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Business Continuity Testing Exercise - RFI

NHS Business Services Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

21 Oct 2026 at 09:45

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) intends to procure an independent business continuity exercise service. The supplier will work with NHSBSA to design a realistic, catastrophic incident scenario reflecting the complexity of the NHS and its threat environment, such as a ransomware attack or data integrity breach. The exercise should ideally test business-wide impacts across several NHSBSA services and directorates. The supplier will facilitate the exercise and same-day debrief, then provide a high-level report and a more detailed report, covering observations, strengths and weaknesses, and prioritised recommendations. This is business continuity and disaster recovery consultancy (CPV 79410000). The work is for NHSBSA’s services to NHS organisations, contractors, health bodies, patients and the public; delivery is listed as within the United Kingdom.

The process is at planning and NHSBSA is conducting a Request for Information to understand the market and shape its procurement strategy. This is market research, not an invitation to tender or a commitment to procure. The route to market has not been decided; if a framework is chosen, a later competition may be limited to its appointed suppliers. NHSBSA expected clarification questions by 28 October 2026 and written RFI responses by 3 November 2025, both at noon BST; the stated response date precedes the notice’s October 2026 publication and should be checked with the buyer. The exercise is expected to run from 1 February to 31 March 2027, with the next notice anticipated on 29 January 2027. The indicative value is £40,000 excluding VAT (£48,000 including VAT). There is one lot, marked suitable for SMEs.

This is likely to suit consultancies and specialist providers able to design and facilitate business continuity exercises, particularly those combining incident response, disaster recovery, business analysis and risk expertise. The exercise calls for a credible catastrophic scenario, potentially involving ransomware or compromised data integrity, that reflects the NHS operating environment and can test impacts across multiple services and directorates. Suppliers should be able to engage with NHSBSA to understand its operations, run a half-day exercise and debrief, and produce two useful reports: a concise executive-level account and a fuller analysis with prioritised recommendations. Experience translating exercise findings into practical improvements would be relevant. NHSBSA is seeking high-level supplier input now to inform its eventual procurement approach; participation is open to economic operators, including groups of organisations. No particular accreditation is stated.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Business Continuity Testing Exercise - RFI

Notice Description

The NHSBSA is a Special Health Authority and an Arm's Length Body of the Department of Health and Social Care. We provide a range of critical central services to NHS organisations (our 'clients'), NHS contractors, health bodies, patients and the public (our 'customers'). The NHSBSA requires a service to design, deliver, and facilitate an independent business continuity exercise to test incident response in a realistic, catastrophic scenario. The incident scenario should reflect the complexity and diversity of the NHS sector and be relevant to the threat landscape across the NHS i.e. a ransomware attack or a data integrity breach. It should ideally have a business wide impact, covering a range of the NHSBSA's services and directorates. Prior to the design of the business continuity exercise, the Supplier will engage with the NHSBSA and be provided with information and/or documents as required to design an appropriate exercise. Delivery of the exercise should take place over half a day and be followed by a debrief session on the same day. Following this, two reports should be submitted by the Supplier; one high level and the other more detailed. Both reports should include, but not be limited to, key observations, analysis of strengths and weaknesses, and prioritised recommendations. Further details of the NHSBSA's requirements can be found within the Request for Information (RFI) documents within the supplier documents section of the individual opportunity. At this stage we are seeking high-level input to enable us to assess the market and to inform any future procurement strategy to ensure compliance with The Procurement Act 2023 and/or the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as the case maybe. Interested parties must register an interest in this RFI via https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (search opportunities using system reference C483294). Suppliers can register from Wednesday 21st October 2026 and the RFI documents will be made available on Wednesday 21st October 2026. The window for clarification questions will close on Wednesday 28th October 2026 at 12:00 noon BST and written RFI responses are requested by no later than Tuesday 3rd November 2025 at 12:00 noon BST. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) invites all interested economic operators to participate in an RFI. Your organisation's involvement with our RFI is an invaluable way of us ensuring that, with your input, we have the best support and guidance to inform any subsequent procurement. Please note that at this stage a route to market has not yet been determined. However, should the outcome of this RFI determine that the best value route to market is via a framework then any subsequent invitation to tender and notices will be restricted to those appointed to the applicable framework and will be governed by the Procurement Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023 as stipulated by the framework in question. Additional Information: Suppliers should note that this RFI is a market research exercise only and it is not an invitation to tender, an invitation to offer an agreement or a guarantee there will be a future procurement exercise. If you do not wish to take part in this RFI exercise, it will not affect any current or future business with the NHSBSA. Participation in this RFI is limited to suppliers that meet the definition of "economic operator" under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. "Economic operator" means any person, or public entity, or group of such persons and entities, including any temporary association of undertakings, that offers the execution of works or a work, the supply of products or the provision of services on the market. Where a participant does not meet this criteria they may be removed from the RFI process. Disclaimers: (1) No competitive advantage will be gained by the suppliers engaging with the NHSBSA at this early stage and NHSBSA will ensure equal treatment of all interested parties at all times. We will make the outputs of the day available to those Suppliers who are unable to attend. (2) NHSBSA does not bind itself, by conducting this RFI exercise, to commence any procurement procedure or award any contract, and will not in any event be responsible for any costs incurred by invitees in attending and/or preparing for the presentation and individual supplier meeting referred to above. (3) Confidentiality of information which is clearly marked or identified as being confidential and which is reasonably viewed by NHSBSA as confidential will be observed, but NHSBSA does not accept any blanket claims of confidentiality.

Planning Information

The full scope of the engagement is set out within the Scope of this Notice.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078c6d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099277-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

71317000 - Hazard protection and control consultancy services

72120000 - Hardware disaster-recovery consultancy services

72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services

72251000 - Disaster recovery services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79417000 - Safety consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
29 Jan 20274 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Mar 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS Business Services Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE15 8NY
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Lemington
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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