NHS framework provokes ill feeling

Resellers have accused the NHS of "trashing" the endpoint security market after just one supplier made it onto its national procurement list for encryption technology.

NHS trusts will now be encouraged to buy encryption through VAR Trustmarque, which won the 700,000-seat tender with vendor McAfee.

Rival resellers are fuming because NHS agency Connecting for Health (CFH) originally intended to issue a framework that included several suppliers. Just two weeks ago, the government pledged to push 30 per cent of all public sector contracts through smaller suppliers within five years.

Jonathan Lassman, managing director of reseller Network Technology Solutions, said: “We were excited by the framework agreement as we thought everyone could get products approved under the scheme. But CFH has narrowed it down to one product based on price, which has trashed the market.”

Tim Dickens, sales director at Trustmarque, said CFH switched from a framework to a single supplier to ensure NHS trusts could get the best value on encryption technology.

He denied that the NHS was forcing the channel to work on wafer-thin margins. “We are comfortable with the margins because this deal has a large services requirement.”

He added that Trustmarque had already received enquires from 20 per cent of NHS trusts.

An NHS CFH representative said: “The SafeBoot product was selected by NHS CFH from a range of alternatives as the most appropriate product that met the required high security standards and service. It also offered the best value for money for the NHS.”