Expanding Supplier Reach: How NEPRO3 Helped The London Borough of Newham Unlock Niche Expertise
In today’s fast-paced landscape, finding the right supplier can be a challenge, especially in niche markets. The London Borough of Newham (LBN) recently faced this exact issue when they needed to enhance their DataMart system for Adult Social Care and Children Services. With limited supplier options and a tight timeline, LBN turned to NEPRO3 for a solution that would deliver both speed and quality.
LBN had implemented a new social care system and required a specialist supplier to:
Review the existing DataMart infrastructure
- Expand the data held within the system
- Develop management reports and user dashboards
The DataMart plays a critical role in LBN’s operations, supporting everything from local KPIs to statutory reporting. However, the borough was only aware of one potential supplier with the necessary expertise—highlighting a need to broaden their supplier base, particularly to include SMEs and maximise value.
Working with oneSource, LBN engaged Bloom to find the right supplier through the compliant and competitive process available under NEPRO3. Bloom’s Client Services Manager collaborated with LBN to refine the project scope and recommended a mini-competition to encourage broader participation.
A shortlist of 11 pre-qualified suppliers was invited to bid, including both local SMEs and larger firms. This approach not only ensured compliance but also opened the door to a wider pool of talent.
Ultimately, Key Intelligence was appointed to deliver the project. Their experience in Health and Social Care enabled them to meet LBN’s requirements on time and within budget. Bloom went from receipt of project requirement to service delivery by Key Intelligence in just 34 days.
This case study highlights the power of flexible procurement frameworks like NEPRO3 in unlocking specialist expertise, driving cost efficiencies, and supporting SME engagement. For public sector organisations facing similar challenges, a mini-competition could be the key to unlocking better outcomes.
If you’d like to discuss a project you’re working on, please get in touch via nepro@nepo.org
