Government seeks to engage with potential suppliers ahead of launching a formal procurement exercise later this year for a new iteration of commercial vehicle enabling public bodies to buy tech

In the latest version of a national cross-public sector tech framework, the Welsh Government is seeking to include a section dedicated to the “circular economy and recycled items”.

The organisation has published a prior information notice outlining its intent to undertake a “scoping exercise” through which it will engage with prospective suppliers for the third iteration of the All-Wales IT Products and Services Agreement.

The next version of the commercial vehicle, which is expected to be worth £200m the chosen providers, will allow all public-sector bodies across Wales to buy a wide range of tech products.

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The newly published commercial notice indicates that the new framework will be slimmed down from five to four lots, the first three of which will respectively address hardware, software licensing, and audiovisual equipment. The proposed fourth lot, which would provide Welsh public bodies with opportunities to buy refurbished kit, is a new addition.

The notice added: “Welsh Government commercial delivery would like to explore the possibility of a ‘Circular Economy and Recycled Items’ lot for commodity items to be fully cleansed and resold to the public sector with a full record of where the item originated from and was resold to.”

The Welsh Government expects to issue a formal contract notice and begin inviting bids for a spot on the framework in about three months’ time.

In the meantime, the organisation’s procurement teams “will engage with suppliers to establish the most appropriate commercial models and contracting terms to deliver best value”. Firms interested in taking part in workshops and other supplier-engagement events – to be held in Wales in the coming weeks – are asked to register their interest and provide details online.

The incumbent second iteration of the All-Wales IT Products and Services Agreement was put in place in 2020 and features five lots, respectively dedicated to commodity catalogue-based products and services, hardware, software licensing, audiovisual tools, and bundled solutions covering multiple areas.

The framework features 21 suppliers and came with an expected value of £300m during its initial two-year term – which expired in January of this year.