ESS to explore how this can be achieved.
Services deemed to be in scope for the expansion of shared services include:
- all aspects of ICT infrastructure and associated services (eg data centres, local and wide area network, access devices, support desk services, identity verification systems)
- citizen access and portals
- finance, HR and payroll related systems
Services available from Business Consultancy Services (BCS)
Departments requiring consultancy assignments should contact BCS to establish if it has the capability and capacity to undertake assignments, prior to engaging any external consultants.
BCS has a team of highly skilled business consultants, with experience from the public and private sectors. The team has specialists in:
- change management
- business planning
- preparation of Business Cases and Economic Appraisals
- process improvement
Use of external providers
It is only where an 'in-scope' service cannot be taken forward using ESS or BCS staff, that a contract with an external provider is required.