Procurement & Outsourcing
Procurement & Outsourcing
We help healthcare organisations define what they really need, understand the market and procure diagnostic solutions that deliver long-term clinical, operational and financial value.
The right procurement can shape a service for years.
Major diagnostic procurements are complex and can determine how a service operates for many years.
The wrong specification, commercial model or evaluation criteria can lock organisations into unnecessary cost, constrain future change or result in technology that doesn't meet operational needs.
The challenge is not simply buying well. It is procuring the right solution for the service you want to deliver.
Support across the entire procurement and outsourcing lifecycle.
We support organisations throughout the procurement and outsourcing lifecycle — from establishing requirements through evaluation, selection and implementation.
Better decisions. Better value. Lower long-term risk.
We help organisations look beyond purchase price to understand whole-life cost, operational impact, flexibility, performance and value.
This creates stronger procurement decisions and solutions better aligned with the organisation's long-term requirements.
Begin with the service requirement, not the product.
We begin with the service requirement, not the product.
By establishing what the organisation needs to achieve before approaching the market, we can help create specifications and evaluation criteria that focus procurement on outcomes rather than simply features and price.
Evidence from procurement in practice.
Procurement evidence will sit here.
The approved Lifecycle procurement project and verified outcomes can be inserted here.
Facing a major diagnostic procurement?
We can help you establish what you really need, what the market can deliver and how to secure the best long-term outcome.
Project evidence
Case studies from real diagnostic programmes.
Read the full project evidence here without leaving the Lifecycle website. Open a case study to see the challenge, Lifecycle’s role and the outcomes delivered.
01Children’s Health IrelandFuture-ready Managed Laboratory Service
Procurement and technical laboratory expertise brought together around long-term service value.
The challenge
CHI needed to move from a legacy equipment purchasing model to a managed laboratory service for a state-of-the-art children’s hospital. The service had to support specialist disciplines, digital integration, implementation and long-term adaptability without pushing risk downstream.
Why Lifecycle mattered
Lifecycle combined procurement capability with technical and scientific laboratory planning. Service design, market engagement, business-case logic and implementation planning were managed as one integrated programme rather than separate workstreams.
The approach
Requirements were defined in service terms rather than asset terms. Output-based specifications and service-led lot structures encouraged suppliers to propose integrated solutions covering automation, digital connectivity, workflow optimisation and future diagnostic capability. Evaluation focused on quality, resilience, total cost of ownership and scalability, not only upfront price.
Outcomes delivered
- An integrated Managed Laboratory Service aligned to clinical and scientific need
- A procurement process balancing innovation, quality and value
- Stronger supplier partnerships, governance and accountability
- A resilient, digitally connected diagnostic ecosystem
- A smoother transition from procurement into implementation
“By addressing complexity, enabling innovation, and embedding long-term value, Lifecycle helped CHI secure a laboratory service model that supports world-class paediatric care.”Bernie Quirke, CHI Laboratory Programme Director, and Robert Keogh, CHI Head of Procurement & Supply Chain
02Children’s Health IrelandSMA and SCID newborn screening
End-to-end procurement of a novel testing solution, from clinical requirements to implementation.
Overview
Lifecycle advised CHI on the design and management of the procurement process for a novel test solution supporting Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in newborn screening. The programme had to support early detection while integrating with established laboratory workflows and IT infrastructure.
Engagement and strategy
Clinical and scientific stakeholders developed an agreed user requirement specification. Lifecycle then designed the procurement methodology, tested supplier readiness through market soundings and confirmed technical feasibility against international practice.
Evaluation and contracting
Lifecycle managed documentation, governance, timelines and communication. Structured technical and financial scoring supported a transparent preferred-supplier decision, followed by contract negotiation, signature and clear implementation handover protocols.
Outcome
The solution moved beyond procurement into full implementation and patient testing. The project demonstrates how scientific requirements, procurement compliance and operational integration can be managed as one connected programme.
“Lifecycle expertly managed the end-to-end procurement of the novel SMA and SCID newborn screening equipment solution, ensuring seamless integration into national laboratory services.”Bernie Quirke, CHI Laboratory Programme Director, and Loretta O’Grady, CHI Chief Medical Scientist, National Newborn Screening Laboratory