Something to keep an eye on from DfE

[penfold_99]

Novatia headed up the process for Follett for Aspen.

Histon House is ScholarPack

Wauton Samuel is PASAPP

[vikpaw]

how do you mean? This is the complete list.

Didn't know the below mappings

Novatia headed up the process for Follett for Aspen.

Histon House is ScholarPack

Wauton Samuel is PASAPP

 

Thanks, now the only two i don't know are tribal education and PASAPP

[Sivadam]

......So basically, it was a waste of time and money??

No!

Now all those doubters on here know that what I have been saying all this time is perfectly true.

' Simply the best .... Better than all the rest.......!' (Wish I could sing properly!)

 

And look at the grief I got when I first started contradicting all those inappropriate, incorrect and often malicious or mischievous comments about SIMS, that used to appear here!

 

Vindication at last http://support.capitaes.co.uk/newforum/images/smiley32.gif

Edited March 28, 2012 by Sivadam

[Bromcom_John]

I was under the impression that the results of the tender were not for publication, beyond the names of the successful candidates.

 

Someone might get into serious trouble for leaking that document.

[vikpaw]

Quick download it fast.!

[Bromcom_John]

Quick download it fast.!

hehe, Internet FTW!!

[GREED]

The results are not for public release without explicit permission from the GPT. Such statements can risk said suppliers position on the list.

 

Interesting However to see who else made the list, particularly those who supply both systems... Who the GPT considers suitable suppliers for such systems...

Edited March 31, 2012 by GREED

[garethEds]

We've just had this come down to us in Powys. We are no longer allowed to go directly to suppliers not on the framework lists, if the value is over 30k, and even then we need to use a special code with that supplier to get a county/DfE discount.

 

We are also only allowed to use the County's Leasing Company, and that leases can only now be 4 years or less.

 

We have come to the end of our current 5 year RM lease (April anyhow), and need to replace stuff, so doing everything on a shoe string as usual, managed to get a good deal with RM, but county have thrown the 3 Framework quotes at us, we had 3 quotes from our usual suppliers, but they didn't use the framework code (as 1 was on the framework list) or weren't on the framework list to begin with.

 

Hopefully we'll get everything in place for the end of the Month so we can meet RM's deal deadline

 

I've not heard anything of this in Swansea where I am. We have to seek quotes for anything over £1000. I thought I could get around this by putting things on different order forms and numbers. Seems that it is on 'cumulative' £1000. So getting one order for £600 and one for £500 from the same company would mean I needed quotes

 

I've never been told that I have to order from the Value Wales framework either. Funny think is I've just had a quote for 2 Dell servers and a SAN that I was told was priced to the Value Wales framework but it's the same price as another company that are not on the Value Wales framework.

 

All very confusing but at the moment I am ordering from where I want to.

 

Gareth

[vikpaw]

Well i tried, and failed I guess it makes sense, they did the work to make things easier for the schools, not so the suppliers on there can have an extra marketing tool It's a shame, and if anyone can think of a convincing argument that i can request access with, speak freely , or if you are a public sector school and would like me to act on your behalf as a researcher then follow the instructions :

 

Dear Vik Paw.

 

Thank you for your request, we regret to inform you that application has not been successful.

 

Thank you for completing our online registration form to become a customer of Government Procurement Service.

 

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept your registration, as it appears from your e-mail address that you are not in the public sector.

 

The Government Procurement Service framework agreements are for the exclusive use of public sector organisations, or companies working on their behalf. If you are working on behalf of a public sector customer, we need confirmation from them before proceeding with your registration. Please ask them to e-mail this confirmation to [email protected]

 

If you are interested in becoming a Government Procurement Service supplier, please visit

Buying Solutions - about us - supplier zone

 

 

Regards,

 

Government Procurement Services Customer Care

 

Government Procurement Services Customer Care

[GREED]

Good plan @vikpaw a shame you wouldn't be able to share the results...

[vikpaw]

I just want to look in detail at the framework and see what the compare tool does. Especially in light of the dubiously released information that ranks the systems in order. I'd like to see just how that arrangement came about and how the elements were weighted.

As with anything it's all well and good throwing data / numbers around, but it's nice to see how they were reached.

[vikpaw]

There is some very useful advice and guidance here IMLS framework: advice and guidance - Schools

 

It ought to be easily found on the website, however a lot of the links especially for the framework seem to send you around in a cycle, so posting here for reference if anyone wants more info.

[vikpaw]

NOTICE

 

Following some consultation, the links to outside content have been removed as the content is unofficial and thus cause for much speculation.

 

Unconfirmed sources and speculation cannot provide reliable information and therefore it is in the best interests of members to remove that information.

 

The Dfe have announced the supplier lists, as per previous links, and each supplier has made public their status of being successful ( or not ) on their own sites.

 

Please avoid referring to the ranking of suppliers or further discussion centred around this area.

 

The link in my previous post provides some very good examples of how to come up with your own specifications and to make best use of the framework to see which of the approved suppliers best fit your needs. Each establishment will come to it's own conclusion as to which is most suitable for them.

Edited April 2, 2012 by vikpaw

[Banford]

What does this mean if we we're looking to a supplier that isn't on this list? Is that bad? Can suppliers be added onto this list during the framework period?

 

If we weren't going to be paying anything for our MIS? Can we ignore this, or do we still have to participate in the interest of fair competition?

[vikpaw]

I believe the idea is that if you choose off the list you don't have to go to tender, as it's pre-approved, or not needing to get multiple quotes. something like that. Check the documentation on the dfe website.

 

If you're getting it for free, i think you're fine, so long as it's free forever and there is no bias i.e. kickbacks. Free for a year is a bit difficult because you get an element of vendor lock-in so should shop around and consider total cost over 3 / 5 years.

[TonySheppardNCC]

Frameworks set up by GPS and various Gov't departments are done to allow schools and other pulic sector bodies to purchase on a range of requirements and in the knowledge that a chunk of the procurement work (eg financial suitability, support, etc) has already been done. This allows schools to spend their time focussing on the requirements and the relationship with the companies involved.

 

It is not compulsary to purchase from the framework unless any future funding is tied in with doing so, which is unlikely in the present climate of devolving responsibility.

 

You can choose from the suppliers via mini-competition (with the usual procurement caveats about best value and VfM) but there is no need to go out to full tender (least of all OJEU level) when choosing from suppliers on the framework. If you are choosing a mix of suppliers on and off the framework then you do need to follow your usual full procurement processes (which vary depending on the value of services being purchased).

 

For more advice on procurement please contact your LA or procurement advice service (if taking such a service idependently of your LA, if part of an academy group / free school / UTC or if an independent school), or follow the links of the Dep't for Education website about buying specific goods and services.

Buying specific goods and services - Schools

Edited April 3, 2012 by TonySheppardNCC

[Banford]

Yeah it would be more like free to start with. So we should consider alternatives.

 

I did read through a lot of the links provided, but it's a complex thing. At the moment we aren't looking to tender, but we possibly will need to if the current system doesn't meet requirements. (Which it looks like is going to happen.)

 

I suppose this is the kind of thing that will help us out, as it's creating a baseline standard of quality and reliability as well as ensuring competition. Do you know if people can be added to that list? I didn't catch that anywhere.

[vikpaw]

Apparently many suppliers didn't respond to the request to apply. I suppose in theory people can be added, but i can't imagine they want to do it in dribs and drabs.

[Banford]

But I can imagine a supplier of that kind of system who is not on that list might want to be. Especially if people opt to start using it.

[matt40k]

Are you referring to a certain MIS system that is "free", but requires you to take the parents portal which displays ads? This might have issues due to the way it is financed. I could be wrong. Like Tony said, contact your LA procurement advice service - they might offer this service to academies (for a price of course).

[Banford]

No it's not that. That's a strange idea, I hadn't heard of it. It's a redeveloped version of our existing MIS. We use SIMS but only for the bare basics. Everything else is done by additional systems.

 

I think I will need to speak to senior management about it and try and take the right approach. Thanks for the advice. 'Procurement' is nothing to do with me by the way, I'm a technician I just want to be clued up when the gears start to turn.

[penfold_99]

Are you referring to a certain MIS system that is "free", but requires you to take the parents portal which displays ads? This might have issues due to the way it is financed. I could be wrong. Like Tony said, contact your LA procurement advice service - they might offer this service to academies (for a price of course).

 

Scholarpack are on the list as Histon House as i recall. They ditched the free in exchange for ads model due to the number of ads blockers people were using.

[scholarpack]

Scholarpack are on the list as Histon House as i recall. They ditched the free in exchange for ads model due to the number of ads blockers people were using.

 

Yes that's correct. I'm trying to get (Trading as ScholarPack) appended though as Histon House Ltd doesn't mean much to our customers!

[Banford]

Is there a preview (live demo) version of ScholarPack? I'd like to take a look at it.

[vikpaw]

Is there a preview (live demo) version of ScholarPack? I'd like to take a look at it.

 

check out the website ScholarPack - The Cloud Based Management Information System for Schools and there is a contact form there, they will arrange a demo and discuss your requirements.