WIREDGOV

NEPO is working in partnership with ESPO & YPO to offer its members access to a wide range of Financial Services solutions. All three parties have a shared ambition to provide the public sector with procurement solutions that deliver value, offer flexibility and drive innovation.

Under this new partnership, members of ESPO and YPO will be able to access NEPO’s upcoming Payment Card Services solution, including the following:

• Lot 1 – Prepaid Payments – Prepaid Card Accounts
• Lot 2 – Corporate Payments – Commercial Procurement Card Accounts

Michael Murray, Procurement Specialist at NEPO, yesterday said:

“We are delighted to be working with ESPO and YPO to extend the range of financial services solutions to our members and associates. Our partnership allows expertise to be shared and presents an exciting opportunity to widen the scope of financial services available to the public sector. The Payment Card Services solution will offer new, flexible and innovative ways of disbursing funds and facilitating payments. Working together, we will maintain a collaborative relationship to drive positive outcomes for our members, end users and the supply chain.”

NEPO undertook extensive market and stakeholder engagement to identify the financial services available to the public sector. It was clear that the accelerating pace of digital technology and innovation are now changing the landscape of the financial services industry.

Key stakeholder engagement allowed us to recognise the requirements of our members and associates resulting in the addition of a new Corporate Payments Solution, following increased use of procurement cards during the COVID19 Pandemic. 

The NEPO505 Payment Card Services solution will offer an effective route to market for the provision of Prepaid and Corporate Payments via a multi supplier, multi lot agreement.

Prepaid cards support public sector organisations and their diverse stakeholders needs. Prepaid Card accounts have seen an increased use during COVID-19 to disburse funds over multiple service areas, including support and care workers for critical services in the community, while supporting digital and social inclusion in the payment environment.

Commercial Procurement Cards provide Contracting Authorities with an electronic method to purchase goods or services. The cards harbor many benefits such as supporting the prompt payment code through faster payments to suppliers, saving time and money through purchase order elimination and enhancing spend control and transparency.

Additional procurement solutions will also be added in 2022 as NEPO, ESPO and YPO aim to procure a Dynamic Purchasing system for Financial Innovation and Digital Payments alongside a General Banking Services solution.

NEPO anticipate that the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the Payment Card Services solution will be issued in February 2022. Interested suppliers should visit the NEPO Portal to find out more and express an interest.

Sarah Jarvis, Corporate and Financial Services Category Manager at YPO, added:

“Gaining access to NEPO’s Payment Card Services solutions is a positive step forward for all of our members. Establishing this partnership with NEPO and ESPO demonstrates how working collaboratively can have an impact on the wider public sector. The Payment Card Services Solution will provide an incredibly efficient way to handle payment processes, equipping public sector organisations with the contemporary tools they need. We look forward to seeing the benefits this partnership will no doubt bring to our members.”

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Financial Services solutions, please get in touch.