Challenge: digital engagement platform

*** This challenge is now closed. ***

We have launched a challenge for digital developers to create a new online engagement platform to support our Design Together, Live Better initiative as well as other future health and social care projects.

Funding of up to £75,000 is available for the initial development of a SaaS (software as a service) platform and the first year of hosting and maintenance.

The deadline is 24 February 2017 for the submission of detailed product proposals and costings.

The idea behind Design Together, Live Better is to connect people who are interested in creating or being part of designing new healthcare products with innovators of new technologies and solutions. Digital developers are invited to submit their proposals for creating an effective and easy-to-use online platform where these connections can happen.

Adam Lester-George from the West of England AHSN’s Enterprise team explains: “In its broadest definition, we are looking for a membership platform that allows members of different, predefined types to set up profiles and anonymously communicate with one another according to their security settings. Each member can associate their account with a set of descriptive tags, which can be searched by other members, to allow contact to be made with homogenous groups of people with the same attributes.

“Members should also be able to issue ‘challenges’ across the platform, which other members with appropriate attributes can sign-up to. All member information should be accessible by administrators within the West of England AHSN.”

The successful proposal will include elements of:

• content management system (CMS)
• customer relationship management (CRM) system
• citizen engagement database
• crowdsourcing system
• social network.

Priority will be given to proposals that can be implemented quickly, based on modifications to existing products with a proven track record of success.

Funding of up to £75,000 (including VAT) is available for initial development and the first year’s hosting and maintenance. The successful applicant will have up to four months to develop a solution and will have first refusal for fulfilling the ongoing annual contract for maintenance of the platform after year one. The digital engagement platform will be wholly-owned by the West of England AHSN.

Timetable

Application opens	16 January 2017
Application deadline	24 February 2017
Shortlisting	3 March 2017
Interviews	17 March 2017*
Successful applicant selected	24 March 2017
Development starts	April 2017
Product delivery	27 July 2017
*provisional – TBC

For enquiries, contact Adam Lester-George, Alliance Manager, at adam.lester-george@weahsn.net or call 0117 900 2477.