Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd (SingHealth) is the eastern cluster of public healthcare institutions in Singapore. Our members include 3 Hospitals, 5 National Specialty Centres and a network of primary healthcare clinics.
How is SingHealth Group Procurement Office (GPO) related to the Materials Management Department of the hospitals and national centres’?
SingHealth group of hospitals, national centres and polyclinics have their own Materials Management Department to meet their own specific institutional needs for purchases and inventory of products and services. The GPO was established to adopt strategic sourcing for common spend across the cluster to leverage on economies of scale; engage key stakeholders; and forge vendor partnerships with the ultimate aim of reducing the Group’s total cost of ownership.
Under this strategic sourcing process, who will be the “purchaser”: SingHealth (whether as a group or as Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd), or individual hospitals?
It is intended that the process will generally be executed through SingHealth GPO as an agent for the relevant SingHealth group of institutions, i.e. SingHealth GPO will despatch the relevant Requests for Proposal (RFP) to vendors; review replies therefrom; conduct negotiations and select “strategic vendors” on behalf of all the entities in the Group. However, if and when any vendor is selected under this strategic sourcing process, the chosen vendor will enter into a master agreement with the relevant institutions. Notwithstanding this master agreement, the respective hospitals and national centres will still continue to take deliveries directly from the vendor.
What is SingHealth GPO RFP process like?
For the RFP process, SingHealth GPO will invite selected vendors to submit proposals for various products and/or services through “Requests for Proposal”. SingHealth will evaluate these proposal submissions. Should we wish to proceed further, GPO will approach any one or more vendors for further negotiation/discussion.
Generally, it is expected that selection of vendors will, among other considerations, be based on:
- end-user acceptance,
- price of products,
- ability to service all sites in system equally,
- product ordering options,
- delivery capabilities,
- backlog policy (vendor finances added costs associated with products unavailable in specified time frame),
- available payment terms,
- product exchange program (expired product, obsolete product, etc.),
- diversity of product offering,
- product consignment (where appropriate),
- program to report product utilization rates,
- contract compliance data,
- access to informed and qualified support staff,
- program for new technology pricing and availability, and
- product performance guarantees.
As is the case under any tender process, SingHealth may also conduct end-user evaluations to assess the product quality and suitability of each vendor.
The foregoing is not, and is not intended to be in any way, an exhaustive or comprehensive list of evaluation criteria. You will appreciate that the evaluation process is a dynamic one, which has to change and evolve to meet varying user requirements or the call of increasing standards of healthcare provisions.
Why was my tender unsuccessful?
SingHealth GPO Evaluation Committee makes the final decision. The committee comprises clinicians, nurses, biomedical engineers, pharmacists and admin staff from all the institutions. At times, it also involves experts from other sectors. The scope of the assessment framework would include the technical, economic, social, professional, and ethical factors involved in the implementation of the vendor’s product(s) / service(s).
Successful tenders or vendors’ proposals are selected based on a set of objective criteria which offer the best value to SingHealth GPO in terms of the total cost of ownership.
Why is the final contracted price no longer published?
The final contracted price is no longer published as SingHealth GPO regards it as strategic information. However, vendors are assured that SingHealth GPO pledges to uphold the highest standard of Professionalism, Integrity and Good Faith.
Where can I view the new SingHealth GPO Tender/RFP Notices?
Vendors can view new Tender/RFP notices at http://gpo.nhg.singhealth.com.sg
Please note that such notices are uploaded every Friday of the week.
Where can I view new Open Tender/RFP Notices called by SingHealth institutions?
Vendors can view new Tender/RFP notices for individual SingHealth institutions at the following sites:
CGH - http://www.singhealth.com.sg/tender/cghtender/cghtendermain.html
KKH - http://www.singhealth.com.sg/Tender/kkhtender/tenderkkh.html
SGH - http://www.singhealth.com.sg/Tender/Users/Tendersgh.html
NCC - http://www.nccs.com.sg/tender/
NDC - http://www.ndc.com.sg/ForPatientsNVisitors/Tenders/
NHC - http://www.nhc.com.sg/ForPatientsNVisitors/TenderRFP/
NNI - http://www.nni.com.sg/tender_notices.htm
SHP - http://www.shp.com.sg/tender_notices.htm
SNEC- http://www.singhealth.com.sg/Tender/snectender/tendersnec.html
Who should I talk to if I have a new product?
Email us:
For Pharmaceutical products gpo.pharma@singhealth.com.sg
For Non-Pharmaceutical products gpo.mm@singhealth.com.sg