Tendering undertaken by IPSA

IPSA selected their ICT Systems provider following a structured procurement exercise run through OGC Buying Solutions. A number of specialist ICT providers bid for the work and were evaluated against pre-agreed criteria by a selection panel made-up of IPSA Directors and ICT staff working for IPSA. OGC maintained an oversight of the procurement.

A core deliverable from the ICT Supplier selected was the online expenses system for use by MPs and their staff. This was selected following due diligence by the ICT Supplier and by IPSA. A key requirement was that the solution to be implemented was technically proven in a wide array of end customer locations across the private and public sector. The online system needed to be capable of configuration to meet the requirements of the IPSA Expense Scheme and be industry strength in terms of usability. Similarly the solution needed to represent value for money to the public purse and allow secure data access and transmission by MPs. The final solution selected following demonstration and customer endorsement was expense@work.

Also within the deliverables from the ICT provider procured was the provision of telephones.

IPSA also utilised the OGC Buying Solutions Framework for the procurement of furniture. The total cost of office furniture incurred was £244,000. This expenditure primarily included desk, chairs, office cabinets, and blinds.