FOI/202300384197 · FOI · partially withheld
Procurement of services for Primary Care Health Inequalities Project: FOI release
Information requested
You asked for:
The market analysis process conducted by the Scottish Government for selecting the six suppliers invited to bid for this work (Primary Care Health Inequalities Project Ref no. 668035) The period of time when the market analysis was conducted The profile of the six suppliers (size of organisation, location, director/owner make-up) invited to bid for this work.
Response
The answer to your question is:
1. Contracting authorities may make known their intentions of planned procurements through the publication of a prior information notice. The publication of a PIN does not commit the buying organisation to awarding a contract, it may be used to assist in identifying potential bidders or to seek information from the market. The list of suppliers who expressed interest in the PIN was initially sifted based on relevance and type of organisation. Following this, market analysis was conducted by a Senior Researcher and overseen by a Principal Researcher in the Health and Social Care Analysis Division, seeking views from the General Practice Policy Division. The webpages of suppliers were used to assess their experience and expertise. Suppliers were ranked on their likely ability to deliver the requirement and the top 6 suppliers were invited to bid.
2. The process took place between 13th October and 3rd November
3. The selected suppliers were small and medium enterprises who are based in the UK and are either private limited companies or limited liability partnerships.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA “disclosure would (or would be likely to) prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or organisation” applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA “disclosure would (or would be likely to) prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or organisation” applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.