Working as contractors
Our organisation works with voluntary, community and private sector organisations, providing companies of all sizes with a wide range of opportunities. The goods and services vary, for example, from supplying and fitting a carpet, to the construction of major buildings, and for the provision of equipment from paper clips to computers, furniture and other high value items.
We would like to work in partnership with local suppliers by encouraging them to tender for our Trust’s contracts.
A guide for companies
We have produced a guide to help all potential contractors, consultants and suppliers to tender for Trust business. The guide aims to answer some of the common questions raised by contractors when considering doing business with us. It explains what legislation affects the Trust’s tendering requirements and looks at the procedures necessary to secure contracts. For example, how to become an approved supplier, the tendering process and the code of practice when working with our organisation.
There is a great deal of competition for the Trust’s business, and this guide cannot guarantee individual companies’ success. However, it provides a helpful framework for companies during the tendering process.
Read our guide to tendering for Trust contracts.
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As part of our commitment to protecting public funds, the Trust participates in the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), a data-matching exercise led by the Cabinet Office to help prevent and detect fraud, overpayments and errors across the public sector.
The NFI takes place every two years and involves comparing information held by participating organisations with information held by other public bodies. This can include personal and financial information.
What does this mean for contractors and suppliers?
As a public sector organisation, we have a responsibility to make sure that payments made using public funds are accurate and appropriate.
The NFI can help identify potential issues such as:
- Duplicate invoices or payments
- Credit notes that have not been appropriately accounted for
- Other payment errors or inconsistencies
- Potentially fraudulent claims or payments
A data match does not mean that fraud or wrongdoing has taken place. A match simply highlights an inconsistency that may need further investigation, and no conclusions are drawn until appropriate checks have been completed.
This initiative will next be taking place at the end of September.
Useful links:
- National Fraud Initiative – public sector data requirements
- National Fraud Initiative – Cabinet Office guidance and information
- NFI Code of Data Matching Practice
- NFI Data Deletion Schedule
If you have questions about the Trust’s participation in the National Fraud Initiative, please contact Nikki Cooper by email at nikki.cooper1@nhs.net, via Teams or on 07872 988939.