The decision, made by ESS, to extend their contract to a three-year term has left schools up and down the country feeling disillusioned. The timing of this recent announcement has left the education community in a quandary; either signing on to the services of a company who have changed the status quo without consultation with their clients, or taking the tentative step into the world of a different MIS provider.
At Bromcom, we have been approached by schools and MATs of all sizes who have expressed their discontent at the situation. Many have remained loyal to their previous provider for decades but have acknowledged that the market has taken great strides in innovation and they are now willing to entertain change, more than ever.
We stand with other MIS providers who believe the process undertaken by ESS is unprincipled in the current climate and goes against everything that a provider should be offering to school staff, students and parents alike.
Fortunately, we have been able to inform schools of a means of purchasing an MIS which we believe can be completed swiftly and ensure you find an MIS suited to your exact specifications: G-Cloud.
The G-Cloud Framework is run by the Crown Commercial Services and allows you to make an informed and objective decision on which MIS supplier aligns with your school, by applying award criteria to the solutions on the framework agreement, that meet your requirements.
Many MIS providers, including Bromcom, are part of this framework which provides a safe and compliant way of procuring new software packages for schools, provided the terms of the framework agreement are complied with. Decisions must be centred on the information presented against your terms. By following this process correctly you will find a MIS for you, and you specifically.
If, having gone through this quick procedure, Bromcom is the selected MIS for you and your community, we will have you up and running by February half-term (based on a decision on or before the 22nd December).
If the G-Cloud framework route to the market interests you, having decided to move away from ESS, then Bromcom has some do’s and don’ts when procuring a new MIS:
Do’s
- You can request clarifications on information relating to the service documents
- You may confirm benefits and features of the system you are procuring – any costs associated with additional features should be listed separately
- You may ask questions regarding Terms and Conditions, these can be related to terms of the contract and even the framework agreement
Don’ts
- Don’t use the procurement process to carry out further competition on G-Cloud. You must evaluate suppliers objectively, selecting the one that best befits pre-set criteria that are intended to assess technical suitability, after-sales management, non-functional characteristics and cost
- Don’t ask a supplier to provide anything not detailed in your specific listing
- Don’t ask a supplier to change their service based on your demands
- Don’t ask to negotiate pricing outside the parameters of the framework
- Don’t unfairly exclude any services without referring back to your requirements
- Don’t ask suppliers to tender, bid or submit proposals
The G-Cloud framework is designed to support your school and trust’s specific needs. If you end up choosing Bromcom, we promise to honour our commitment to you and continue to provide the best MIS solution possible.
