CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Acquiring data for the National social care data portal for Wales

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

Introduction

In 2021, Social Care Wales commissioned Grant Thornton to review the first iteration of the.National social care data portal. The review sought to understand how the portal was being used, who used it and whether we could do more to promote the portal as a valuable source of information on social care in Wales.

The report also highlighted several gaps in the provision of data. Some social care topics are reasonably well covered. Data on social care for children for example are reasonably well served. Other areas are not so well served by data. There remains demand for data on these topics amongst colleagues across social care.

We launched our new ‘continuity portal’ in May 2022. The new look and feel has received positive feedback. However, the data that drives the portal remains unchanged. The acquisition of additional data and continued functional improvements are part of our next phase of work.

Any data tools that we develop (or are developed on our behalf) must be supported by content relevant to the needs of the social care sector. If we are to achieve our ambition of improving how data and evidence is used to develop social care in Wales, we need to make the most up to date data available to our analysts, our practitioners and our decision makers on all aspects of social care.

What is required / ‘The Requirements’

Social Care Wales are looking for an experienced supplier to assist us in discovering, developing and acquiring data assets that can be used for the national social care data portal.

We have worked with our partners across social care in Wales to discover which areas of social care are data priorities to be sourced and added to the platform. These are (in no particular order), data on:

- individuals in Wales living with dementia

- individuals in Wales who provide unpaid care

- adults in Wales with a learning disability

- individuals in Wales who self-fund their care

- Up to two additional topics gathered from feedback obtained from stakeholders

Suppliers should give priority to routinely available administrative data for individuals living in Wales. However, we understand that sources of routine administrative data on these topics may be limited, underdeveloped or lacking all-together.

Suppliers should also prioritise sources of data where acquisition of data can be automated through APIs or other acquisition techniques such as scraping (where this is permissible by the data-owner).

There is a high possibility that routine administrative data is not readily available for all the topics above. In this instance, suppliers should investigate alternative sources of data that can be utilised to provide insight for users of the data portal. These may be regional or local data, data derived from research, or data from other UK nations that have the potential to be transposed to Wales.

It is expected that the supplier will have significant expertise in the following:

a) Expert knowledge of social care with an understanding of where high-quality sources of data might exist on the topics outlined above.

b) Experience of developing datasets relating to health or care.

c) Experience or knowledge of technical aspects of automated data capture.

d) Experience of extracting relevant data from research and academic publications.

e) Methodical and organised and able to work to deadlines.

f) Ability to communicate technical matters in an accessible (Plain English) format.

g) Expertise in data sharing processes would be helpful.

Please see specification for further details

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=124621.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Budget

There is a budget of up to £60,000 (inclusive of any applicable VAT) agreed for this tender.

The Supplier will provide full financial breakdown of the costs associated with the project for consideration through the evaluation process.

Prices must be quoted in pounds sterling and clearly state if VAT will or will not be charged.

Length of contract

The contract will run until 30 April 2023, with a possibility to extend for a further 6 Months.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

(WA Ref:124621)

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia bidding.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice